Título: Are the Barinas-Apure Crude Oils all Cretaceous sourced?

Autor: Olivares A., C. C., M. M. Alvarez, L. Lopez

Fuente: Annual AAPG-SEPM Convention, Paper Abstract, p. A134.

Editor: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Tulsa.

Año: 2002.

Lugar y fecha del Evento: Houston, Texas, 10 al 13 de Marzo.

País de publicación: U. S. A.

Tipo de documento: Abstract.

Resumen

It is generally assumed that the Upper Cretaceous-Tertiary source rocks are mostly responsible for the hydrocarbon accumulations in northern South America. What is less appreciated is the contribution of potential Silurian-Devonian-Jurassic source rocks to the overall hydrocarbon reserves. Evidence is evaluated concerning the so-called Venezuelan mixed crude oils and some variations within the classic marine crude oil families. Although work has been done to understand source rocks, oil familias and hydrocarbon migration in Venezuela, new data on Barinas-Apure Basin crude oils clearly document an additional oil type (paraffinic-naphthenic versus typical aromatic-naphthenic). The possibility of these crude oils being sourced from older rocks (Pre-Cretaceous beds) is suggested. To test this hypothesis, a rigorous approach lo the petroleum system analysis was adoptad by taking into account additional parameters in the analytical examination, including the incorporation of age-specific biomarkers and compositional data. An integrated basin modelling study of the interpreted Pre-Cretaceous interval is being carried out and shown here in order to get a better understanding of this proposed petroleum system.