See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/373535519

Hydrocarbon Exploration Potential in the Barreirinhas Basin: A Stratigraphic

Assessment of Cretaceous Sandstone Turbidite Reservoirs

Conference Paper · January 2023

DOI: 10.3997/2214-4609.202380028

CITATIONS READS

0 75

6 authors, including:

Eduardo Leaubon Victor Piccoli de Freitas

Brazilian Regulatory Agency of Petroleum, Gas and Biofuel Universidade Federal Fluminense
6 PUBLICATIONS 0 CITATIONS 1 PUBLICATION 0 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Eduardo Leaubon on 08 March 2024.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

D3-3
Hydrocarbon Exploration Potential in the Barreirinhas Basin: A
Stratigraphic Assessment of Cretaceous Sandstone Turbidite
Reservoirs
E. Leaubon1, V. De Freitas1, W. Da Silva, R1. Morelatto1, E. Loureiro1, R. Ávila1

National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels1

Summary
This study assesses the hydrocarbon exploration potential of the Barreirinhas Basin in the Brazilian
Equatorial Margin, with a specific focus on its Cretaceous sandstone turbidite reservoirs. Through
seismic interpretation and analysis of seismic attributes, a petroleum system assessment was
conducted to evaluate the unexplored frontier plays in the basin, with a particular emphasis on
identifying turbiditic bodies. The study highlights the basin's promise for deep water exploration.
Notably, the presence of a world-class Cenomanian-Turonian source rock and clastic reservoirs with
favorable migration conditions further enhance the basin's potential. Due to the limited number of
wells drilled in deep waters, the hydrocarbon exploration opportunities in the Barreirinhas Basin
remain largely untapped.

__________________________________________________________________________________________
First EAGE Conference on Deepwater Equatorial Margin: New Energy Frontier for South America
15 - 17 August 2023, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Introduction

The recent discoveries in the African Equatorial Margin (specifically Liberia, Ivory Coast, and
Ghana), Gulf of Guinea, Guyana, and Suriname have increased the interest in exploring the
homologous basins of the Brazilian Equatorial Margin. These basins share tectonic and structural
similarities, as they were connected before the formation of the Atlantic Ocean, making them
potentially analogous.

However, there are distinctive distinctions between the neighboring equatorial basins in Guiana,
Suriname, French Guiana, and Barreirinhas Basin in Brazil. Suriname and Guiana basins are
deposited over the Guiana Shield at the triple junction of Africa, North America, and South America
(Blaizo, 2021). As for Barreirinhas Basin, it is in the Est of the Demerara Plateau, consisting of a
series of sedimentary deposits from the Precambrian to the Miocene as well as other basins of the
Brazilian Equatorial Margin.

Despite these differences, previous studies have shown that gravitational flows and associated
deposits are present on continental margins, especially in regions with significant sediment supply.
These processes play a crucial role in the sedimentary development of these areas. Notable examples
of structures related to gravitational tectonics have been documented by Zalán (2001). Nevertheless,
deep-water regions of the Brazilian Equatorial Margin, including the Barreirinhas Basin, remain
relatively unexplored, necessitating further investigations to characterize the region. The Barreirinhas
Basin has only three drilled wells in its deep and ultra-deep waters.

This assessment focuses on the stratigraphic evaluation of Cretaceous and possibly Early Paleocene
turbiditic sandstone plays, which exhibit significant analogies with recent discoveries in neighboring
countries on the South American Equatorial Margin (Guyana and Suriname) and the Conjugated
Margin basins of Africa (Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Ghana). The main exploratory play in the
Barreirinhas Basin, associated with these turbiditic sandstone reservoirs, remains unexplored in deep
water, rendering it a frontier exploration area.

Six key elements were considered in the petroleum system assessment: source rock, hydrocarbon
migration, reservoir rock, trap, seal, and synchronism. The primary source rock in all the mentioned
basins is linked to a global anoxic event dating back to the Cenomanian-Turonian period. The
Aptian-Turonian is one of the most prolific source intervals in the world (Klemme and Ulmishek,
1991). While it was impossible to conclusively identify the presence of source rock through seismic
analysis alone, plane parallel facies indicative of a low-energy environment and significant acoustic
impedance contrast were interpreted as associated with this event. These facies have undergone
sufficient burial, potentially placing them within the appropriate geothermal gradient for oil and gas
generation.

Additionally, wells drilled in shallow waters confirm the existence of the petroleum system, thus
indicating low source risk. Hydrocarbon migration is facilitated by the vertical proximity of the
reservoirs to the interpreted source kitchen, and structural components like vertical faults may serve as
conduits for oil and gas migration. The reservoirs consist of vertically stacked channel complexes
with varying geometries, featuring prominent turbiditic fans. These opportunities have been identified
using 3D seismic analysis, particularly through the examination of seismic attributes.

This study relies on qualitative and quantitative interpretation techniques, including manual
interpretation of horizons and applying and extracting seismic attributes using a comprehensive 3D
seismic dataset covering a substantial lateral extent of the basin. The primary objective is to evaluate
this main unexplored play in the Brazilian Equatorial Margin, which has recently yielded significant
discoveries in neighboring countries like Guyana and similar basins along the West African margin.

__________________________________________________________________________________________
First EAGE Conference on Deepwater Equatorial Margin: New Energy Frontier for South America
15 - 17 August 2023, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Brazilian Main Exploratory Play in Offshore Barreirinhas Basin: Cretaceous Sandstone
Turbidites Reservoirs

The Barreirinhas Basin remains unexplored for the Cretaceous deepwater turbidites play.
Cenomanian-Turonian world-class source rock connects all the homologous basins in the South
American Equatorial Margin and correlates with African basins. Through seismic interpretation in
Figure 1, the presence of this source rock at a suitable depth and thickness was identified in the study
area. Hydrocarbon migration can occur through direct contact or short-distance vertical migration,
indicating a high likelihood of hydrocarbon accumulation in Cretaceous reservoirs. The seismic
analysis also identified the geometry of channels and turbiditic lobes in the 3D data, particularly in the
deposition range of the main turbiditic reservoirs, potentially including the Travosas Formation
spanning the Cretaceous and Lower Paleocene.

Figure 1 Inline (dip orientation) of a 3D seismic cube. The Cenomanian-Turonian source interval is
colored green. Recent sediments are colored yellow. The study interval is limited by the interpreted top
Cretaceous (dashed purple line). The stratigraphic span of the study interval is indicated by the
orange arrows. The yellow circles indicate the occurrence of turbidites in the region. Seismic image
courtesy of CGG.

To assess trap integrity, seal effectiveness, and understand the distribution of turbiditic reservoirs with
different channel geometries and gravitational deposits, minimum amplitudes (also known as
maximum negative amplitudes) were extracted from the 3D seismic cube, covering the interval
associated with turbidite features observed through seismic interpretation. This interval spans the
beginning of the drift (break up) sequences up until the end of the Cretaceous/Early Paleocene. This
analysis revealed clastic system variations, displaying apparent similarities with discoveries in the
Guiana-Suriname and African exploratory plays (Figure 2).

__________________________________________________________________________________________
First EAGE Conference on Deepwater Equatorial Margin: New Energy Frontier for South America
15 - 17 August 2023, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Figure 2 Minimum amplitude (maximum negative amplitude) extracted from a 3D seismic cube,
spanning the base of the drift phase until the interpreted top cretaceous. The extracted amplitudes
clearly distinguished potential sandstones (displaying brighter colors) from the sedimentary matrix
(tending towards black). The red rectangle represents the chosen study area for spectral
decomposition in Figure 3.

Furthermore, the extracted amplitudes clearly distinguished potential sandstones (displaying brighter
colors) from the sedimentary matrix (tending towards black) (Figure 2). Based on this result, a
specific area was selected for further investigation of turbiditic channels and fans, where spectral
decomposition analysis was conducted to enhance the visualization of their geometry.

By analyzing the seismic data spectrum, specifically focusing on the previously analyzed sandstone
reservoirs, were chosen to generate the attribute surface, showcasing the meandering channels and
turbiditic deposits at the channel terminus (Figure 3). These features' qualitative interpretation and
delineation were performed on one of the horizons in the attribute volume (Figure 4).

Figure 3 depth slice of the spectral decomposition volume generated with the frequencies of 15 Hz, 20
Hz and 25 Hz for the Red, Green, and Blue bands, respectively. Note the presence of turbidites at the

__________________________________________________________________________________________
First EAGE Conference on Deepwater Equatorial Margin: New Energy Frontier for South America
15 - 17 August 2023, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
ends of several sinuous channels. These geometries are also observed in the remainder of the seismic
volume.

Figure 4 Stratigraphical interpretation of paleochannels and turbidite lobes through spectral

decomposition attribute.

Conclusions

The exploration of turbidites, particularly in the Upper Cretaceous equatorial margins of South
America and Northwest Africa, has led to significant hydrocarbon discoveries in recent years, notably
in Guyana. However, the deepwater Brazilian Equatorial Margin region, including Barreirinhas Basin,
remains unexplored in this promising play.

Through the analysis of 3D seismic attributes in the study area, variations in the clastic system have
been observed, suggesting the presence of sandstone turbidites distributed along the dip at different
stratigraphic levels, particularly towards the Northeast in the Cretaceous interval. These reservoirs
exhibit distinct channel meander and fan geometries, resembling those found in recent analogous
discoveries.

Utilizing spectral decomposition, the geometry of these bodies, including paleochannels, was clearly
identified, confirming the presence of sandstone reservoirs within the studied interval. Stratigraphic
traps and seals were interpreted, characterized by the sandstone/shale variations in marginal deposits.
The presence of world-class Cenomanian-Turonian source rock, widespread in these basins, was
observed in the study area at appropriate depth and thickness.

References

Blaizo, C., [2021]. Suriname: Demerara Plateau Oil and Gas Potential. Will Suriname's Demerara
Plateau be an exploration hotspot for the coming years? GEOExPro, Vol. 18, No. 4. Pags.
32-35.

Cruz. C. A.; Ribeiro. H. S; Silva. E. B. [2021]. Exploratory plays of the Foz do Amazonas Basin, NW
portion, in deep and ultra-deep waters, Brazilian Equatorial Margin. Journal of South American
Earth Sciences. Vol. 111, Nov. 2021, 103475.

Klemme, H.D. and Ulmishek, G.F., [1991]. Effective petroleum source rocks of the world:
stratigraphic distribution and controlling depositional factors. AAPG bulletin, 75(12), pp.1809-1851.

__________________________________________________________________________________________
First EAGE Conference on Deepwater Equatorial Margin: New Energy Frontier for South America
15 - 17 August 2023, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
View publication stats

Zalán, P. V., [2001] Growth Folding in Gravitational Fold-and-Thrust Belts in the Deep Waters of the
Equatorial Atlantic, Northeastern Brazil. AAPG Annual Convention Official Program Book, A223.

__________________________________________________________________________________________
First EAGE Conference on Deepwater Equatorial Margin: New Energy Frontier for South America
15 - 17 August 2023, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil