Revitalizing the Offshore Golden Lane: Development and Exploration Opportunities
The Onshore Golden Lane in eastern Mexico, was discovered in 1908 with the well San Diego de la Mar-1. So far, 24 fields of heavy oil have been developed, accumulating more than 1 BBOE. The well Isla de Lobos-1B proved in 1963 the offshore continuation of the platform margin. There are 8 developed offshore fields of light oil and associated gas, which have accumulated 0.217 BBOE. These carbonate rocks of the El Abra Formation are geologically related to the Cretaceous Tuxpan Platform. Reactivation of drilling activities in this oil province started with the Carpa-101 well drilled in 2002-2003. A horizontal side-track produced 4814 bopd through ¾ inch choke. At present, the integration of 3D seismic, well logs and core analysis has lead to a better understanding of the Mesozoic stratigraphy of the Tuxpan Platform, the recognition of new plays in the Cretaceous slope deposits similar to the Tamabra trend of the Poza Rica field, Neocomian oolitic grainstones with interparticle porosity and Upper Jurassic oolitic grainstone with late dissolution porosity. The inmediate future of the Offshore Golden Lane is in the development of Carpa and other undeveloped structures. With the drilling of new prospects that will evaluate the hypothetical plays additional to the traditionally producing El Abra Formation, we expect to increase the reserves of light oil.
Revitalizing Mature Fields
2004 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition Technical Program