PERMFILE71922

• Permit No: M1999002
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 6/18/1999
• Doc Name: OBJECTORS EXHIBITS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

IiLli :'I
III IIIIIIIII IIII III .~
999 -
Combined microbial, seismic ~, N~~e;
C~~'e~to~'s
surveys predict oil and gas ~ X~ : ~ ~ ~~
occurrences in Bolivia ~~~;E-'~--~5
Jorge Pareja Lopez 1'ncirrtirnfos Petroliferos Fi;cnlrs Bolir'ianos Smrtn Cru_, 6olie'ia
Daniel Hitzman, James Tucker Gen-A~icrobinl Trrlrnologirs Inc. Ochrlntn, Okln.
icrohial and geophrsinil sur-
yers in the jmrgles of Boliv-
ia's estencice Sub-Andean
region bare combined for
three ttlccessful predictions of deep
i,il and gas resen~es in as many tries.
Hcdrocarbon microseepage mea-
surdd by microbial soil samples pre-
dicted the Carrasco, Katari, and Sur-
ubi structures of Bolivia's Chapatti re-
gion in 1991-9?, detecting traps with
reserves at depths exceeding -1,500 m.
Approximately S00 km of seismic
lines covering 3,300 sq km was com-
pleted by 1'acimientos Petroliferos Fis-
cales Boliyianos (YPFB) for evaluation
of the YPFB resen~e block adjacent to
\1a~us Energy's 1`lamore block in the
Foothills Belt area behreen Santa Cruz
and Cochabamba (Fig. 1).
For 1 month each rear at the end of
the field season, seismic lines were
quickly traversed h}' several microbial
sampling teams. Using hand augers or
shovels, the teams collected more
than 3,?00 samples approximately 20
cm (S in.) deep at intervals of 250 m
nest to staked seismic locations.
Microbial results mere directly com-
pared r+'ith seismic profiles for identi-
fication and ranking of tra}'s and
structures. For the second rear of the
seismio-microbial study, the locations
of fill-in and extension seismic lines
were partially based on the previous
year's microbial results.
Prospect predictions
Two YPFB seismic structures dear
onstrated elevated microseepage and
were predicted to be productive prior
to drilling.'
The Carm<co wildcat, drilled to a
total depth of -1,770 m, initially pro-
duced S57 b/d of condemate and 625
\lcfd of gas from the Tertio rv of l,'_ci~
m and the Devonian at a,i;i m (Fig.
?).
The Katari ryildcat ryas drilled to a
total depth of ~I,94] m and produced
607 h'd of oil and 391 \Icfd of gas from
Fiy. 1
la Paz ,~`..;;•:
~.. .
. ~ Cochabamba ~~
BOIIV
r
i
I, I I I I I YPFB Ivirza ,~ Maxus
Prospect ~
) ~ j~ Surubi
i ~tlt ,' ~t ~ \V1„" ~ Al V '
I i
t II r'
~ ` 11 ~ 1"~ t ~. )
u `` YPFB Carrasco ~ r; j
" 1 \\111 \Katari ~. '
I
1 ~... .... ~ ~ .......
:- jis®
1:
the Deaonian at -1,x-33 m (Fig. 2).
A 1 day microbial sun~ev traversing
2? km of a Afaaus seismic line crossed
the Surubi structure and rcell location
prior to drilling.
t1'ith microbial anomalies similar to
the YPFB study area, the Surubi loca-
uon was predicted to be successful
(Fig. ~).
The Surubi Xo. 1 teas tested from
hco zones at o combined rate of S00
b/d of condensate and 9 \Icfd of gas.
Additional deviations from the Surubi
location hate been completed.
Microhiaf approach
The Microbial Oil Bootie Technique
(~.\105T) used in these ~u n~eys u~as
dccaloped L'}' Phillips Pr!mleum Co.
in the 1950s to be Oe~ible in the field,
uncomplicated in the lab, and accurate
^< an nrl and y.t< prcdic;ion tool.
In order to indico tr the presence of
h;;ht hvdrocorbtms (C;-C;) rMOST
nmasu rcs si Ana hoc micn~bial popula-
tions, tchich idantily anomalous he-
drucarbon micri~srepagc from onshore
and offshore oil and gas reser-
voirs.'-"s
Anomalous h}'drocarbon micro-
seeps are identified by observing
t`tOST population concentrations and
distribution patterns within a survey
area.° Anomalous thresholds mere nr
terpreted for Bolivia's Sub-Andean re-
gion. \h'ell predictions were based on
the location and intensity of these
threshold anomalies.
Prior to final seismic interpretation,
microbial data indicated a large and
intense microseepage pattern in the
western portion n( the YPFB resen•e
block along the Ivirza structure. Sub-
sequent compm'isun behveen microbi-
al anomalies and the geophysical data
shmrs o very large target, which has
been earmarked for future drilling by
1'f FB (Fig. ~). •~
Used in conjunction with sec<••~~'
c,vnpaigns and data, the micrnh::l
surveys proved to be effective predic-
lice tools for identifying productive
structures, The lots impact field strate-
:;y n( microbial srlrveys proved to be
very
rain.
Ackn
Tht
de E
Geu-1
relea•
i OGJ`
6B Oil 6 Gas Journal • Oct. 2J. 199= OCJ SPECIAL r '
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