THERMAL MATURITY HISTORY AND IMPLICATIONS FOR HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION IN THE CATATUMBO BASIN, COLOMBIA

Abstract

A thermal model integrated with an oil and gas geochemical study has been constructed for the Catatumbo Basin, Colombia to provide petroleum system data for hydrocarbon exploration.  The calibration of the thermal model with maturity data took into account a changing heat flow scheme which included a thermal increase towards the end of the Jurassic and another one in the Early Eocene, associated with rifting events.  Locally, active/generating source rocks are within the synclines axes. The hydrocarbon expulsion time for Cretaceous source rocks (Capacho and La Luna formations) started in the Upper Paleocene-Eocene, while for the Los Cuervos Formation the generation and expulsion started at 10 my. The petroleum expelled during the Paleocene-Miocene, were likely accumulated in structures formed since the end of the Cretaceous, while the younger structures that resulted from the Andean orogen were charged by remigration from the older structures and additionally with the yougest lately generated hydrocarbons. The accumulations of hydrocarbons are mainly the result of generation and migration locally within the basin.  The Catatumbo basin contains thermogenic wet gases with different degrees of thermal maturity which varies from around 1,0 to 2,5 equivalent Ro. The highest degree of thermal evolution according to maturity indicators and thermal modeling is in the southern area, which is prospective for wet gas. The central and northern area appears more prospective for oil with minor amounts of gas.