Abstract

Analog traps are an important part of any geoscientist’s ‘toolkit.’ There is no better source than understanding how giant fields (>500 MMBOE) and super-giant fields (>2000 MMBOE) form and have been found by past and current generations of explorers. Analog studies are useful for understanding the geology risk factors and data quality of prospects. While every field is different, studying shared play elements and motifs can be enlightening.

The US and Mexico’s onshore and offshore Gulf Coast basins have long been fertile grounds for giant oil and gas fields. This province boasts prolific Cenozoic and Mesozoic petroleum systems and an extensive infrastructure, making these super-basins an advantaged basin. The discovery and development of 79 giant fields and eight super-giants have brought prosperity to the Gulf Coast and beyond. The giants have an estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) of 106 BBOE, 50% of the 210 BBOE EUR for the Gulf Coast.

The presentation illustrates representative examples of giant fields with greatly differing habitats and discusses the technology and insights that enable us to find more.