Understanding the tectonic history of the Gulf of Mexico Basin is essential in extending our knowledge of source rock and reservoir distribution into frontier areas. An advanced exploration program based on integrating tectonics, geophysics, geochemistry and sedimentology using Geographical Information System (GIS) technology has been developed to identify new play fairways and to extend existing play concepts.

Initially this program creates a digital tectonostratigraphic database for the region. Integration of potential field data with geological data provides detailed structural and geological coverage. Enhancements of potential field data define salt geometry and distribution and distinguishes between structural features. In concert, these data create a “paleo-template,” including tectonic elements and oceanic, continental crustal distribution. This “paleo-template” is further evaluated using 2-D mega-regional gravity, magnetic modelling along a suite of basin traverses.

This new interpretation will be used to assess the multitude of alternative evolutionary models and to produce palinspastic basemaps and paleotectonic reconstructions for tectonic and basin modeling.

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