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AAPG Bulletin

Abstract


Volume: 36 (1952)

Issue: 12. (December)

First Page: 2291

Last Page: 2330

Title: Case History of Quiriquire Field, Venezuela

Author(s): H. D. Borger (2)

Abstract:

Venezuela ranks second only to the United States in oil production, and the Quiriquire field has contributed 6 per cent of Venezuela's total output. Early discovery of the oil and gas seeps (at the turn of the century) on the northern edge of the tectonically unstable Maturin basin led to the drilling of numerous non-commercial exploratory wells during the period of 1918-1927. In 1928 the Quiriquire field discovery well was completed as a flowing producer. This well was located basinward from a group of oil seeps on the south flank of an anticlinal feature exposed in the Cretaceous foothills at the north, and on the geological assumption of tapping reservoir beds at a downdip position. Geophysical methods had not been employed prior to the drilling of the discovery well, nd the success here is credited to surface geology. The discovery of the Quiriquire field drew attention to the Maturin basin as an oil province. Developments here have resulted in operations which supported 47 rigs in Eastern Venezuela during March, 1951, and has already led to the production of 1,275,050,054 barrels of oil.

The Quiriquire field is covered by five concessions, under Creole title, of which 12,547 acres are proved with an average net oil sand thickness of 233 feet. From June 1, 1928 (the discovery date), until June 1, 1951, 533 wells have been drilled of which 503 have produced 361,747,167 barrels of oil. There is evidence that at least 28,000 feet of sediments are present, ranging in age from Middle Cretaceous to Recent. The dominant structural feature is a gently dipping (approximately 6°) homocline, with no recognized folding. Sand pinch-out, permeability barriers, faulting, and tar-oil seals control accumulation. Production is from the non-marine clastics of the continental Quiriquire formation of Pliocene age and the sands of the marine Oligocene; the former is the main producer. resent interpretation favors a two-fold origin for the oil: (1) from the truncated Miocene, Oligocene, and Cretaceous marine shales and silts that crop out at the pre-Pliocene unconformable surface and are in contact with overlying younger Quiriquire sands, and (2) from the shallow marine to brackish downdip equivalent of the continental reservoir sediments.

The Quiriquire crude is relatively heavy, but of moderately low sulphur content. The virgin gasoline content, while low, is high octane. The crude is excellent for the production of high-octane gasoline, and produces a satisfactory heavy diesel oil and bunker fuels of superior quality.

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