ABSTRACT: Extensional Folding in the Eastern Venezuela Basin: Examples from Fields of Oritupano-Leona Block

Abstract

A large variety of folds have been identified in the Oritupano-Leona area. The Oritupano-Leona Block is located at the Greater Oficina Trend (Figure 1). More than 12 isolated oil fields constitute the block. Structurally, the fields are located in the southern flank of the Eastern Venezuela Basin (EVB), in the foredeep platform zone (Parnaud et al., 1995) (Figure 1). The field is affected by normal faulting mainly trending N60°E (Figure 2a). Productive section is represented by the Oficina Formation (Early Miocene), although uppermost reservoirs of the underlying Merecure Formation (Oligocene) have produced an acceptable volume of oil. Cumulative oil production of the block is over 340 MMbbls since its discovery in the40’s. Reservoirs are composed by sandstones of estuarine to shallow-marine environments (Figura 2b).