GEOQUÍMICA DE LA FORMACIÓN AGRIO (CRETÁCICO INFERIOR) EN EL ÁREA DE EL PORTÓN, CUENCA NEUQUINA: PRIMEROS RESULTADOS

BEATRIZ AGUIRE URRETA; ROMINA MILICICH; MATHIEU MARTINEZ; MAÍSA TUNIK; MARINA LESCANO; LAUREN BIRGENHEIER; JULIETA OMARINI; FABIÁN BREA; SHAWN MOORE; ADOLFO GIUSIANO

Mendoza

Congreso; 10º Congreso de Exploración y Desarrollo de Hidrocarburos; 2018

Instituto Argentino del Petroleo

The marine sediments of the Agrio Formation (Late Early Valanginian-Late Hauterivian) constitute an excellent example of a rhythmic succession of carbonate and silicoclastic deposits, whose evolution was related to the postrift stage of the basin formation, coincident with the development of the magmatic arc. This unit has been a target for sedimentological and paleontological studies, but information on its hydrocarbon potential is limited. In this context, the aim of the present study is to utilize programmed pyrolysis results from one outcrop locality in order to determine the internal stratigraphic variablity of the hydrocarbon potential within the unit.The study area, known as El Portón, is located about 7 km from the El Portón oil field in the east-central portion of the basin. A section of 576 m thick was measured on outcrop and represented in a profile at a 1:1000 scale. The geochemical studies have been conducted on 35 samples, systematically collected from the Pilmatué and Agua de la Mula members.Five lithofacies were recognized throughout the Pilmatué and Agua de la Mula members. Programmed pyrolysis were conducted in lithofacies 1 (L1, calcareous shale) and in lithofacies 2 (L2, mudstone/ wackestone). Results on L1 samples show TOC values ranging from 0,49 to 3.60 wt%, while L2 samples show TOC values between 0.66 to 4.43 wt%. The sample distribution for L1 y L2 belongs to kerogen type II/II-III field, with samples placed in the mature oil window.These results represent a first approach at a detailed geochemical study of the Pilmatué and Agua de la Mula members of the Agrio Formation. It is expected in the future that new geochemistry techniques will be utilized in order to contribute to the integration of outcrop and subsurface data to to improve the definition of potential areas for unconventional hydrocarbon recovery.