The Lower Cretaceous Centenario Formation: A subsurface unit in the northeastern border of the Neuquén Basin revisited

IÑIGO, J.; PAZOS P.J.; NOVARA, M.E.; COMERIO M.

JOURNAL OF SOUTH AMERICAN EARTH SCIENCES

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2019

0895-9811

The Centenario Formation in the NE region of the Neuquén Basin is a lithostratigraphic unit that has beenhistorically ascribed to continental deposits, being time-equivalent of the Agrio Formation in the basin border.The study of both the Lower and the Upper Members of the unit through detailed core analysis, electrofacies wellcorrelation and seismic interpretation, was used to define depositional trends, main stratigraphic surfaces anddevelop paleoenvironmental models in the basin margin. The Centenario Formation presents at least twotransgressive-regressive intervals. This mixed sandstone-shale succession is marine to marginal marine in thelower member and marine, marginal marine and fluvial in the upper member. The overall environmentalconfiguration and evolution allow defining sedimentary supply from the NE and E. Facies characterization,paleoenvironmental interpretation, in addition to its vertical evolution and geographic distribution constitutekey elements to evaluate and define remaining hydrocarbon potential for this interval, as well as allowingintegration between outcrop and subsurface data.