Quaternary Contourites of the Northern Argentine Continental Margin and their Relationship with Subsurface Hydrocarbon Exploration

PRINCIPI, S.; ACOSTA, LUANA; PALMA, FERMIN; ORMAZABAL, JUAN PABLO; ISOLA, JOSÉ; TASSONE, ALEJANDRO

Montevideo

Conferencia; First EAGE Conference on South Atlantic Offshore Energy Resources; 2023

This study focuses on the recent sedimentary deposits in the Colorado basin, which comprise a vast contourite depositional system (CDS) along the continental slope. The formation of this CDS is attributed to the northward flow of modern deep-water masses, resulting in both erosive and depositional features. As part of the "Pampa Azul Initiative," a national program promoting ocean science research in Argentina, a bathymetric dataset covering an area of 13,000 km2 was acquired during the YTEC-GTGM 4 cruise in 2019 aboard the R/V Austral. Additionally, six sediment cores were extracted during the same survey. In this study, we analyze the bathymetric and sediment data alongside multichannel 2D seismics to characterize the contourites on the lower slope that shape the present-day seafloor. Furthermore, we examine the underlying fault system. By investigating the geological processes driving the formation of the CDS and studying subsurface structural features, we aim to gain insights into the dynamics of the Northern Argentine Continental Margin and identify potential seepage systems in the region.