Regional controls on the deformed western San Jorge Basin (Argentina): new insights

ROSSELLO, EDUARDO ANTONIO; NEVISTIC, VICENTE A.; BORDARAMPÉ, CRISTÓBAL P.; RODRÍGUEZ, HUGO R.; LAGABRIELLE, YVES; PERI, VERÓNICA GISEL; SCALABRINO, BRUNO

Cartagena, Colombia

Congreso; III Congreso de Inversión de Petróleo y Gas; 2008

Comisión Organizadora local III Congreso de Inversión de Petróleo y Gas

The deformed western San Jorge Basin lies on the Andean foreland in the central part of the Argentine Patagonia. Presently, it constitutes one of the main exploration areas focused on the meso-cenozoic continental oil and gas reservoirs. Several major faults varying in attitude and age limit the main traps. This region is strongly influenced by the subduction of the Chile Triple Junction underneath the Patagonian plate located on the boundary between the Santa Cruz and Chubut provinces. Different segments and transform faulting pattern of the Chile Ridge are considered as affecting the uppermost layers of the Patagonian plate. The smooth topography exaggerated by processed satellite altimetric data, the N-S and WNW-SSE main structures shown by seismic data and the volcanic occurrences suggest the tectonomagmatic influence of the underlying oceanic context. This Andean deformation created new folded and thrusted structures and at the same time inverted pre-existing normal faulting associated with the meso-cenozoic continental sequences. This 4D structural model refreshes the present play concept definition of the producing HC fields and their surrounding exploration areas.