Using Rock Physics for De-risking Amplitude Supported Miocene Exploration Prospects, Offshore Southern Gulf of Mexico

Significant discoveries have been announced by foreign companies in the shallow waters of the Campeche area, Repsol and its partners have been awarded several deepwater blocks in the southern Gulf of Mexico (GoM).

One of the key challenges for explorers in the southern GoM is to derisk the economic potential of the exploration prospects using seismic amplitudes. A quantitative interpretation (QI) workflow requires the development of an interpretation framework for calibrating seismic rock properties to seismic amplitudes. Empirical observations in the context of theoretical rock physics models indicate that Miocene exploration plays are amplitude-supported.

We based our Rock Physics (RP) model on fully integrated petrophysical and petrographical interpretation of the reservoir sands and overlying shale lithology of five (5) wells in proximity of the prospect. The new predictive framework for Miocene exploration plays has been used for a confident screening and de-risking of the seismic amplitudes in terms of lithology, porosity, and fluids effects.

This paper presents the rock physics trends based on preliminary petrophysical evaluation, providing detailed mineralogical data for geophysical reservoir characterization over a specific area located in the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico (offshore).