New opportunities evident in the Santos Basin: Recent data indicate additional unexplored presalt areas

摘要

In a study examining the hydrocarbon exploration potential of the BMS-50/52 seismic survey area within the Santos Basin offshore Brazil, results are based on preliminary geological interpretation of 3-D multiclient prestack depth-migrated (PSDM) seismic surveys acquired and processed by PGS. Most of the survey area is expected to be offered in future presalt bid rounds by ANP, the Brazilian E&P regulatory agency. The BMS-50/52 surveys are within the presalt play polygon of the Santos Basin (Figure 1). Several recent multibillion-barrel light oil discoveries have been made in this play since 2006 after the Tupi (Lula) discovery opened a new frontier in the deep waters of the Santos and Campos basins. These recent discoveries have more than doubled Brazilian hydrocarbon reserves and, as the great majority of the BMS-50/52 survey area, much of the Brazilian presalt play remains underexplored and available for licensing. The seismic dataset used in this interpretation is made up of two surveys: Phase I, a conventional single-sensor PSDM seismic volume, and Phase II, a dual-sensor GeoStreamer PSDM volume. The 2012 dual-sensor broadband survey was acquired adjacent to the west of the conventional solid streamer survey shot in 2008. The surveys have a narrow overlap of 2 km (1.2 miles), which allows a comparison of the two datasets as well as the assertions of improved imaging and data quality arising from dual-sensor broadband data to be validated.