Intefwaitional EXPLORATIWWTS O Meetlnq-NO~~R Sketch
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INTEfWAiTIONAL EXPLORATIWWTS Om sparsrs to have been sutured onto the Brazilian Shield near MEETlNQ-NO~~R14,laMJ the end of the Paleozoic. There is considerable controverav concerning is origin and original Iffietion, as well as the THOMAS E. O'CONNOR-Biographical Sketch nature of the suturina of the two maasifa. ~h~~..F nTnnnnr ie Asaocisted withthe Brazilian Shield ars two marine Vice President of Aminoil Paleozoic basins in the northern portion of the country. The Internationel, Incorporated. Tarija Basin is largely represented in BollrEa where it is the developing international ex- cemer of considerable exploration for and prdwtion of ptoration opportunltiea. Tom natural gas. Farther east is the large, imacmtonlc Cham- overviews three production Parena Basin which extends wuthweatdy from Paraguay areas (Indonesia, North Sea and Brazil. To date it has proved to be WenBf hydrocarbons. and Argentine) and directdl Along the western and southern margins of thesnlarged the exploration activity in lulesozoic continental mass of Argentina ie a saries of marina nine exploration contract basins which were present prior to We EoHloian and onset of areas. He received a B.S. subduction of the PeciPicplataduriw(hp Ladr hawob/Early degree ingedogyfromSfan- Tertiary. These western, leading kjnawere wiginally ford University in 1968 and simple in format end structural sQde untll zheowrpfimdf the an M.S. degree in geology Andean Orogeny and associated -rd-verging over- from the University of thrusts deformed their wastern margins. To varying degrees. Colorado in 1961. Since all of the marginal cretonic beaina have proved lo be hydro- 1983. he has been Adjunct Research Professor in the Earth carbon-bearing, inclwlingrecentdiawverieain the Megallanas/ Sciences and Resources Institute at the University of South Malvinas area. At regular intervals along the eastern, trailing Carolina. edge of the Argentine portion of the cominemal plme is a From 1863 to 1980, Mr. O'Connor worked for Standard series of continental innacretonic Mesozoic bsstns which are Oil of Indiana (AMOCO) in basin Mudies, play developmentend aligned at right angles to the presentday coastline. There is prospen generation, initially in the United States (Northern inconclusive evidence that these basins deepen and become Utah, Al8ak. northern Basin and Range Province in minerals more marine toward the margin of the continentel shelf. With proepecting, and Southern California) and later internationally the exception of the San Jorge Basin, these eastern basins INetherlands, Dutch North Sea, then the European Region have w far bean barren of hydrocarbons. Exclusive of the North Sea). From 1974-1 979, Tom was Chief In contrast to the foregoing, the Cup Basin in the Geologist in Amoco's joint operating company, Gulf of Suez Mendoza Province of northwestern Argentina is Triassic to Petroleum (GUPCO), supervising a 80 man staff evaluating all Cretaceous in age, is taphrogenic in origin, is interior to the ereas of Egypt but concentrating on the Gulf of Suez and than continental margin. and is entirely continental in ita WWern Desert areas. From 1879-1 980, in Houston, he was sedimentary. fill.It also comainsthe LaVantanaNaca Muana Regional Geologist responsiblefor the technical overview and Field complex which produces primarily from Triassic con- quafiiconml of Amoco's Africa-Middle East Region explor- gbmerates and is the largest single dl field complex in ation staff of approximately 100 persons, which included Argantina. The basin had its origin as a rift graben complex preparing for the recruiting, training end professional develop- floored almost everywhere with volcandastiss. Pennecon- mem of the geological staff. In 1980. Tom began working for temparaneoua with the subsidenoe of the graben was the Aminoil Ingmational. Incorporated, first as Manager of Inter- deposition of thick, black, lacwhine ahab which coarsen national Exploration and New Ventures. developing a world- upward to red conglomerates as riff-related extension ceased wide corporate alploration plan to expand activities outside and thermal subsidenca set in. This event was marked by existing operating araas and since lS8l as Vice President extensive volcanic flows whieh locally served aa the seal for overviewing production and dir9cting exploration activity. the lacustrinegeneratedoil that had migratedinto the reservoir In addltion to the Houston Geological Society, Mr. section underlyingthaflom Anonhward. basinwardplunging O'Connor is a member of the American Association of nose has Sawed to localize petroleum accumulations, with PetroleumE&ploration Society of Great Britain and the Egyptian southarn closure being provided by minor ahuctural reversals Geolomical- Societv. or by the updip shaling out of the conglomerate reservoir. The Interior locetion of the basm preserved It from most of the THE PEIXOUFEROUS CUYO BASIN AS COMPARED subsequent Andean-related deformation. TO ARGEhITlNAF OTHER SEDIMENTARY BASINS - A GEOLOGIC OVERVIM Argenti~covers nearly one sixth of the South American continent and consists of IWO major massifs surrounded by a seriea of intranatonic and marginal cratonic basins. The western margin bssins have been markedly deformed by the formation of the Andes mountain chain during the Late Meaozolc/Early Tertiary.. The two massifs are Precambrian in age. Thafirstconaisur of the southern extension of the Brazilian Shieldand underlies much of northeastern Argentina. The second. the southern. Pstagonian/Deeeado Massif, is more enigmatic a& .