THE GEOLOGY OF THE SAMAAN FIELD, TRINIDAD
P. FARFAN and K. BALLY
AMOCO Trinidad Oil Company,
Port of Spain. Trinidad
The Samaan Field is located approximately 30 miles (48.3 kin) off the east coast of the island of Trinidad, West
Indies. The field was discovered in 1971 by the OPR-1 4 exploration well, and delineated by OPR-15, OPR-17, and
SDT-1B. Production began in 1972 and a total of 48 development wells from three (3) platforms have produced 176,534,950
BO (30/6/88). Average daily production rates have fallen from a maximum of 65,000 bopd in 1976 to 13,455 bopd (30/6/88).
These current rates are being sustained by implementing sophisticated engineering technology and secondary development
programs.
Hydrocarbons are produced from 15 stratigraphically continuous sandstone units which belong to the Gros Morne and
Mayaro Formations of Pliocene age. These sediments were deposited in nearshore marine environments and subsequently
folded into a NE-SW trending asymmetric anticline. The anticline was subsequently cut by two fault sets, the older
of which has fault planes which dip west and southwest, while the younger set of fault planes dip towards the northeast
and east. The sinuous shape of the anticline, the enechelon geometry of the faults and the evidence for recurring
extensional and compress ional tectonism, lead us to believe that the structural development of this region, during
the late Pliocene and Pleistocene, was dominated by wrench tectonics.
Home | About Us | Links To The World | Publications | Upcoming Events |
Feedback | Executive Members | Geology |Teaching Resources| Virtual Field Trip
THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
P.O. Box 3524, La Romain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.