The Amazonas Basin potential: prospects and exploration priorities

Abstract

The region bounded by the Purus and Gurupá arches, here in informally designated the Amazonas Basin, contains potential prospects of Early Crelaceous age associated with reverse faults and regional lineaments; like similar prospects that have been successfully tested in the Juruá and Rio Urucu areas of the neighboring Solimões Basin, these constitute the top priority in the basin exploration. An analysis of Neves et. al. (1989), partially summarized here in, indicates that some 6 000 km of reconnaissance and semi-delailed seismic lines will be needed to test closure and continuity in the structural anomalies now mapped. This Paleozoic basin, whose eastern portion is prone exclusively to gas accumulation and whose western portion is prone to the accumulation of both liquid and gas hydrocarbons, can be expected to have a long exploration life.