Percy Evans Lecture: Surfing the Waves of Time: Exploring Latin America’s Passive Margins with an Innovative Sea Level Curve

Dr. Douwe van der Meer, CNOOC International, Uxbridge

Abstract: Recent exploration efforts in South American passive margin basins, such as the Guyana-Suriname Basin, have yielded significant success with over 10+ Bboe discovered, primarily within the late Cretaceous play/mega-sequence. Most recently the Southern Atlantic margin, spanning Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina, has also garnered industry attention, particularly following discoveries at the conjugate margin of Namibia.

In an award-winning study by Van der Meer et al. (2022), plate tectonic eustasy estimates were updated using the 87Sr/86Sr record of seawater, coupled with a novel glacio-eustasy estimates based on a recent Phanerozoic paleotemperature model (Scotese et al., 2021). This innovative Tectono-Glacio-Eustatic (TGE) curve for the entire Phanerozoic correlates well with mega-sequence stratigraphy in global passive margin basins.

Examining key basins like Guyana, the TGE curve aligns with the mega-sequences, showcasing the influence of plate tectonic and glacio-eustatic drivers on the petroleum system. The petroleum system elements in deepwater, correlate well with predictable patterns.

Similarly, southern Atlantic basins also exhibit predictable elements of the drift play (post-Aptian), with the TGE curve serving as a tool for undrilled sections of the stratigraphy. This research underscores the interplay between plate tectonics, glacio-eustasy, and basin evolution, offering valuable insights for future and ongoing exploration endeavours.

Biography: Douwe van der Meer, a tectonophysicist by background, and seasoned explorationist by profession, earned his M.Sc. at Utrecht University in 2002, specializing in plate tectonic processes. Following a transformational sabbatical at the Norwegian Geological Survey in 2009, he continued research on plate tectonics, which led to a Ph.D. cum laude in 2017 and was recently honoured with the IAGR Best Paper award and medal. With over 20 years of experience at Shell, Nexen, and CNOOC, Douwe has led various exploration New Ventures teams, being based in the Netherlands, UK, and USA. A passionate Earth System enthusiast, Douwe’s work and research encompasses all continents and eras from the Archean to Cenozoic. Currently serving as Sr. Manager New Ventures Latin America at CNOOC International, Douwe continues to contribute his research expertise to the industry. His commitment to advancing understanding of Earth Systems, coupled with significant applications to the oil and gas sector, establishes him as subject matter expert in global exploration.

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