This presentation on Rio Oil & Gas conference shows an iteresting aplication of data integration from relational and GIS databases. In there the Time series data of the exploratory drilling in Brazil was queried over the georeferred position of the wells and of the sedimentary basins. All this was then analysed under the historical perspective to build a timeline related to the regulatory environment.

1. The role of geological survey technology and geological
models in the geographic dispersion of prospective drilling
in Brazil
Felipe Accioly, MSc.
Julia Draghi

2. • The study is based on the available
georrefered data of exploratory wells
in Brazil.
• A serie of arbitrary criteria was
adopted to search for the wells
position accordingly with a range of
dates.
• The number of wells and their position
regarding the geological basin was
compiled and compared with both,
technological and institutional
frameworks.
• From this comparison some
conclusions were drawn regarding the
belated achievements of exploration in
Brazil, and also regarding the move
towards offshore exploration.
• 1922 – 1953
The pre-Petrobrás period
• 1954 – 1961
The Walter Link period
• 1962 – 1970
Petrobrás on-shore phase
• 1971 – 1997
Petrobrás off-shore phase
• 1997 – 2008
ANP pos-salt phase
Phases of Exploratory Effort in Brazil

3. 1922 – 1953 : The pre-Petrobrás period
The first attempts of
exploring oil in Brazil, as
much as in the rest of the
world followed oil seeps
and was almost entirely
restricted to the
cretaceous basins of
Reconcavo (Bahia),
Camamu (Bahia),
Sergipe-Alagoas.

4. 1954 – 1961: The Walter Link period
Hired to start a methodic exploratory
effort, the former Director of
Exploration of Standard Oil of New
Jersey - Walter Link – Enhanced the
knowledge of brasilian sedimentary
basins and designed a strategy for
exploration and production of oil and
for the development of oil geologists
within Petrobras.
Source: Azevedo & Terra (2008)

5. Basin Link Class
(1960)
Status (Bacoccoli,
2009)
Type of basin*
1. Lower Amazonas D NON-PRODUCER Paleozoic inland
1. Medium Amazonas C NON-PRODUCER Paleozoic inland
1. Upper Amazonas (Solimões) D PRODUCER Paleozoic inland
1. Acre D+ NON-PRODUCER Paleozoic inland
1. São Luis D+ NON-PRODUCER Cretaceous coastal
1. Barreirinhas D NON-PRODUCER Cretaceous coastal
1. Maranhão (Parnaíba) D- NON-PRODUCER Paleozoic inland
1. Sergipe C- PRODUCER Cretaceous coastal
1. Alagoas C- PRODUCER Cretaceous coastal
1. Espírito Santo/South of Bahia D PRODUCER Cretaceous coastal
1. South of Brazil (Paraná) D NON-PRODUCER Paleozoic inland
1. Recôncavo A PRODUCER Cretaceous coastal
1. Tucano (South/Center/North) B PRODUCER Cretaceous coastal
The Link Exploratory Strategy
In last memo, issued in 1961, he
afirmed the limits of available
seismic technology restricted the
options for oil production in Brazil.
He also pondered that the offshore
side of the coastal cretaceous basins
could render better results.
activity in the near off-shore between
1954 and 1961. (Source: ANP/BDEP
database)

6. 1962 – 1970: Petrobrás on-shore phase
• Diminished exploratory effort on the inland
basins
• Low prices of oil
• Petrobras redefined its strategy to priorize
investments in downstream
• Upstream effort focused on the cretaceous
coastal basins
•Petrobras started the mapping of the continental
shelf up to the 100m bathymetry line

7. 1971 – 1997: Petrobrás off-shore phase
The Exploratory Index of Brazilian sedimentary basins
• Discovery of the Garoupa field in Campo’s
basin in 1974
• The reservoir appraisals led to an increase in
the exploration effort from 1974 to 1987
• The oil schocks of 1973 and 1979 increased
price and drove the exploratory effort towards
the continental shelf
•At that time, improvements in the seismic
technology lowered the cost and reduced the
requirement for drilling wildcats

8. Drilling activity between 1997 and 2008
As a result of institutional
change which terminated
Petrobras monopoly and
created ANP, exploration
effort jumped, especially
off-shore .
Improvements in seismic
data interpretation and
drilling technology resulted
in cost reduction for
exploration and higher
success rates.

9. Felipe Accioly Vieira
fvieira@anp.gov.br
Thank you
Julia Draghi
juliadraghi@gmail.com