During 1994–1999 Bureau researchers collaborated with geoscientists of the national oil company of Venezuela to conduct integrated field and advanced reservoir characterization studies on several Venezuelan hydrocarbon basin reservoirs. The objectives of these investigations were the identification and mapping of hydrocarbon resources; development of reservoir management strategies for more efficient resource recovery; increasing oil reserves; and ensuring sustained production from the fields.

The studies were very successful. Project teams identified many recompletion opportunities and infill-well locations and more than 180 potential development-well locations. Locations for 176 multidirectional wells targeting 77 discrete, previously unresolved, reservoir compartments in fluvial and deltaic facies were proposed as increased oil reserves. The geoscientists were allowed to present their research at worldwide industry conferences and meetings and to publish in international, peer-reviewed journals. Bureau scientists involved in this research included William A. Ambrose, Shirley P. Dutton, Khaled Fouad, Edgar H. Guevara, Mark H. Holtz, Ramón H. Treviño III, Fred P. Wang, Joseph S. Yeh, Hongliu Zeng, and many scientists no longer with the Bureau.

Framework sandstone distribution in progradational tide-dominated deltaic sequences in space and time. This example is from the Lower Eocene Misoa Formation, LL-652 Area, Lake Maracaibo.

Environmental Studies in Venezuela