Publications

Economic accumulations of hydrocarbons in the onshore Llanos Basin of Colombia are characterized by a central zone (Casanare province) with greater than 20° API gravity oils and a southern province with biodegraded, less than 15° API gravity oils. To date, no conceptual model successfully explains this spatial zonation.

In this study, we provide new data to understand the groundwater flow patterns in the Llanos Basin and their impact on oil biodegradation and the geothermal regimes as well as how the structural styles and anthropogenic activities impact these patterns. Previous studies suggest an active flow of groundwater and variable salinities whose spatial pattern is apparently unrelated to topographically driven groundwater flow.

The term “beef” describes bedding-parallel calcite veins found commonly in the organic-rich matrix of unconventional resource plays. Although some authors have interpreted beef to be an early diagenetic feature, these calcite veins are commonly attributed to precipitation at high temperatures and localized overpressure during hydrocarbon generation.