The objectives of this presentation are to summarize the crustal structure, tectonostratigraphy, and hydrocarbon potential of the deepwater, continent-ocean transition zone of both non-volcanic and volcanic, rifted-passive margins. Because of their deep burial, rifted-passive margins are most directly known from deeply penetrating wells and seismic refraction and reflection subsurface mapping. The number of subsurface studies of rifted-passive margins worldwide has risen dramatically as improved geophysical imaging and academic and industry drilling of margins have increased. Rifted-passive margins host the greatest accumulations of deepwater sedimentary deposits on Earth, that lead to their hosting about two-thirds of all giant oil and gas discoveries worldwide. For that reason, rifted-passive margins remain major focus area for hydrocarbon exploration. Key exploration-related questions related to rifted-passive margins include: (1) Does a productive rifted-passive margin mean that its “look-alike” conjugate margin will also be productive? (2) What are marginal rifts, and why do these structures form important, deepwater exploration targets? (3) Where should the deepwater limit of deepwater data acquisition and exploration be drawn at the deepwater, continent-ocean boundary - or at the even deeper-water area underlain by oceanic crust? and (4) Should volcanic, rifted-passive margins be considered lower-priority exploration targets because magmatic activity has displaced or altered the normal deepwater sedimentary environments for organic-rich source rocks and highly porous and permeable reservoir rocks?

Presented by Paul Mann, University of Houston

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https://aapg.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqfu-%20srz0uGNESS5Ono1XvzzUH2hSGZegv