High Heat Flows: A Potential Risk to Hydrocarbon Charge in Deepwater Areas Off South East Brazil

Pre-salt (early Cretaceous age) rocks are the main source of hydrocarbons in the Campos Basin, offshore S.E. Brazil and their extension into the outer, ultra-deep water parts of the basin are critical for continued exploration success. The potential for deepwater hydrocarbon reserves sourced from Pre-salt source rocks is dependent on a number of factors: one key factor being the presence of a mature source at the time when windows become available in the overlying salt to allow migration from Pre-Salt source beds through the salt barrier into the Post-Salt reservoirs. These reservoirs comprise deepwater turbidite sandstones of late Cretaceous to late Tertiary age and form the giant fields of the Campos Basin, such as Marlim, Albacora and Roncador.