LAUSR

Abstract1986 saw the publication of a prognostic map for discovering giant oil and gas fields in the Andes in South America based on the recent block structure of the Earth’s crust. The model assumes that petroleum moves to the traps through permeable channels created at the intersection of deep faults. The technology of creation that the prognostic maps use involves (1) maps of morphostructural zoning, which outline the morphostructural knots (intersections of faults), and (2) a pattern recognition program that identifies knot-containing giant oil/gas fields. It was forecasted that, in the Andes of South America 11 knots, which had not been developed at that time, contain giant oil or gas fields. These 11 sites covered only 15% of the total area of all the Andes basins. Since then, six giant oil/gas fields have been discovered in the Andes region: Cano-Limon, Cusiana, Capiagua, and Volcanera (Llanos basin, Colombia), Camisea (Ukayali basin, Peru), and Incahuasi (Chaco basin, Bolivia). All these discoveries were made in places shown on the 1986 prognostic map as promising areas.