ABSTRACT

In 1979, a paper entitled: "Giant fields of the southern zone, Mexico" was presented in the 64th Convention of the A.A.P.G., held in Houston, Texas.

From a geologic and petroliferous point of view, the southeast zone coastal plain of Mexico has been divided into: the Saline basin of the Isthmus, the Macuspana basin, and the Chiapas-Tabasco Mesozoic area. In the first two basins, there are giant producer fields from Tertiary sands. In the Saline basin of the Isthmus, production comes from structural traps associated with saline domes. Whereas, in the Macuspana basin, production comes from anticlines.

The Chiapas-Tabasco Mesozoic area is the main producer of oil and gas in Mexico. Its hydrocarbon production comes from Jurassic, Lower, Middle and Upper Cretaceous dolomitic limestones and dolomites associated with anticlines.

Reference is also made to the new oil and gas discoveries of the marine platform of Campeche, which produces from Jurassic and Cretaceous dolomites, as well as from Lower Paleocene dolomitic breccias, associated with anticlines having numerous normal and thrust faults.

A brief description is given of five giant fields in the Saline basin of the Isthmus and three fields in the Macuspana basin; a more detailed description is given of four giant fields in the Chiapas-Tabasco area and two in the sound of Campeche.