The Paleogene of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Basins: Processes, Events, and Petroleum Systems

27th Annual GCSSEPM Foundation Bob F. Perkins Research Conference

Houston, Texas, December 2-5, 2007
Houston Marriott Westchase Hotel

Conference Agenda and Abstracts

The “Paleogene” encompasses critical components of petroleum systems around the world. In addition to the traditional components of source, reservoir, seal, trap and timing of maturation, numerous broader scale phenomena affect petroleum systems that are unique and characteristic to the Paleogene, especially in certain locations. The Paleogene of the Gulf of Mexico and northern South America are certainly two such locations: recent exploration efforts suggest that the Paleogene of the Gulf and circum-Caribbean regions will provide major exploration trends in the near future. This is certainly true for the deep-water continental slope and rise settings of the Gulf, but it is also true for the circum-Gulf shelf margins as well as for circum-Caribbean epi-sutural basins and foreland basins.

With regard to the Gulf of Mexico, Cenozoic halokinesis has obscured the early relationships between the offshore (deep) and the on-/nearshore (shelf) Paleogene to the point where accurate regional syntheses of the depositional and structural systems have remained elusive, and primary uncertainties remain about the mechanisms controlling the relationships of certain paleogeographic elements. What is the latest on the age and correlatability on the early Paleogene canyons? How did the canyons control deposition of the “Whopper” sands in the deep Gulf? How are we viewing the viability of the Paleogene water level drawdown/dessication hypothesis at this point? How did the Gulf respond, both depositionally and structurally, to Chicxulub? What was the paleogeography of the Gulf rim prior to halokinesis? How real are the continuing indications that sediment was supplied at least locally from the south?

Regarding the circum-Caribbean, plate displacements have made it necessary for Paleogene geometries and events to be reconstructed through the veil of Neogene evolution. What is the crust structure of the Caribbean-South American interface? Was there a Paleogene plate boundary along northern South America that controlled sedimentation patterns prior to Caribbean diachronous-oblique collision? Can we reconstruct known, but offset, Paleogene depocenters such as the Matatere of Falcon, the Angostura of Trinidad, the Scotland of Barbados, or the early fills of Grenada and Tobago basins, with the paleo-Great River systems that once fed them?

The Call for Papers has been answered with over thirty significant papers from industry and academia that will address these questions. The 2007 GCSSEPM Foundation Bob F. Perkins Conference is intended to provide a forum to help the geological community view the Paleogene of the region as the result of multiple, interactive processes and events that all tie into the region’s large-scale tectono-eustatic evolution. All papers will be presented in poster format throughout the meeting, but the most significant works to the meeting’s theme will be selected for oral presentation as well. All authors will be writing complete articles or expanded abstracts with figures at a minimum, which will be published in CD format in the same successful manner as the GCSSEPM has done since 1999. This means full color illustrations, longer articles, and, perhaps, some oversized illustrations.

As in the past, our registration fees will include ice breaker, meals, and refreshments. This year the technical presentations will span 2½ days! For GCSSEPM Members who are current in their dues, early registration (before November 16, 2007) will be $450. Early registration for non-members or those who are behind in their dues will be $475. Registration after November 16, 2007, will be $550. A limited number of student registrations will be available for $250. Because of expected space demands, student registrations will go on sale after October 1, 2007. (Note: Student presenters can register before this date.) All students should e-mail (gcssepm@houston.rr.com) for a special form. Up-to-date SECTION members 70 or more years of age may register for $250 BEFORE November 16th. (Note: “Current” in dues means 2008 expiration or later. Non-members may join and members behind in their dues may renew on the registration form during early registration only.) Cancellation Policy: Before 11/17/07, $75 charge; 11/17-11/24, $125 charge if we have a replacement; no refunds will be granted for cancellations after 11/24/07. Payment may be made by our secure form on-line, by mail, or by fax: 281-586-0833. (FULL Session registration on-site will be $575.)

The most current information and registration forms for the conference are always available on our web site at www.gcssepm.org. We will try and maintain an accurate listing of papers and authors. As we did last year, the final program will be on-line and available for downloading before the conference starts. In addition, we will have on-line registration available!

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