IBP2200_12 CONTINENTAL CARBONATES RESERVOIRS / THE IMPORTANCE OF ANALOGUES TO UNDERSTAND PRESALT DISCOVERIES 1 Aurlien Virgone , Olivier Broucke1, Anne-Edwige

Held2, Benjamin Lopez1,2,3 , Claire Seard2, Gilbert Camoin2, Rudy Swennen3, Anneleen Foubert3, Jean-Marie Rouchy4, Ccile Pabian-Goyheneche1
Copyright 2012, Brazilian Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels Institute - IBP
This Technical Paper was prepared for presentation at the Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012, held between September, 1720, 2012, in Rio de Janeiro. This Technical Paper was selected for presentation by the Technical Committee of the event according to the information contained in the final paper submitted by the author(s). The organizers are not supposed to translate or correct the submitted papers. The material as it is presented, does not necessarily represent Brazilian Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels Institute opinion, or that of its Members or Representatives. Authors consent to the publication of this Technical Paper in the Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012 Proceedings.

Abstract
Recent discoveries offshore Brazil have induced a renewal of interest in the study of recent and ancient continental carbonate systems which developed in a wide range of depositional settings, reflecting aerial to subaqueous environments. Recent and ancient continental carbonate analogs provide some keys to depict the sedimentologic/sequential pattern observed at the core scale and help in the understanding of the impact of climate change, fluid flow and water chemistry on the carbonate factory. It is noteworthy that the widespread microbial development in continental carbonate systems occurs in stratigraphic intervals typified by specific climatic and geodynamic conditions, and sometimes coincides with similar development in the marine realm. Stromatolites are more developped in high water level condition. But comparative studies between intracratonic (Recent Great Salt Lake; Eocene Green River lacustrine systems) and rift lacustrine systems demonstrates that they are more extensive on a flat substrate. The control exerted by the topography may increase during abrupt alternations of arid and humid periods, influencing the water chemistry and, accordingly, leading to the development of anoxic and/or evaporitic conditions. The key issue is therefore to understand the development of carbonate in lacustrine condition, how the sedimentary bodies and features can be preserved, and how their good reservoir properties can be maintained. High subsidence rate will influence the preservation potential of the relevant carbonate bodies, while the geothermal gradient, water chemistry or volcanic activity will impact the reservoir properties. In addition, meteoric or thermogenic travertine deposits, are an additional carbonate product that must be considered in the evaluation of continental carbonate reservoir systems.

1. Introduction
Recent discoveries offshore Brazil have induced a renewal of interest in the study of Recent and ancient continental carbonate systems which developed in a wide range of depositional settings, reflecting aerial to subaqueous environments. From an exploration point of view, there is a clear need to better constrain the main parameters which control the development of extensive carbonate reservoir bodies in continental environments. Although the morphologies are barely observed and interpreted at seismic scale, an accurate strati-seismic approach provides some keys to unravel the water level changes and to analyze the role of topography. The presalt discoveries in the Santos Basin of Brazil are clustered around an outer high, a perennial structural high bordered by the continent/ocean boundary in the East, the Avedis aborted rift structure in the West, and the main Santos Basin to the Northwest and North. Literature reviews have updated our current picture of the Lula reservoir rocks and their context.

______________________________ 1 Ph.D, Senior Petroleum Engineer - TOTAL Pau and Paris - France 2 Ph. D, Civil Engineer CEREGE - Aix-en-Provence - France 3 Ph.D., Civil Engineer LEUVEN University- Belgium 4 Ph.D., Civil Engineer MNHN, Paris - France

Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012 The bulk of recent publications suggest a lacustrine environment for the presalt in the Santos Basin. Marine influences are suggested for the Campos Basin by Dias (2005); this is corroborated by information obtained at the AAPG conference in Rio 2009. On the other hand, Muniz & Bosence (2009) claim there is no unequivocal evidence for open marine conditions. Dominant reservoir facies are microbial carbonates (Beltro et al., 2009). The Lula wells also encountered syn-rift coquinas and siliciclastics beds. Microbial facies in the Campos Basin were deposited in subaquatic and subaerial environments (Muniz & Bosence, 2009). Wells in the Lula area have also encountered a volcanic basement at TD (basalts and volcanoclastics of unknown age).Volcanic mounds are interpreted on seismic lines for the sag succession (Carminatti et al., 2008). In the Campos Basin, Dias (2005) defined a standard 3rd-order sequence based on log signatures. Sequences would represent deepening-up evolution from supratidal via intertidal to subtidal facies. Thrombolitic and dendritic/bushshaped microbialites are some of the facies in this sequence. Lateral equivalents of these facies are high-energy grainstones, bioconstructions and tidal deltas. Recent and ancient analogs provide additional keys to depict the sedimentologic/sequential pattern observed at the core scale and help in the understanding of the impact of climate change, fluid flow and water chemistry on the carbonate factory.

2. Role of microbialites in marine or lacustrine environments

Microbialites are microbial carbonate rocks deposited in marine or lacustrine environments, and resulting from activities of heterotrophic bacteria, cyanobacteria or eucaryotes such as diatoms. Their classification depends of their internal structures: stromatolites present a laminated fabric, thrombolites a clotted fabric, oncolites a concentric fabric and dendrolites a dendritic fabric. They are known all over the world from the Proterozoic period (Mauritania) until present day (Bahamas or `Shark' bay) and can be found at water depths ranging from sub-aerial (tufas & travertines) down to thousands of meters (Riding, 2011). Figure 1 indicates the main parameters which control the microbialites development. They are found in varied contexts but commonly appear under harsh environmental conditions: Hypersalinity: Laminated stromatolites can develop in strong hypersaline waters (e.g. Mediterranean preceding salt deposits during the Messinian salinity crisis). Normal fresh water: with the development of travertine / tufa carbonates (Italy, Turkey, Spain). Association with volcanism/geothermalism: close competition between microbialite and volcanic activity (e.g. Lyman lake, Pyramide lake or Abhe lake).

Figure 1. Main parameters controlling the microbialite development It is noteworthy that the widespread microbial development in continental carbonate systems occurs in stratigraphic intervals typified by specific climatic and geodynamic conditions, and sometimes coincides with similar development in the marine realm. Anoxic conditions, such as observed during Precambrian and mass extinction events (e.g. PermoTriassic boundary in the Khuff Formation or events during Cretaceous - early Aptian OAE), are also often associated with massive microbial increase. The marginal lacustrine carbonates from the Eocene Green River Formation of Wyoming, Colorado and Utah (USA) provide a valuable potential analogue to the South Atlantic carbonates. They were deposited in a series of continental 2

Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012 basins (the so-called Gosiute and Uinta lakes) between 50 and 49 Ma (from Smith et al. , 2003) during a period of lacustrine expansion associated to the Eocene Climatic Optimum (TOTAL, in house studies). In all the cases, the reservoirs are characterized by various structures and strong heterogeneities depending on growth morphologies (mainly function of the physical environmental influences: accommodation space, hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics), primary or late diagenesis, geodynamic and structural context (for travertine system or late dolimitisation problems).

3. Lacustrine carbonate depositional models

3.1. Depositional model: an overview Lacustrine carbonate facies models have been subdivided traditionally according to lake hydrology (open vs. closed), and lake margin geometry (high gradient bench vs. low gradient ramp) (Tucker 1991; Platt & Wright 1991). These models emphasize facies associations and their depositional context, which can be identified easily in the rock record and in modern lakes. A recent update on lacustrine depositional systems was developed by Bohacs et al. (2000), emphasizing on the controlling factors on lake deposition. The main characteristics of lake deposits are: Lakes are very sensitive to changes in accommodation space and climate, because of small volumes of water and sediment relative to marine systems There is a direct link between lake level and sediment supply (via river discharge) As a consequence, lake levels can vary rapidly over large distances, leading to abrupt vertical facies changes, often contradicting Walthers Law of superposition A sequence stratigraphic approach, using hierarchical stacking of sedimentary sequences bounded by significant surfaces, is possible; sequences will have a different interpretation than in marine systems In general, lake deposition is controlled by: Available accommodation space (function of tectonic subsidence and antecedent topography) Supply of sediment and water (function of climate and tectonics) Water chemistry (function of climate, but also substrate mineralogy, lake hydrology: open vs. closed) Organisms (function of water chemistry) Three lacustrine facies associations and corresponding lake types were identified by Bohacs et al. (2000). They emphasize predictive stratal geometries and stacking patterns to identify reservoir and source rock intervals. Predictable changes between these lake types over time are a function of tectonic and climatic cycles (Lambiase, 1990). These cycles have been demonstrated for lacustrine deposits of the Eocene Green River Formation (USA) and the PermoTriassic Newark rift system (USA-Canada) (and S Atlantic?). It is also important to note that different lake types may coexist in adjacent lakes. 3.2. Lacustrine carbonate in intracratonic context

The large and complex pre-salt lacustrine system from the South Atlantic is thought to have been characterized by a great variability in sedimentation patterns, due to strong differences in morphostructural background, size, drainage pattern, position according to the barrier and the open sea and possible inputs of sea water for the various subbasins, as well as interconnections between them, impact of regional climate and tectonic/magmatic events. Thus, none of the recent examples considered separately may provide a strict analogue of such a complex setting, but each of them may help in a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in its formation. Several examples of Quaternary to modern lacustrine systems i.e., the Bonneville Lake-Great Salt Lake (GSL) system, the Altiplano of Bolivia and several lakes from the East African Rift, have been selected to illustrate potential modern analogues for presalt lacustrine depositional settings in the Cretaceous of the South Atlantic. This review, mostly based on data available from the literature, have been completed by new observations on the Great Salt Lake and on an ancient lacustrine system : the Eocene Green River Basin . Lacustrine systems are characterized by rapid and large changes of hydrological parameters (water level, surface areas, salinities, water chemistry) under climate forcing at different scales (orbital, millenial, decadal/annual, seasonal). The climate forcing associated or not to tectonic events may be locally responsible for a complete hydrological overturn 3

Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012 from freshwater to marine/hypersaline settings as in Asal Lake, which is now fed by seawater entering through a volcanic barrier related to the Aden ocean Ridge (Gasse and Fontes, 1989). In spite of the small size of this lake, its paleogeographical background and hydrological evolution are of significant interest for the understanding of the early Cretaceous lacustrine systems from the South Atlantic. Important carbonate production may take place in lacustrine systems predominantly composed of microbialite/tufa constructions, locally associated to oolites either in deep freshwater systems or shallow hypersaline settings, or to coquinas in fresh to slightly saline waters. The microbial/algal build-ups usually display a polygenic structure resulting from alternating periods of growth and desiccation/erosion/reworking in response to fluctuations of hydrological parameters. Carbonate deposition usually takes place during lacustrine highstands on shallow marginal areas while salt basin fill occurs during drawdown episodes. In a same high water level condition, comparative studies between intracratonic (Recent Great Salt Lake; Eocene Green River lacustrine systems) and rift lacustrine systems demonstrates that carbonate development is more extensive on a flat substrate as shown on figures 2a and b. Due to the flat morphology of the lake bottom, fluctuations of the water level elevation of low amplitude may induce very large variation of the lake surface area in few tens of years or less. As the lake recedes, the stromatolites are subaerially exposed, truncated and dismantled, covered by breccias and oolitic sands while the growth is-reiterated when the microbial features are drowned again. A very strong increase of salinity may also lead the microbial construction to stop while a decrease may favor development of algal tufas. All these deposits are intimately mixed within the stromatolitic deposits.

Figure 2a and 2b : Flat stromatolites surrounding the Great Salt Lake (Antelope Island, Utah, US) The GSL offers the possibility to illustrate the relations with salt deposition. Precursor episodes of massive evaporite deposition can occur during brief episodes of more arid conditions that lead to supersaturation of the brines, deposition of salt layers within lacustrine depot centre while algal and microbial growth is inactivated. In the marginal succession, such episodes are marked by a sedimentary hiatus or an erosional surface. As the water level decreased in the Bonneville basin, the lake segmented into smaller basins which evolved separately to desiccation and salt deposition took place diachroneously first in slightly more elevated sub-basins e.g., the basin where the Bonneville Salt Flats formed to the west of the GSL, and ending up in the deeper part of the system where the denser brines are trapped. Today, conditions for massive salt deposition are only met in the northern part of the GSL where stromatolites growth already ceased, but it can be thought that a longer period of more arid conditions could lead to generalized evaporitic conditions and massive salt deposition in the deeper central area of the GSL. Due to rapid filling of the depression by salt accretion that is a very fast process, and the related rise of the sedimentary bottom, the brines could progressively invade the shores with salt deposits onlaping the marginal carbonate platform. Thus, the GSL provides an interesting example of a lacustrine system comprising organic-rich deposits and carbonate reservoirs with a potential of evaporitic seal cover. If we look at the Eocene Green River basin (TOTAL, in house studies), the carbonate margins extend over more than tens of kilometers in length and a few kilometers in width with continuous outcrops allowing a detail analysis of their composition, architecture and distribution as illustrate in figure 3. 4

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Figure 3: The carbonate sequence from the Laney Member in the study site Little Mesa (Wyoming) iscomposed of 2 units: 1) ooid and ostracod sandy limestone including abundant reworked elements (orange coloured). They commonly fill channels; and 2) microbial buildups (Yellow coloured) that result from the vertical and lateral coalescence of successive generations of domes.

The margins of lacustrine carbonate systems are composed of stacked microbial algal build-ups exhibiting various morphologies (domes, cones, columns etc.) which grew in very shallow water depositional environments. The microbial algal build-ups are associated with other carbonate facies, mostly ostracods and ooid grainstone-packstone, oncoid floatstone and bivalve/gastropod coquinas. Shales, sandstone and organic-rich facies (paper shales) are interlayered within these carbonates. This outcrop study aims to: 1) determine the development patterns of the algal/microbial build-ups, 2) characterize the reservoir properties of the carbonate deposits based on CT-scan analysis and petrophysical measurements and 3) reconstruct the structure of the carbonate margins and their evolution through time. Concerning this last point, the control exerted by the topography may increase during abrupt alternations of arid and humid periods, influencing the water chemistry and, accordingly, leading to the development of anoxic and/or evaporitic conditions. The resulting facies pattern mirrors these parameters, and the relative proportion of shell fragments, granular facies (e.g. oolites) and microbial carbonates reflects these climatic / geodynamic changes.

3.3. Lacustrine deposits in rift context : East African lakes East African Rift systems give several key points: (1) They correspond to a continental rift, filled by a complex set of lakes whose sedimentary and hydrochemical characteristics are directly link to the morphodynamic and hydrological constrains (size, depth, elevation of the water table, synsedimentary deformation, drainage), and forced by the regional and global climate. (2) Major differences in sedimentation exist between the deep and large lake systems (Tanganyika) with a relative hydrologic stability over time and shallow lakes (Bogoria, Magadi-Natron, Manyara), very sensitive to high frequency climate changes (Casanova, TOTAL in house studies, 1983; Tiercelin, 1987). (3) A significant stratigraphic and regional variability of the sedimentation, including episodes of stromatolite growth, which is superimposed on a general trend of vertical organization of sedimentary deposits that responds to hydrological changes forced by the climate: - Carbonate deposits during phases of high lake level and diluted water (wet period with stromatolites, oolitic shoals, coquinas); - High organic productivity in deep lakes (upwelling of Tanganyika Lake) or shallow saline (planktonic microbial productivity of Bogoria Lake); - Evaporitic conditions during low lake level phases (Bogoria, Natron).

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Example of stromatolitic microfacies with radial fibrous Calcite from Natron lake (Casanova, Total in-house studies, 1983)

(4) The duration of stabilization level phase can modify the substrates morphology, inducing the development of carbonate bodies along the lake margins and, therefore, controllling their extension and thickness. (5) The oolitic shoals appear in deep diluted systems (Tanganyika), unlike what we see in the case of BonnevilleGreat Salt Lake system. (6) Common stratification of the water body (heat or chemical). (7) Diversity of carbonate constructions resulting to the interactive effects of the body water thickness, the drainage, the morphology of the substrates, the duration of the stabilization level and probably the water chemistry. This induces several morphologies like finely laminated thrombolitic, large oncoids, isolated or coalescent domes, encrusted blocks or plants, hydrothermal vents and algal or microbial bioconstructions. (8) Different sedimentary response between different basins during the same rising lake level episode: but this diachronism according basins is not well known. A single episode of high lake level does not necessarily produce the development of stromatolites in the adjacent basins. (9) Relationship between carbonates and evaporites are more complex than in the case of Asal Lake, because these environments are dependent on climate and high-frequency climatic variations. That generates many evaporitic episodes alternating chronologically with the high lake level phases.

3.4 Assal lake : an example of episodic marine connection through volcanic substrate The Lake Asal is very interesting for many reasons: (1) It corresponds to a depositional model in marine/lacustrine condition generating carbonate build-up developed on a proto-oceanic volcanic substratum (Gasse and Fontes, 1989) (2) It shows a transition from fresh lacustrine to hypersaline conditions without major geodynamics event, only induced by a change in hydraulic direction under climatic control. The "marine transgression" through the ridge may be forced along the fractures. There is no open surface relationship with the open sea (Red sea) (3) There is no normal marine condition with normal salinity during the transition from freshwater to hypersaline conditions (4) Algal/microbial carbonates build-up can grow along the margins in freshwater environments, and during the regressive phase until the precipitation of gypsum. (5) Towards the basin center, and below the carbonate deposits, diatomaceous sediments, aragonite carbonate and evaporites fill the depocenter when the concentration is sufficient. 6

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4. Role of the weathering/hydrothermalism for the early porosity enhancement and the creation of travertine deposits
The presence of weathering (or karst) processes and their consequences on the early porosity development are important parameters to consider to better evaluate the reservoir potential of these continental carbonate formations. The key issue is therefore to understand how the sedimentary bodies and features can be preserved, and how their good reservoir properties can be maintained. The geodynamic context will influence the preservation potential of the relevant carbonate bodies, while the geothermal gradient, water chemistry or volcanic activity will impact the reservoir properties. In addition, meteoric or thermogenic travertine deposits, are an additional carbonate product that must be considered in the evaluation of continental carbonate reservoir systems. They are characterized by a wide variety of porosity systems at different scales, reflecting different travertine facies. Tufa and travertines have so far not been regarded as potential reservoir facies, largely due to their rather particular depositional setting requiring very special conditions. Travertines are composed of layered CaCO3 deposits formed by CO2 degassing from hot springs. Multiple abiotic and biotic factors influence the precipitation of CaCO3. Travertines display a complex variety of facies and mineralogy controlled by supersaturation of water, water flux and energy, temperature, topography and microbial activities. In particular the role of microbialites on carbonate precipitation is deduced from their ability to develop photosynthesis, aerobic and anaerobic oxidation of nitrogen, carbon compounds and sulphate reduction. Travertines present a large variability in terms of lithotypes and can be observed as crystalline crusts, pisoid, shrub, paper-thin raft, coated bubble, reed and lithoclast aspects (GUO, 1992) as observed and presented in the following figure 4.

Figure 4: very porous light beige alternating laminites which is typical for the Obruk tepe outcrop (west of Honaz, Turkey). A regular cyclicity can be recognised which might be annual, with microbial laminae (upper right), alternating with chemical laminae and physically reworked laminae (lower right).

It is clear from Quaternary examples that these rocks can be highly porous and permeable if preserved. Very few ancient examples are described, as the Cretaceous outcrop examples in Angola, presented recently by Sharp (2012). Reservoir heterogeneity is also very important, but difficult to predict. Seismic-scale build-ups are known for example from Pyramid Lake (USA). In the Santos Basin, their presence is supported by the geological context (influenced by rift volcanics), and by facies photos and descriptions from the Campos Basin (Dias, 2005; Wright, 2010). Only through the understanding of their internal architecture and build-up in three dimensions, the genesis and extension of travertine reservoir bodies can be understood.

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5. Major lessons for interpretation of older lacustrine carbonates

The study of the carbonate sedimentation in the Lake Bonneville and Great Salt Lake systems add to the ability to better interpret the sedimentary deposits of older lacustrine basins as the Eocene Green River and the Cretaceous of the South Atlantic Rift system. First, this basin shows the evolution of the carbonate deposition through the recession of the lake from deep freshwater environments to hypersaline lowstanding conditions, with a potential of massive salt deposition at the end of this evolution. The size of this basin, which is roughly similar to the Eocene Lake Gosiute add also to its interest as a potential analog of older systems. These new data, along with the information provided in the reconnaissance studies, show that the deposition of the marginal carbonate results from the complex interplay of different controlling parameters i.e., the physico-chemical parameters of the water, the morphology of the substrate and the rapid hydrological changes induced by the short-term dry-wet oscillations of the region climate that is the main forcing within endoreic lacustrine systems. The nature of carbonate deposition differs in relation with the hydrological conditions, algal tufa grew during periods of highstand and salinity lowering while microbial construction and oolite deposition took place when salinity increased and water level lowered. (1) Tufa development. Examination of two sites of tufa development and consideration of data from analogues show that: - carbonate deposition takes place during lacustrine highstands and periods of water level stabilization that favor growth of green algae over the benches and subaquatic slopes of the lake while the area of conglomeratic discharge are poor in algae-related tufa deposits and mostly cemented by fibrous aggregates of aragonite. - the limited development of tufas compared to their extensive formation with reef-like accumulations at Pyramid Lake and in the Bolivian Altiplano basin, is probably due to both the steepness of the slopes of the bordering chains that did not permit construction of larger and gently dipping surfaces and the intensity of erosion processes marked by conglomeratic discharges that can prevent the fixation and maintain of algae vegetation on the substrate. - the morphology of the substrate plays a major role in the development of algal carbonates, in addition to the effects of the physico-chemical parameters of the water (chemistry, temperature,.). (2) Stromatolitic growth and oolite deposition The extensive development of stromatolites and oolites are mostly forced by the physico-chemical parameters of the waters, the morphology of the lake bottom and the rapid hydrological changes forced by short-term climate fluctuations. These controls may also explain some characteristics of the carbonate deposits. - Development of extensive stromatolitic growth associated to a great production of oolites is controlled by conditions of high salinity during periods of lacustrine lowstands, while reduced development of tufa may start again during short periods of water level rise and salinity decrease. - In addition to other parameters, the extensive development of stromatolite-oolite carbonate platforms, extending over 10% of the lake surface for the stromatolites and 20% for the oolitic sands implies the availability of wide shallow shores related in the Great salt Lake to a smooth morphology of the lake bottom. - Although the construction of stromatolitic reefs and mounds is predominantly controlled by the microbial activity, they appear as composite build-ups including recurrences of algal tufa and may be insect larvae constructions. The latter are much more developed in the Eocene Gosiute Basin than in the Great Salt Lake probably because species of insects are different. In the Gosiute Basin the larvae are building a mineral case while those of the GSL remain in chitine, being rarely fossilized by precipitation of an aragonitic cement. - The most prominent feature is the high variability and the complex organization of the carbonate deposits that reflects the climate forcing marked by short-term fluctuations of the evaporation/precipitation rate. This may explain the complexity of the internal organization of the marginal carbonates that exhibits a very complex intermixing of microbial sediments, tufas and oolites. 8

Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012 - At each interval of time, the carbonate platform develops diachroneously from the shore line were the build-ups are fossilized toward the lake were microbial growth and oolite production continue to be active and these lateral variations in the growth-erosion processes are continuously repeated through the whole period of platform building. - As in the GSL, the preserved biota in the most of the marginal carbonates of the Green River basin is poorly diversified comprising only algae in the tufa deposits and microbial communities responsible, if we except the insect larvae. Mollusks are very rare and only present before the massive development of carbonates. This suggests the construction took place in an environment subject to a significant ecological stress, may be due to saline conditions as also suggested by the presence of evaporites in the basin center. (3) Travertine development and (4) evaporites should be taken in account to reconstruct a whole picture of the continental carbonates.

6. References
BELTRAO, R.L.C., SOMBRA, C.L., LAGE, A.C.V.M., FAGUNDES NETTO, J.R., HENRIQUES, C.C.D. Challenges and new technologies for the development of the pre-salt cluster, Santos Basin, Brazil. Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, paper OTC 19880, 2009. BOHACS, K., CARROL, A. R., NEAL, J., MANKIEWICZ, P. J. Lake-Basin type, source potential, and hydrocarbon character : an intergrated sequence-stratigraphic-geochemical framework. In: E.H. Gierlowski-Kordesch and K. R. Kelts, eds., Lake Basins through space and time : AAPG Studies in Geology 46, p. 3-34, 2000. CARMINATTI, M., WOLFF, B., GAMBOA, L. New exploratory frontiers in Brazil. 19th World Petroleum Congress, Madrid, 2008. DIAS, J.L. Tectnica, estratigrafia e sedimentao no Andar Aptiano da margem leste brasileira. Boletim de Geocincias da Petrobras 13: 7-25, 2005 GASSE F. and FONTES J.-C. , Palaeoenvironments and palaeohydrology of tropical closed lake (Lake Asal, Djibouti) since 10000 yr B.P. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 69, p. 67-102, 1989. GUO, L. & RIDING, R. Micritic aragonite laminae in hot water travertine crusts, Rapolano Terme, Italy. Sedimentology, 39, p. 1067-1079, 1992. LAMBIASE, J. J., A model for tectonic control of lacustrine stratigraphic sequences in continental rift basins; In : B.J. Katz, ed., Lacustrine basin Exploration Case studies and Modern Analogues. AAPG Memoir 50, p. 265-276, 1990. MUNIZ, M.C., BOSENCE, D. Sedimentological and stratigraphic analysis of Aptian non-marine carbonates of the Southern Campos Basin, Brazil. AAPG Annual Convention & Exhibition, Denver, 2009. PLATT, N. H., WRIGHT, V. P. Lacustrine carbonates : facies models, facies distributions and hydrocarbon aspects, Spec; Publs. Int. Ass. Sediment., 13, p. 57-74, 1991. RIDING, R. Microbialites, stromatolites, and thrombolithes. In Reitner J. and Thiel V. (eds). Encyclopedia of Geobiology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science Series, Springer, Heidelberg, pp. 635-654. TIERCELIN, J.J & VINCENS, A. Le demi-graben de baringo-Bogoria, Rift Gregory, Kenya. 30000 ans dhistoire hydrologique et sdimentaire. Bull. Centres Rech. Explor. Prod. Elf Aquitaine, 11, 2, p. 249-252, 1987. TUCKER, M.E. Sequence stratigraphy of carbonate-evaporite basins: models and application to the Upper Permian (Zechstein) of northeast England and adjoining North Sea. Journal of the Geological Society 148, p 1019-1036, 1991. SMITH, M.E., SINGER, B., and CARROLL, A.R., 2004, 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of the Eocene Green River Formation, Wyoming: Reply: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 116, p. 253256. SHARP, I., VERWER, K., FERREIRA, H., SNIDERO, M.,MACHADO, V., HOLTAR, E., SWART, R., MARSH, J., GINDRE, L.,PUIGDEFABREGAS, C., FEJERSKOV, M. Pre- and Post-Salt Non-Marine carbonates of Namibe Basin, Angola, AAPG Annual Convention, April 22-25, Long Beach, California, 2012. WRIGHT, V.P. Microbial carbonates in non-marine basins: what models could we use for South Atlantic microbialite reservoirs? Conference Advances in carbonate exploration and reservoir analysis, Geological Society, London, 2010.