The first geologists of YPF in Comodoro Rivadavia and their contribution to the region of San Jorge Gulf.

Abstract

Stappenbeck, Schiller, Keidel, Wichmann y Windhausen worked in the new field between 1908 and 1922 on behalf the Dirección de Minas y Geología. In 1922 the national company Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales, YPF was created, and the italian Guido Bonarelli was appointed head of the Geology Division. In 1925 the Italian Egidio Feruglio arrives to the newly created Sección Geología of Comodoro Rivadavia, in 1926 the Russian VladimiroVinda is designated as reservoir geologist, and in 1927 the Comisión Geológica del Golfo San Jorge was created, with the italian Enrico Fossa Mancini as leader, and with a team of italians, russians and argentineans geologists. Feruglio, Piatnitzky, Stessin, Serghiescu, Ramaccioni, Chahnazaroff, Franceschi, Tarragona, Conci, Brandmayr, Wellhoefer, Biondi, Casanova, etc, are some of the names between 1927 and 1930. The first work undertaken by the Comisión was to adjust the structure from the tertiary outcropping beds and generate a structural model of entrapment. Following the main faults westwards, the large fields of North Flank, as Cañadón Perdido, Diadema, Escalante, Manantiales Behr, El Trebol Pampa del Castillo and El Tordillo were discovered. In parallel, the western outcropping anticlines were drilled in Pampa María Santísima, Codo del Senguer and Perales. In the late 30s the deep exploration of Chubutiano was initiated on the northern flank and the model moved to the south flank, were Cañadón Seco, Cañadón Leon and Meseta Espinosa were dicovered. The work of YPF first geologists had a major impact on the incorporation of energy resources and allowed us to have a complete geological knowledge of Patagonia, starting a school of work in which for decades the country oil geologists were formed.