Geophysics in the delimitation of the continental shelf of the Republic of Cuba beyond 200 nautical miles in the southestern Gulf of Mexico

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Abstract

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea regulates the boundaries and legal status of the various maritime zones under the jurisdiction of states, including the continental shelf. Cuba, as a signatory state, complies with the established provisions to demonstrate the extent of its continental shelf in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, which requires determining the outer edge of the continental margin.

This article explains the application of geophysical methods: reflection seismic, gravimetry, and magnetometry to develop a sedimentary thickness map, characterize the Cuban continental margin in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, and determine its outer edge. The proposed workflow is detailed.

To support the characterization of the Cuban continental margin in the region, an integrated qualitative interpretation of gravity and magnetic field curves was performed using the processing tools from a specialized computer program.

Interpretation of 2D seismic lines from the 2016-2017 BGP-CUPET survey and lines from the University of Texas acquired in 1977 was carried out. The seismic interpretation demonstrated the existence and extension of sedimentary rocks from the continental slope zone into the eastern of Sigsbee basin and to develop a map of sedimentary thicknesses of the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. Knowledge of the sedimentary thicknesses in the region made it possible to demonstrate compliance with Gardiner's formula at the selected fixed points, through which the outer edge of the continental margin was established.