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Geological mapping and prospecting
Geological mapping and prospecting are valuable techniques in petroleum exploration.
Geological prospecting makes use of geological disciplines such as petrography, stratigraphy, sedimentology, structural geology, geochemistry.
Such disciplines are used to achieve different targets but it must be stressed that their integration is fundamental to depict a picture of reality.
Geophysical methods
Geophysical methods allow to study the physical properties of the subsurface rocks and they can be used in different phases of the exploration in order to collect different types of information.
Geophysical methods such as gravimetric, magnetometric, magnetotelluric, seismic are often combined to obtain more accurate and reliable results.
1. Gravimetric prospecting
- Gravimetric prospecting is a geophysical technique which is able to identify anomalies in the gravity acceleration generated by contrasts in density among bodies in the subsurface.
- Gravimetric prospecting is used to reconstruct the main structural elements of sedimentary basins such as extension, thickness, salt domes, intrusive plutons, and dislocations or fault lines.
2. Magnetometric prospecting
- This method involves measuring local anomalies in the Earth’s magnetic fields.
- The method enables acquisition of data on structural characteristics and depth of the susceptive basement and therefore, indirectly, on the thickness of sedimentary overburden and identifies the presence, depth, and extension of volcanic or plutonic masses within the sedimentary sequences.
3. Seismic prospecting
- Seismic prospecting has become the most valuable technique to reduce exploration risk of being unsuccessful in locating a prospect.
- The technique is based on determinations of the time interval that elapses between the initiation of a seismic wave at a selected shop point and the arrival of reflected or refracted impulses at one or more seismic detectors.
- The phase of seismic data acquisition is followed by the seismic data processing phase (aimed to the alteration of seismic data to suppress noise, enhance the signal and migrate seismic events to the appropriate location in space) than by the interpretation of the generated subsurface image.
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4. Drilling the exploration well
- Once geological and geophysical information has defined and evaluated (technically and economically) the drillable prospect, it is possible to move to a fundamental phase of the exploration project – the drilling of the first exploratory well.
- The drilling of the exploration well is aimed to confirm the presence of petroleum accumulation.
5. Well logging
- The well logging technique consists of lowering a ‘logging tool’ into the well to acquire geological data and to reveal reservoir fluids characteristics.
- Well logging help geoscientists and engineers to understand:
Presence of reservoir
Presence of hydrocarbons and characteristics
Reservoir properties, etc
6. Well testing
- A well test is a measurement under controlled conditions of all factors relating to the production of oil, gas, and water from a well.
- Well tests are conducted to acquire dynamic rate, pressure, temperature, and fluid property data.
- The acquired information is used to determine reservoir capabilities and important decisions such as production methods, well production equipment, and field development drilling are made from the interpretation of well test results.
Credits: Oil and Gas portal
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