Abstract: Computer Plotting of Land Leases on Digitized Base Map

P. J. Lee, T. L. O. Larson

One of the problems encountered in daily exploration is to relate the spatial distribution of land holdings with various geologic studies of an area. To maximize the effectiveness of an exploration thrust, automatic-mapping procedures were set up for the Williston basin area of the United States as follows.

(1) From base maps with a scale of 1:96,000 from Montana and the Dakotas, the section corners of the townships and the contact points of section boundaries with water bodies and obstacles were digitized. (2) The digitized points of each township were organized into a PL/I self-defining structure as one record. (3) A coding method was devised to digitize oil and gas plats and title plats. (4) A free-format, computer-interpretable syntax for legal descriptions was established for the computerized land system. This syntax is an adaptation of the system used by landmen. (5) The digital base-map file was merged with the computer-interpretable land file into one land map displayed by a plotter.

This approach provides explorationists with up-to-date land maps on short notice, replaces error-prone and time-consuming human drafting procedures, and isolates errors in the land system, plats, or on the base maps.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90968©1977 AAPG-SEPM Annual Convention and Exhibition, Washington, DC