Print this pageGeographic Information System as a Tool for Data Integration of Surface and Subsurface Features and Predictive Modeling for Hydrocarbon Exploration: A Case Study from Cambay Basin, India
Lineaments are the most conspicuous features on satellite images of low relief basin. The present work was aimed to utilize the lineaments identified on satellite data for geologic analysis. Three dominant lineament trends were observed, NNW-SSE direction, parallel to the Dharwar trend, NE-SW parallel to Aravalli trends and ENE-WSW direction parallel to the Satpura trend in order of abundance. The NE-SW trend is prominent in the northern part whereas the ENE-WSW trend in the southern part. The basin margin faults, mapped as set of smaller discontinued lineaments, can be more profoundly seen in the eastern margin than the western margin. The surface lineaments are concentrated more along the margin and the axial part of the basin, reflecting the basin margin faults and central synclinal axis of the basin. There are a few NE-SW major cross structural elements dividing the basin into a number of blocks.
The correlation between surface linear features and subsurface structures were assessed on a GIS platform, where all these thematic maps beside satellite images could be stored, manipulated, overlaid and integrated in the computer. It was observed that the surface linear features were extremely consistent in orientation with the basement linears, and the overlying faults in the basin.
The interrelationship of faults, source rock and known hydrocarbon bearing areas have been evaluated and it can be inferred that the possibility of occurrence of hydrocarbons is governed primarily on the availability of source rocks and possible conduits/entrapment in the form of high fault densities and /or structural cross trends. The superimposition of source rock thickness over the oil/gas field map reveals that, in general, the geographic occurrences of oil/gas and source are the same. Wherever they differ they are associated with higher fault densities with preferential alignment along the NE-SW fault density zones. This indicates that the faults and their intersections have played an important role for enhanced fluid migration.
Taking into consideration the above model and analogy, the technique was applied to the rest of the Cambay Basin to decipher the lead areas for hydrocarbon exploration.
AAPG Search and Discover Article #90100©2009 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition 15-18 November 2009, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil