Impact of Innovative Technologies to Hydrocarbon Exploration

Abstract

Abstract

This work describes some of the most advanced and innovative geophysical technologies and how their results can be integrated and the value this can bring to the upstream process, focused on the oil industry. Thinking that a greater number of integrated technologies certainty to prospects increases. The first step in the recognition areas can be guided, based on the pattern of changes in soils and sediments for seepage hydrocarbons (Schumacher, 2006), in order to increase the certainty of the possible presence of hydrocarbons. The proposed methodology and the potential results are as follows:

Hyperspectral analysis (satellite images), as is done by NASA on other planets of the solar system. Locating the largest surface manifestations of the presence of hydrocarbons

Potential methods as gravity gradiometry data help us identify positive anomalies that could represent Mesozoic structural high, where plays are located with the greatest potential.

Residual aeromagnetic data are useful for identifying high frequency anomalies associated with reduction zones, product of oil seepage that in some cases could be related to regional faults previously identify.

To confirm the presence of high resistivity anomalies in the possible areas of interest should be carried out an aerial electromagnetic survey and subsequently acquire 2D profiles induced polarization to verify areas leaking oil.

As a first assessment phase, we integrate the first 4 technologies and generate a map of possible presence of hydrocarbons (MPPH), with the results obtained up to this point.

In inaccessible areas use Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) adapted on drones (such as Curiosity NASA), to analyze samples in the areas located in the MMPH

Based on the geological - geophysical data integrated, the areas where most likely to find important reservoirs will be schedule a 3D seismic survey and subsequent PSDM processing

With the results of integrated geophysical methods we can relate changes in seismic velocity with physical rock properties (density, resistivity, susceptibility, etc.) and thus validate whether indirect indicators of hydrocarbons are related to an existing oil trap.

Applying this methodology we present as result a synthetic example in which were overlapping models of hyperspectral images, susceptibility, density, resistivity and induced polarization on a seismic data, aiming to show the advantages of integrating these technologies in order to give certainty to the proposed areas for drilling.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90260 © 2016 AAPG/SEG International Conference & Exhibition, Cancun, Mexico, September 6-9, 2016