Abstract: The Application of Iodine and Magnetic Susceptibility Surface Geochemical Surveys in the Lodgepole Play, Eastern Williston Basin, North Dakota

Steven A. Tedesco

The use of surface geochemistry as a first pass exploration tool is becoming more prevalent in petroleum exploration. This is especially true due to the high cost of 2-D and 3-D surveys in defining small targets such as the Waulsortian mounds of the Lodgepole Formation. Surface geochemical surveys are very effective in pinpointing specific target areas for seismic surveying and thus reducing costs. Presented are examples of surface geochemical surveys utilizing magnetic susceptibility and iodine methods in delineating reservoirs in the Lodgepole, Mission Canyon and Red River formations. The types of surveys presented vary from reconnaissance to detail and examples of how to define a grid will be discussed. Surface geochemical surveys can be very effective when the areal e tent of the target(s) and the purpose of the survey are clearly defined prior to implementation. By determining which areas have micro seepage and which areas do not, surface geochemistry can be a very effective tool in focusing exploration efforts and maximizing exploration dollars.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90952©1996 AAPG Rocky Mountain Section Meeting, Billings, Montana