Top

Published in:

2022 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

9. Frontier Exploration

Author : Andreas Laake

Published in: Remote Sensing for Hydrocarbon Exploration

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config

AI-assisted search

Off

Abstract

Frontier exploration means assessing an area for hydrocarbon prospectivity that lacks information and data. Satellite remote sensing provides the first set of potential fields data to enable the delineation of basins and build large regional geological models in 3D. These models can be used to execute exploration strategies such as the conjugate margin concept which transfers knowledge from known basins on margin to their unknown counterpart on the conjugate margin along fracture zones.

Remote sensing also plays a major role in providing the boundary conditions for basin and petroleum system models. These form the framework for more detailed interpretation once seismic data and well logs become available.

At field scale, interpretation carried out on remote sensing data at the surface can be used as in-situ geologic analogues to guide the structural and depositional interpretation of 3D seismic data in the subsurface.

The integration of satellite remote sensing and sparse regional 2D seismic sections give insights into the shallow structural framework through the mapping of shallow buried channels, which in turn often follow regional faults. In volcanic areas, the interpretation and integration of multiple satellite remote sensing data allows delineating the subsurface extent of volcanic rocks, thus giving clues for estimating the potential impact volcanism may have had on the maturity of hydrocarbons in the subsurface.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 102.000 Bücher
über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 340 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

previous chapter Remote Sensing for Hydrocarbon Exploration

next chapter Seismic Logistics and Planning

Braitenberg, C., Wienecke, S. & Wang, Y. (2006). Basement structures from satellite-derived gravity field: South China Sea ridge. Journal of Geophysical Research 111, B05407, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001GC000252.

Bird, P. (2003). An updated digital model of plate boundaries. Geochemistry, Geophysics and Geosystems 4(3), https://doi.org/10.1029/2001GC000252.

Cande, S.C., Stock, J.M., Müller, R.D., & Ishihara, T. (2000). Cenozoic motion between East and West Antarctica, Nature 404, 145–150.

Consortium for Ocean Leadership Inc. (2007). Ocean drilling program, Final Technical Report 1983–2007, National Science Foundation contracts ODP83-17349 and OCE93-08410, Washington DC, 2007.

Crosby, A.G., McKenzie, D. & Sclater, J.G. (2006). The relationship between depth, age and gravity in the oceans, Geophysics Journal International 166, 553–573. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.2006.03015.x.

Gibbs, P.B., Brush, E.R. & Fiduk, J.C. (2003). The evolution of the syn rift and transition phases of the central/southern Brazilian and W. African conjugate margins: the implications for source rock distribution in time and space, and their recognition on seismic data, Proceedings 8th International Congress of the Brazilian Geophysical Society.

Fairhead, J.D., Green, C.M. & Odegard, M.E. (2001). Satellite-derived gravity having an impact on marine exploration, The LEadging Edge, 873-876.

Heine, C., Zoethout, J. & Müller, R.D. (2013). Kinematics of the South Atlantic rift. Solid Earth 4, 215–253, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-4-215-2013.

Laake, A. (2010). Integration of surface and subsurface data – From satellites to reservoir, EAGE/SEG Summer Research Workshop - Towards a Full Integration from Geosciences to Reservoir Simulation, paper 22461, https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.201402470.

Laake, A., & Strobbia, C. (2013a). Mapping paleorivers from satellite radar and surface-wave velocities. In Proceedings 75th EAGE Conference & Exhibition Incorporating SPE EUROPEC 2013, London, UK.

Lentini, M.R., Fraser, S.I., Sumner, H.S. & Davies, R.J. (2010). Geodynamics of the central South Atlantic conjugate margins: implications for hydrocarbon potential. Petroleum Geoscience 16, 217–229. https://doi.org/10.1144/1354-079309-909

MacLeod, S.J., Williams, K.J., Müller, R.D. & MacLeod, S.J., Williams, S.E., Matthews, K.J., Müller, R.D., and Qin, X.D. (2017). A global review and digital database of large-scale extinct spreading centers: Geosphere. 13(3), 911–949, https://doi.org/10.1130/GES01379.1.

Mohole: http://nasonline.org/about-nas/history/archives/milestones-in-NAS-history/project-mohole.htm. [accessed 16 June 2020]

Mohriak, W.U., Danforth, A., Post, P.J., Brown, D.E., Tari, G.C., Nemčok, M. & Sinha, S.T. (2013). Conjugate divergent margins: an introduction, in: Mohriak, W. U., Danforth, A., Post, P. J., Brown, D. E., Tari, G. C., Nemčok, M. & Sinha, S. T. (eds), Conjugate Divergent Margins. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 369, 1–10, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP369.26.

Müller, R.D., Roest, W.R., Royer, J.-Y., Gahagan, L.M. & Sclater, J.G. (1997). Digital isochrons of the world’s ocean floor. Journal of Geophysical Researc 102(B2), 3211–3214.

Smith, W.H.F. & Sandwell, D.T. (1994). Bathymetry prediction from dense satellite altimetry and sparse shipboard bathymetry. Journal of Geophysical Research 99(B11), 21803–21824.

Smith, W. H. F. & Sandwell, D. T.(1997). Global seafloor topography from satellite altimetry and ship depth soundings. Science 277, 1957-1962.

Zanella, E., Doran, H. & Collard, J. (2018). Is a conjugate an analog ?, GeoExPro Sept 2018, 14–17.

Laake, A., Sheneshen, M. S., Strobbia, C., Velasco, L., & Cutts, A. (2011a). Integration of surface/subsurface techniques reveals faults in Gulf of Suez oilfields. Petroleum Geoscience, 17, 165–179. https://doi.org/10.1144/1354-079310-014CrossRef

Laake, A., Sheneshen, M. S., Strobbia, C., Velasco, L., & Cutts, A. (2011b). Integration of surface/subsurface techniques reveals faults in Gulf of Suez oilfields. Petroleum Geoscience, 17, 165–179. https://doi.org/10.1144/1354-079310-014CrossRef

Amante, C., & Eakins, B. W. (2009). ETOPO1 1 arc-minute global relief model: Procedures, data sources and analysis, NOAA Technical Memorandum NESDIS NGDC-24. National Geophysical Data Center, Marine Geology and Geophysics Division.

Sandwell, D. T., Müller, R. D., Smith, W. H. F., Garcia, E., & Francis, R. (2014). New global marine gravity model from CryoSat-2 and Jason-1 reveals buried tectonic structure. Science, 346(6205), 65–67. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1258213CrossRef

Dyment, J., Lesur, V., Hamoudi, M., Choi, Y., Thebault, E., Catalan, M., the WDMAM Task Force, the WDMAM Evaluators, the WDMAM Data Providers, & World Digital Magnetic Anomaly Map version 2.0. (2015). Map available at http://www.wdmam.org. The WDMAM Task Force: J. Dyment (chair), M. Catalan (co-chair), A. de Santis, M. Hamoudi, T. Ishihara, J. Korhonen, V. Lesur, T. Litvinova, J. Luis, B. Meyer, P. Milligan, M. Nakanishi, S. Okuma, M. Pilkington, M. Purucker, D. Ravat, E. Thébault. (alphabetical order), accepted at IUGG General Assembly of Prag in June 2015 as WDMAM version 2.0.

Muller, R. D., Sdrolias, M., Gaina, C., & Roest, W. R. (2008). Age, spreading rates, and spreading asymmetry of the world’s ocean crust. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 9, Q04006. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007GC001743CrossRef

Straume, E. O., Gaina, C., Medvedev, S., Hochmuth, K., Gohl, K., Whittaker, J. M., et al. (2019). GlobSed: Updated total sediment thickness in the world’s oceans. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 20, 1756–1772. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GC008115CrossRef

DSDP. (n.d.). http://deepseadrilling.org/

IODP. (n.d.). http://iodp.org/

GPlates. (n.d.). https://www.gplates.org/

Müller, R. D., Qin, X., Sandwell, D. T., Dutkiewicz, A., Williams, S. E., Flament, N., Maus, S., & Seton, M. (2016). The GPlates Portal: Cloud-based interactive 3D visualization of global geophysical and geological data in a web browser. PLoS One, 11(3), e0150883. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0150883CrossRef

Müller, R. D., Cannon, J., Qin, X., Watson, R. J., Gurnis, M., Williams, S., Pfaffelmoser, T., Seton, M., Russell, S. H. J., & Zahirovic, S. (2018). GPlates: Building a virtual earth through deep time. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 19(7), 2243–2261. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GC007584CrossRef

Laake, A., Kornpihl, K., & Bishop, A. (2012). Integrated Workflow for Exploration in Frontier Areas, SEG Las Vegas 2012 Annual Meeting, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1190/segam2012-1037.1

Camacho, A. G., Montesinos, F. G., & da Silva Vieira, R. (2002). A 3-D gravity inversion tool based on exploration of model possibilities. Computers & Geosciences, 28(2), 191–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0098-3004(01)00039-5CrossRef

Li, Y., & Oldenburg, D. W. (1998). 3-D inversion of gravity data. Geophysics, 63(1), 109–119.CrossRef

Sjöberg, L. E., & Bagherbandi, M. (2017). Gravity inversion. In L. E. Sjöberg & M. Bagherbandi (Eds.), Gravity inversion and integration (pp. 247–373). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50298-4_8CrossRef

Wu, G. J., Liu, H., Zou, Z. B., Yang, G. L., & Shen, C. Y. (2014). 3-Dimensional inversion for gravity anomaly calculation in complex geologic region. Advanced Materials Research, 962–965, 238–241. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.962-965.238CrossRef

Ahlbrandt, T. S. (2001a). The Sirte Basin Province of Libya—Sirte-Zelten total petroleum system, USGS Bulletin 2202-F.

Bell, R. E., Anderson, R., & Pratson, L. (1997). Gravity gradiometry resurfaces. The Leading Edge, 16(1), 55–58.CrossRef

Gumati, Y. D., & Schamel, S. (1988). Thermal maturation history of the Sirt basin. Libya: Journal of Petroleum Geology, 11, 205–218.

Gumati, Y. D., Kanes, W. H., & Schamel, S. (1996). An evaluation of the hydrocarbon potential of the sedimentary basins of Libya. Journal of Petroleum Geology, 19(1), 95–112.CrossRef

Hallett, D. (2002). Petroleum geology of Libya. Elsevier.

Hantschel, T., & Kauerauf, A. I. (2009). Fundamentals of basin and petroleum systems modeling. Springer.

Hassan, H. S., & Kendall, C. C. G. (2014). Hydrocarbon provinces of Libya—A petroleum system study, chap. 4. In L. Marlow & L. Yose (Eds.), Petroleum systems of the Tethyan region: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir No. 106 (pp. 101–141).

Magoon, L. B., & Beaumont, E. A. (1999). Petroleum systems. In E. A. Beaumont & N. H. Foster (Eds.), Treatise of petroleum geology/handbook of petroleum geology: Exploring for oil and gas traps, Chapter 3, AAPG Special Volumes, 3-1-3-34.

Rusk, D. C. (2001). Libya: Petroleum potential of the underexplored basin centers—A twenty-first century challenge. In M. W. Downey, J. C. Threet, & W. A. Morgan (Eds.), Petroleum provinces of the twenty-first century: AAPG Memoir 74 (pp. 429–452).

Sandwell, D. T., & Smith, W. H. F. (2009). Global marine gravity from retracked Geosat and ERS-1 altimetry: Ridge sedimentation versus spreading rate. Journal of Geophysical Research, 114, B01411.CrossRef

Veryaskin, A. V. (2018). Gravity, magnetic and electromagnetic gradiometry: Strategic technologies in the 21st century (IoP Concise Physics). Morgan & Claypool. https://doi.org/10.1088/978-1-6817-4700-2. ISBN 978-1-6817-4701-9.

Waples, D. W. (1994). Modeling of sedimentary basins and petroleum systems. In L. B. Magoon & W. G. Dow (Eds.), The petroleum system—From source to trap: AAPC Memoir 60 chapter 18 (pp. 307–322).

Abd El-Naby, A. I. M., Ghanem, H., Boukhary, M., Abd El-Aal, M., Luning, S., & Kuss, J. (2010). Sequence-stratigraphic interpretation of structurally controlled deposition: Middle Miocene Kareem Formation southwestern Gulf of Suez, Egypt. GeoArabia, 15(3), 129–150.CrossRef

Alsharhan, A. S., & Salah, M. G. (1995). Geology and hydrocarbon habitat in rift setting: Northern and central Gulf of Suez, Egypt. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, 43, 156–176.

Bosworth, W., & McClay, K. (2001). Structural and stratigraphic evolution of the Gulf of Suez Rift, Egypt: A synthesis. In P. A. Ziegler, W. Cavazza, A. H. F. Robertson, & S. Crasquin-Soleau (Eds.), Peri-Tethys Memoir 6: Peri-Tethyan Rift/Wrench Basins and Passive Margins (Mem. Natn. Hist. nat. 186, pp. 567–606), Paris. ISBN: 2-85653-528-3.

Laake, A. (2011). Integration of surface and subsurface data—From satellites to reservoir. In EAGE/SEG Summer Research Workshop—Towards a Full Integration from Geosciences to Reservoir Simulation, Trieste, 2011. https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.201402470

Laake, A. (2015). Structural interpretation in color—A new RGB processing application for seismic data. Interpretation, 3(1), SC1–SC8.CrossRef

Laake, A., Sheneshen, M. S., Strobbia, C., Velasco, L., & Cutts, A. (2011c). Integration of surface/subsurface techniques reveals faults in Gulf of Suez oilfields. Petroleum Geoscience, 17, 165–179. https://doi.org/10.1144/1354-079310-014CrossRef

Moustafa, A. R., & Khalil, S. M. (2017). Control of extensional transfer zones on syntectonic and posttectonic sedimentation: Implications for hydrocarbon exploration. Journal of the Geological Society, 174, 318–335. https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2015-138CrossRef

Strobbia, C., Laake, A., Vermeer, P. L., & Glushchenko, A. (2009a) Surface waves—Use them then lose them. In EAGE 71st Conference and Exhibition, 8–11 June 2009, Amsterdam, paper T 015.

Strobbia, C., Vermeer, P., Glushchenko, A., & Laake, A. (2009b). Advances in surface-wave processing for nearsurface characterisation in land seismic. In 71st EAGE Conference & Exhibition 2009.

Strobbia, C., Vermeer, P., Laake, A., Glushchenko, A., & Re, S. (2010). Surface waves: Processing, inversion and removal. First Break, 28, 85–91.

Strobbia, C., Laake, A., Vermeer, P., & Glushchenko, A. (2011). Surface waves: Use them then lose them. Surface-wave analysis, inversion and attenuation in land reflection seismic surveying. Near Surface Geophysics, 9, 503–513. https://doi.org/10.3997/1873-0604.2011022CrossRef

Laake, A., & Strobbia, C. (2013b). Mapping Paleorivers from satellite radar and surface-wave velocities. In 75th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2013, Workshop Paper G06.

Redadaa, S., Boualleg, A., Merabtine, N., & Bensama, M. (2007). A study of P-band penetration capabilities: Application in sub-surface remote sensing. Romanian Journal of Physics, 52(5–7), 575–591.

Abadi, A. M., van Wees, J.-D., van Dijk, P. M., & Cloetingh, S. A. P. L. (2008). Tectonics and subsidence evolution of the Sirt Basin, Libya. AAPG Bulletin, 92(8), 993–1027.CrossRef

Ahlbrandt, T. S. (2001b). The Sirte Basin Province of Libya—Sirte-Zelten total petroleum system, USGS Bulletin 2202-F.

Brugge, N. (n.d.). Crater-like structures in context with the large flood basalt field of Al-Haruj al-Aswad (Libya).

Elshaafi, A., & Gudmundsson, A. (2016). Volcano-tectonics of the Al Haruj Volcanic Province, Central Libya. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 325, 189–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2016.06.025CrossRef

Iyer, K., Schmid, D. W., Planke, S., & Millett, J. (2017). Modelling hydrothermal venting in volcanic sedimentary basins: Impact on hydrocarbon maturation and paleoclimate. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 467(1), 30–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2017.03.023CrossRef

Luo, X., Gong, S., Jun, F. J., Wang, Z. H., & Qi, J. S. (2017). Effect of volcanic activity on hydrocarbon generation: Examples in Songliao, Qinshui, and Bohai Bay Basins in China. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 38, 218–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2016.12.022CrossRef

Nuzzo, M., Elvert, M., Schimdt, M., Scholz, F., Reitz, A., Hinrichs, K.-U., & Hensen, C. (2012). Impact of hot fluid advection on hydrocarbon gas production and seepage in mud volcano sediments of thick Cenozoic deltas. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 341–344, 139–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2012.05.009CrossRef

Peace, A., McCaffrey, K., Imber, J., Hobbs, R., van Hunen, J., & Gerdes, K. (2017). Quantifying the influence of sill intrusion on the thermal evolution of organic-rich sedimentary rocks in nonvolcanic passive margins: An example from ODP 210-1276, offshore Newfoundland. Canada, Basin Research, 29, 249–265. https://doi.org/10.1111/bre.12131CrossRef

Rateau, R., Schofield, N., & Smith, M. (2013). The potential role of igneous intrusions on hydrocarbon migration, West of Shetland. Petroleum Geoscience, 19, 259–272. https://doi.org/10.1144/petgeo2012-035CrossRef

Schofield, N., Holford, S., Millett, J., Brown, D., Jolley, D., Passey, S. R., Muirhead, D., Grove, C., Magee, C., Murray, J., Hole, M., Jackson, C. A.-L., & Stevenson, C. (2017). Regional magma plumbing and emplacement mechanisms of the Faroe-Shetland Sill Complex: Implications for magma transport and petroleum systems within sedimentary basins. Basin Research, 29, 41–63. https://doi.org/10.1111/bre.12164CrossRef

Senger, K., Millett, J., Planke, S., Ogata, K., Eide, C. H., Festoy, M., Galland, O., & Jerram, D. A. (2017). Effects of igneous intrusions on the petroleum system: A review. First Break, 35, 47–56.CrossRef

Title: Frontier Exploration
Author: Andreas Laake
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Book: Remote Sensing for Hydrocarbon Exploration
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-73318-6

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-030-73319-3

Copyright Year: 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73319-3_9

Springer Professional

Abstract

Please log in to get access to your license.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Springer Professional "Technik"

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Premium Partner