History of Surface Geochemistry

The history of surface geochemical exploration is filled with misconceptions, unsupported claims, misrepresentations, and a poor understanding of the soil and subsurface environments. Surface geochemical methods have not been readily accepted by the United States petroleum industry, but foreign oil industries with limited American influence have pursued this technology aggressively. Recently, economic pressures associated with higher finding costs and lower success rates have caused American companies to reexamine surface geochemical applications in a variety of geologic environments and exploration scenarios.