Multiple data set integration for structural and stratigraphic analysis of Oil and Gas Bearing formation using GIS


K M Mohamed Elias
Cauvery Basin, Tamilnadu, India
E-mail: kmelias@lycos.com

Abstracts
Exploration for oil and gas has always depended on surface maps of rock types and structures that point directly to, or at least hint at, subsurface condition favorable for generation and accumulation of hydrocarbon. The advent of higher resolution space imagery proved a boon to energy sector seeking new sources of fossil fuels (as it gives clues to subsurface conditions). Remote Sensing can be very useful in mapping and analyzing Structural Geology, especially in remote regions. The subsurface geophysical methods are among the best supplement to surface interpretations mode from Satellite or Aerial Image.

The increasing application of an improvements in Geophysical mainly seismic methods in Petroleum exploration, have confirmed their exclusive role in locating oil and gas structures. A large amount of geophysical data particularly those that cannot be interpreted definitely to be revised using Remote-Sensing data. Since the linear (fault) structures are more readily interpretable, the integration of Remote-Sensing and Geophysical data should be given priority in the study of fracturing in sedimentary formation, mainly the disjunctive structures and fissure zones of various magnitude.

Mesofracture zone, a special type of lineament structure play a vital role in oil exploration can be identified in large scale satellite imagery and high altitude aerial photos as high density lineament zones with a width of upto a few kilometers and a length upto several tens of kilometers, consisting of numerous relatively short (1-4km) and near parallel lineaments. The genetic nature of these zones is determined by their relations to plicated and disjunctive structures.

Surface lineaments (minor, major) map were prepared from Aerial Photos, hard copy of different season satellite images, Digital enhancement and filtering of satellite image (soft copy). To identify the propagation of Basement fault towards the surface lineaments. Time structural basement map was processed to get sliced depth map from which the basement fault is easily detected. Vector mean calculated for both surface lineament and basement fault than the rose diagram were created and orientation of basement fault cum surface lineaments identified. Satellite data will be of much use for Frontier Basin as lineaments can be easily readable from Satellite Image.