Application of Remote Sensing In Two Southern Iranian Oil Fields

Abstract

Geoscientists have long applied photographic cameras, radar, lasers, infrared (IR) scanners, radiometers, spectrometers, microwaves, and multi spectral scanners (MSS) in the search for hydrocarbons. With introduction of satellite remote sensing, basic techniques were then coupled with this new technology. This produced enhanced views of the Earth’s surface. Although oil and gas reservoirs are deep below the surface, they have some indicators, which can be detected on the ground. To reduce the exploration costs for hydrocarbons during the reconnaissance stage of exploration, satellite images and available surface data by combining with other current conventional exploration techniques could be used. In recent years, geological reconnaissance has been augmented by sophisticated terrace data-gathering techniques, which have been categorized as remote sensors. GIS allows petroleum engineers or functional group within to communicate information and make spatial and temporal decisions about assets, activities and natural resources. The present paper deals with the study of two existing petroleum-rich reservoirs. The selected area contains thermally unprocessed VNIR, SWIR and TIR ASTER images for granule of the study area covering Ab-teymur and Darquin reservoirs. Each granule covers an area of 3600 Km2 (60 km x 60 km) of land of onshore Iran. Besides the main geological units and the gas geological analysis within the boundary of these granules have been studied. For this work three layers of information are considered: geology, geochemistry and vegetation cover. The main geological units within the boundary of the granules have been discussed for both fields. The basis of gas geochemical prospecting methods is that no oil or gas reservoir cap rock is completely impermeable. Hydrocarbons and other compounds and elements escape from the reservoirs and the more volatile components migrate to the surface where they may be trapped in soils or diffuse in atmosphere or ocean. Vegetation cover within the boundaries of oil field influenced zones was taken into consideration as an individual layer of information which will complement the other layers of information by its corresponding statistical weight.