Petroleum geologists explore for economically significant reservoirs of oil and gas using technologies that have evolved in sophistication as the industry grew to dominate the global economy in the twentieth century. They begin with geological surveys that identify the various rock formations that lie within, underneath or adjacent to a sedimentary basin capable of holding oil and gas reserves. Next, they conduct seismic surveys to create a three-dimensional image of the underground landscape that is augmented with data from magnetic and gravitational instruments. They process data using super computers and artificial intelligence to discover and describe what is referred to as a Total Petroleum System. This integrated analysis identifies the potential ‘source rocks’ with organic compounds that are the raw material of fossil fuels and unravels the tectonic history that provided the ‘maturation forces’ (heat and pressure) necessary to convert carbon-rich molecules into oil and gas. The methodological framework also identifies a pathway for hydrocarbons, which are buoyant, to ‘migrate’ through porous sedimentary rocks until they are contained by an impermeable rock layer that functions as a ‘trap’ where oil and gas accumulate to create a ‘reservoir.’ The methodological rigor required to develop a Total Petroleum System greatly improves the probability of discovering an economically significant hydrocarbon reserve. It remains a hypothesis, however, until an exploratory well verifies the existence of oil and/or natural gas. Seismic surveys are first conducted at large scales using two-dimensional images collected along widely spaced transects; these are followed by higher-density studies that provide a…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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