Petroleum Exploration Methods

Direct Indications

Hydrocarbon deposits found through natural seepages of

oil, outcrops of oil-bearing rocks and various forms of gas

seepages such as mud volcanoes.

However it does not necessarily prove that oil exists in

commercial quantities.

Geological Exploration Methods

A petroleum geologists main job is to select promising site

for the drilling of exploratory wells based on his prediction

of an areas subsurface stratigraphy and structure.

Subsurface maps include the following basic forms:

1. Structural contour maps: maps composed of lines

connecting points of equal elevation above or below

datum (normally sea level)

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 2. Isopachous maps: maps composed of lines

connecting points of equal bed thickness.

3. Cross sections: a form of subsurface presentation

which depicts the position and thickness of various

strata.

Subsurface maps are a necessary part of any reservoir

engineering study; and petroleum engineers, as well as

geologists, must be completely familiar with their

construction and interpretation.

The data for subsurface maps are obtained from a number

of sources, such as

1. Well logs: representations of some rock property of

properties versus depth.

2. Core drilling: shallow, small hole drilling for

information purposes only. The formations

encountered are core, i.e., obtained as small

cylindrical samples which are readily and accurately

identified.

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 3. Strat tests: deep exploratory holes drilled primarily

for information.

The construction of subsurface maps requires great

interpretive skill

Geophysical Exploration

The methods are gravitational method, magnetic method

and seismic.

The gravitational method is based on Newtons hypothesis

that every particle in the universe attracts every other

particles in the manner defined by the equation

m1m2
F
r2

where F = attractive force

m1. m2 = masses of particles in question
r = distance between particles
= gravitational constant (6.67 X10-8) in cgs units.

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