Evaluation of Longwave Infrared (LWIR) and surface temperature data for terrestrial hydrocarbon microseepage characterization

• Grant number: 17/25002-7
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): November 10, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal researcher: Carlos Roberto de Souza Filho
• Grantee: Saeid Asadzadeh
• Home Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The caprocks above Hydrocarbon (HC) traps are not perfectly efficient and thus light gaseous HCs can leak to the surface and trigger an array of diagenetic physio-chemical and mineralogical changes in the overlying soils and sediments. Over the years, spectral remote sensing has been utilized to map the alteration footprints of microseepage systems over HC accumulations by targeting iron oxides, clays, and carbonate minerals. Our recent study indicated a rich variety of microseepage-induced mineralogic changes over petroliferous areas. However, this research and a majority of others have used solely the Visible-Near Infrared (VNIR) and the Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) wavelengths to study the subject. There are other diagenetic changes such as feldspar alterations or an excess of silica that cannot be sensed by reflectance data and one should consider using the Longwave Infrared (LWIR; 8-14 mm) region to characterize them. Recent advances in sensing technology open up new opportunities to bridge the research gap in the use of LWIR data for microseepage characterization. This research aims to develop advanced mineralogical and geophysical indicators for terrestrial microseepage systems by employing state-of-the-art thermal infrared sensing technology comprising handheld FTIR spectrometers, brand new hyperspectral imaging cameras, and new generations of airborne hyperspectral scanners. The aim of the research is twofold: (i) to detect and characterize mineralogical variations active in the LWIR wavelengths at multiple scales and transform them into exploration indicators for remote sensing microseepage detection; and (ii) to deploy and investigate temperature anomalies over oil and gas pools using ASTER nighttime imagery. The research will be conducted over three productive/prospective fields and plays located in the Qom region, Iran, Tucano Basin, State of Bahia, Brazil, and in the USA. The study will integrate evidence from (i) in-situ measurements and sampling; (ii) laboratory-based thermal infrared spectroscopy by imaging and non-imaging systems; and (iii) regional alteration and temperature mapping by airborne and spaceborne thermal instruments. This research will provide new insights into microseepage-induced alterations. A mature microseepage model coupled with multiple wavelength (VNIR-SWIR-LWIR) data processing and surface temperature anomalies could reduce the ambiguities in remote sensing data interpretation, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of the technique for oil and gas exploration. Microseepages remote sensing has important implications in environmental studies and planetary sciences as well. Accurate mapping of microseepage-prone areas can help disaggregate the terrains that contribute towards geologic methane budget. The technique could also be utilized to locate possible microseepage zones responsible for diffuse exhalations of methane on Mars. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ASADZADEH, SAEID; SOUZA FILHO, CARLOS ROBERTO. Characterization of microseepage-induced diagenetic changes in the Upper-Red Formation, Qom region, Iran. Part II: A new insight using reflectance spectroscopic analysis. MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY, v. 117, JUL 2020. Web of Science Citations: 1.

ASADZADEH, SAEID; DE SOUZA FILHO, CARLOS ROBERTO. Characterization of microseepage-induced diagenetic changes in the Upper-Red Formation, Qom region, Iran. Part I: Outcrop, geochemical, and remote sensing studies. MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY, v. 117, JUL 2020. Web of Science Citations: 1.

ASADZADEH, SAEID; DE SOUZA FILHO, CARLOS ROBERTO; NANNI, MARCOS R.; BATEZELLI, ALESSANDRO. Multi-scale mapping of oil-sands in Anhembi (Brazil) using imaging spectroscopy. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, v. 82, OCT 2019. Web of Science Citations: 0.