Mapping natural oil seeps in the Middle Magdalena Basin (Colombia) using WorldView-3 satellite data

Author(s)

Asadzadeh, Saeid ; Arango, Ivan Rodrigo Plata ; de Souza Filho, Carlos Roberto

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: AAPG BULLETIN; v. 106, n. 4, p. 19-pg., 2022-04-01.

Abstract

Seeps are natural occurrences of oil and gas on the surface that originate from various sources, including subsurface petroleum accumulations. Despite the significance of hydrocarbon seeps in petroleum exploration, onshore seeps have been continually detected by visual inspections in the field. This work explores the use of WorldView-3 multispectral data for detecting hydrocarbon seepage in the Middle Magdalena Valley Basin, Colombia. The basin consists of successions of marine to terrestrial sediments of Cretaceous to Cenozoic age deformed into thrust-related structures. The area hosts numerous seeps that emanate from underlying petroleum accumulations. WorldView-3 data are highly effective in mapping oil shows arising from various sources, including from natural oil seeps. It detected >250 highly probable seeps, of which at least 35% were unknown a priori, and account for two-thirds of the oil targets, with the rest from anthropogenic sources. The seeps' spatial extents range from a few up to tens of thousands of square meters, albeit the majority cover an area between similar to 1.5 and 10 m(2). In approximately half of the cases, seeps are associated with diagenetic alterations and/or geobotanical anomalies induced by the diffuse flow of gaseous hydrocarbons. In spatial terms, seeps occur in the vicinity (i.e., <150 m) of major thrust faults. In conclusion, WorldView-3 data can provide a framework for systematic mapping, monitoring, and updating of seepage occurrences (and analogous oil targets) in petroleum provinces worldwide. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/25002-7 - Evaluation of Longwave Infrared (LWIR) and surface temperature data for terrestrial hydrocarbon microseepage characterization
• Grantee: Saeid Asadzadeh
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral