Oil exploration is the process of locating and evaluating potential sites for extracting petroleum.

Oil and Gas (Hydrocarbon) Exploration and Prospecting (oil prospecting) using Remote Sensing Methods - auxiliary solutions for exploration work before conducting 3D seismic surveys and drilling wells.

Thanks to the LANDSAT satellite and SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) systems, remote sensing methods for oil and gas exploration have been actively developed since the late 1990s. The application of remote sensing in geological exploration for hydrocarbons has proven to be a mandatory (!) tool for operations related to oil and gas processing and extraction. It aids in infrastructure assessment for well planning and regional reconnaissance during exploration. Hydrocarbon exploration can be broadly divided into two classes: hydrocarbon seepage in water and offshore areas and areas focused on hydrocarbon reservoir content.

The relevance of aerial and space methods for geological tasks is increasing every year. This is due to the progressing development of imaging equipment, the availability of high and very high-resolution Earth images from space, and improved software for processing aerial and satellite images, significantly expanding the possibilities of geological interpretation.

To address hydrocarbon prospecting tasks, a combination of both traditional geophysical and geochemical methods and modern aerial and space methods is necessary. A substantial portion of classical tasks related to substance composition diagnostics, geological boundaries determination, and ore potential assessment can be solved using aerial and satellite imagery.

Implementing these innovative methods in the geological prospecting cycle allows reducing the scope of seismic surveys and drilling, thereby significantly reducing time and financial costs (reducing costs up to 5-15 times compared to traditional methods for unexplored areas and up to 3-5 times for previously well-explored areas) while significantly increasing the reliability of prospecting work.

The identification of prospective geological structures using aerial and satellite images is utilized by project and research organizations, construction companies, and institutions in the oil and gas industry, as well as other interested organizations, to enhance the efficiency of hydrocarbon exploration research.

Remote sensing methods help complement traditional geological prospecting work in oil and gas exploration by:

• identifying zones of anomalous hydrocarbon seepage;
• detecting increased thermal flow caused by active fluid-thermodynamic processes in reservoirs;
• assessing the dynamic state of the reservoir and the impact of contemporary tectonic movements on it.

Space imagery and visual observation allow the evaluation of the structural features of shelves, identifying large-scale geological structures that may contain (hydrocarbon) gas and oil deposits.

Studying geological structures in basins, especially lineament anomalies, through remote sensing methods, enables us to find a more precise and reliable approach to discovering hydrocarbon deposits formed under the influence of underground geological pressure and plate tectonics.

The full set of channels provided, for example, by Landsat 8 - 9 (OLI), is the most effective basic data used for studying lineaments, with a focus on visible channels and the panchromatic channel due to their spatial accuracy (when combined, for instance, with high-resolution satellite imagery).

Statistical analysis of lineaments is carried out to understand points of surface pressure and the orientation of geological structures present in the basin.

Lineament maps, lineament density maps, and lineament orientation maps are created to visually comprehend the topography layout. Surface temperature profiles, vegetation trends through NDVI, development of drainage networks, and soil surface profiles serve as indicators for delineating hotspots for oil and gas exploration.

Digital Elevation Model (DEM), thermal range, infrared range, and visible range from Landsat 8 - 9 (OLI) provide essential results for hydrocarbon prospecting.

Objective of hydrocarbon exploration using remote sensing (RS) methods: Providing reliable evidence and justification for traditional geologists to identify structures of oil and gas deposits (both onshore and offshore) and to pinpoint the locations for drilling exploratory wells.

In both the state and private contexts, the objective is to replenish oil and gas reserves for oil and gas companies.

Tasks of oil and gas exploration:

• Gathering and preliminary processing of multispectral aerospace information;
• Synthesis of rational space photoplans;
• Analysis and investigation of topographic and geological information;
• Comprehensive analysis of aerospace, geological, and topographic information;
• Compilation of space-geological maps.

Performing these tasks reveals zones of anomalous hydrocarbon seepage, identifies increased thermal flow caused by active fluid-thermodynamic processes in deposits, and provides an assessment of the dynamic state of the reservoir.

Reliability of results obtained in oil and gas exploration:

• Traditional methods ≈ 25%
• Systemic aerospace method ≥ 75%

Significant reduction in total costs for oil and gas exploration areas, from 3-5 to 10-15 times, including a reduction in time spent (aerospace methods are the most expedient).

Remote sensing technologies address existing geological issues in oil and gas exploration, including:

• Studying geomechanical processes using radar interferometry, determining the modern mobility of structures and fault disruptions in sedimentary basins, and their impact on reservoir structure and, consequently, the efficiency of oil and gas field development;
• Studying and analyzing thermodynamic processes using thermal infrared imaging, influencing the migration of hydrocarbons to the Earth's surface and causing contamination of soil and vegetation cover;
• Studying biogeochemical factors using infrared imaging, determining changes in spectral characteristics of soil and vegetation cover under the influence of hydrocarbons;
• In general, low-cost and efficient remote sensing methods provide evidence-based geological information for optimal placement of seismic profiles, exploratory, and production wells.

The technology used by "MKGT" for forecast-prospecting works is based on thematic analysis, expert and automated decoding of aerospace images in all spectral ranges, and comprehensive interpretation of geological-geophysical materials. This technology is primarily aimed at refining the structure of oil and gas accumulation zones and identifying the most promising hydrocarbon traps within them by detecting local structures of various types and fault disruptions through structural analysis of images. Additionally, the technology includes the latest developments in spectral analysis of multispectral aerospace images.

The structural analysis method involves visual decoding of aerospace images, as well as automated extraction of lineaments and circular structures capable of visualizing major tectonic disruptions and activations of varying depths. Materials with different levels of detail are subjected to analysis, allowing for information on the characteristics of these structures in different spectral ranges.

Each of these structures undergoes numerous shape recognition procedures, after which it can be determined whether the identified structure is prospective for oil and gas exploration, its depth and thickness of occurrence, as well as its volume and hydrocarbon saturation.

As a result of structural analysis of aerospace images, the following are created:

• Medium-scale cartographic schemes for forecasting the evaluation of structures with hydrocarbon potential at a scale of 1:100,000;
• Large-scale plans for forecasting the evaluation of structures with hydrocarbon potential at a scale of 1:10,000.

Multispectral data are essential for solving tasks related to both decoding and determining the real composition of rocks. When processing data, statistical processing methods and spectral analysis of images are employed. The degree of absorption and scattering of sunlight by any object is directly related to its wavelength. The spectral image is a measure of interaction between solar radiation and the Earth's surface, and each geological object has its individual reflective characteristic associated with its chemical composition, degree, and temperature of crystallization, and genesis.

The following spectral analysis methods have been studied and used by "MKGT":

• Principal Component Analysis (PCA);
• Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM);
• Calculation of mineralogical indices (BR).

Implemented by "MKGT":

• Acquisition and processing of aerospace images, thematic analysis of data, and creation of cartographic schemes and plans for forecasting the evaluation of structures with hydrocarbon potential.

Implemented through local partners:

• Field geophysical and geochemical work.