The term used in petroleum for oil hunting, which is a pre discovery phase.
Surface Methods:
1- Direct indications:
*The most perfect direct indication is oil and gas seepage that forms (solid and
semi-solid asphalts lakes for oil seepage Mud volcanos for gas seepage ).
*Salt Domes are also a direct indication which have some surface indications as (oil
and gas seeps paraffin dirt salt springs dispersion lakes).
*geologist should take care about false indications such as (iron oxide films on water
Marsh gas).
2- Geological surveying:
2) surface geologic surveys : (Direct and indirect evidences for oil and gas
Distribution of rocks S.R, I.R, M.R age of igneous activity).
3- Geologic mapping:
*The report of detail includes : (stratigraphic data geologic and structure maps
drill tests geophysical surveys).
*Then determine : (whether or not to proceed what land to lease where to drill
the first well).
*geologic maps : show the geology of the area and the distribution pattern of
outcrops to determine the structure of the bed rock.
*structure map : show by contours the present structural altitudes with respect to
sea level.
Subsurface Methods:
Its techniques :
1) Core drilling :
structural drilling :
*used mainly map oil-bearing substructures as (anticlines).
*done by light weight rotary drill mounted on truck.
*by drilling a series of holes along a straight line in the direction of regional
dip.
stratigraphic test :
*used to trace lateral changes in porosity and thickness of reservoir rocks.
*using the same device, but developed to be used in greater depths.
*it has a lower cost, so used for production.
2) Exploration geophysics :
Magnetic method :
*a magno meter records the magnetic field of the area, by determining the
depth to magnetic
Basement we know the depth of sedimentary basins since they are non
magnetic.
Seismic method :