Oil and gas
Exploration: Searching for Oil and Gas Deposits
07/08/2010
© Keblow
Oil and natural gas resources have been buried in the bowels of the earth for tens of millions of years. To locate them above ground, engineers have to look for a number of clues. But to confirm the presence of a useable deposit, they need to dig several kilometers down.
How Is a Potential Oil Deposit Located?
Hydrocarbons can be detected within sedimentary basins using seismic reflection, a technique that provides images of the substratum. Before exploring these terrains, oil companies need to obtain a permit from the state.
Before Drilling- Subsurface Surveys
Drilling is an expensive and tricky operation. This is why geologists carry out a thorough investigation to determine if it is viable and useable before setting up the necessary infrastructure.
How Is a Drilling Operation Carried Out?
Derricks, trepans, drilling mud, and casing are all tools required to drill underground safely in order to determine if it contains hydrocarbons.
Additional Post-Drilling Surveys
Once exploratory drilling is finished, further tests are carried out to eliminate all uncertainties about the deposit. Then the oil company will decide whether to relinquish the site or start up production.
