New Technologies To Map Oil Production

Geologists use several unique technologies to map oil production. Oil production is an expensive and labor intensive effort. Therefore it is essential that oil companies have accurate maps of where oil is expected to be. The old days of drilling a test well to see whether or not oil was present are gone. Oil companies have to map their oil production fields as accurately as possible to save money, time, and to maximize oil production.

Crude oil exists in porous rock formations deep underground. There is often no visible sign of these oil deposits on the surface. Oil companies need to be able to examine the rock strata below the surface to create an estimated map of oil production locations. A gravity survey is one such method of mapping potential oil production areas. A gravitometer is used to measure the local gravitational field. The field can vary with the density of the rock underneath. Comparing gravitometer maps of known oil production areas with new areas allows geologists to identify potential oil sources.

The magnetic survey is another method of producing maps of potential underground oil production areas. A magnetometer is used to measure the direction and strength of the Earth's magnetic field in the vicinity of the instrument. A map of the magnetic field varies based on the rocks below the measured area. For example, iron deposits can often be located with a magnetometer due to their strong magnetic field. Magnetometer readings can be used to create maps of potential oil producing areas. These maps are compared to readings from known oil production areas to identify areas of interest.

Seismic surveys are used to refine the mapped oil production areas identified by the other methods. Much like sonar and radar, a seismic shock or pulse is sent into the ground. The reflection of the pulse is measured at different locations to create a map of the underlying rock formations. Underground oil reserves have a signature which can be identified on these oil production maps. Any underground location that appears on all three oil production maps is likely to contain sufficient oil for drilling.

Oil production is no longer a hit or miss procedure. Enormous sums of money are spent on developing and exploiting crude oil production reserves. Oil producers must therefore have the most accurate information available before committing their resources to drilling. That is why it is essential to map oil production as accurately as possible.

Article Source: http://www.new.citynewslive.com

Mayoor Patel is the writer for the website oil-production.oil-universe.com/. Please visit for information on all things concerned with Map Oil Production

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