Quantitative three-dimensional remote digital compositional characterisation of outcrops
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Hull
Department Name: Geography, Environment and Earth Science
Abstract
The construction of 3D sub-surface geospatial models of onshore basins is a vital aspect of hydrocarbon exploration and is critically dependant on the information derived from the analysis of geological outcrops and borehole cores. Current field-based mapping methods produce very limited datasets which result in significant gaps in structural information with consequent severe effects on the accuracy of geological interpretation. A wide range of remote mapping methods, at a variety of spatial scales, have previously been implemented to resolve geological composition and structure of onshore hydrocarbon basins with limited success. These remote mapping approaches have used a reflectance-based approach covering the entire solar spectrum (VNIR to SWIR). Reflectance-based approaches have a fundamental limitation in that most of the key mineralogical types found in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, e.g. chain and sheet silicates, are not identifiable at these wavelengths.
A NERC-funded project, awarded to the applicant, has developed a highly novel, instrument capable of acquiring high spectral resolution remote sensing imagery covering the thermal waverange. This instrument (the MicroFTS) is lightweight, rugged and low-cost enabling it to be deployable in the field on an operational basis. The instrument also has the capability of being mounted in a variety of observation configurations (ground, UAV, aircraft) providing the potential for practical application in a range of fields apart from geology including agriculture, environmental monitoring and civil engineering. The high spectral resolution of the imagery enables a range of key physical parameters to be retrieved remotely directly from the imagery including surface temperature and composition and atmospheric composition.
Emission spectra, covering the thermal waverange, have a number of significant advantages over reflectance spectroscopy including the capability to identify (i) a wide range of minerals not detectable in reflectance spectra; (ii) variations in rock fabric and bulk chemistry and (iii) petrological level mineralogical information. These capabilities enable individual stratum to be classified into specific sedimentological facies and diagenetic types using their diagnostic emission spectral profiles. These classification approaches could enable a high level of sedimentary analysis to be automatically implemented at high spatial resolution, over continuous areas from site-to-basin scales. The ability to automatically resolve individual stratum and stratigraphic sections in borehole cores and outcrops at site-to-basin scales would provide a means of correlating stratum across entire basins enabling sequence stratigraphic analysis and key structural data such as fault throw to be determined and incorporated into geospatial models. These new remote observational datasets would not only provide a significant increase in the amount but also produce new types of observational datasets of the key compositional and structural information required by sedimentary petrologists and basin analysts. At the site scale continuous, complete coverage of compositional and structural features, even across inaccessible localities such as quarry walls, would be a significant new data resource. At the landscape scale the increase in the volume, the improvement in the spatial distribution and the continuous nature of the coverage would be equally as important. These new compositional and structural observational datasets would provide a means of significantly improving the accuracy of analysis of hydrocarbon basins at a fraction of the cost of the overall project budget at locations anywhere in the world. The potential market for the proposed methodology is extensive, global and the industry uptake is likely to be significant and immediate.
A NERC-funded project, awarded to the applicant, has developed a highly novel, instrument capable of acquiring high spectral resolution remote sensing imagery covering the thermal waverange. This instrument (the MicroFTS) is lightweight, rugged and low-cost enabling it to be deployable in the field on an operational basis. The instrument also has the capability of being mounted in a variety of observation configurations (ground, UAV, aircraft) providing the potential for practical application in a range of fields apart from geology including agriculture, environmental monitoring and civil engineering. The high spectral resolution of the imagery enables a range of key physical parameters to be retrieved remotely directly from the imagery including surface temperature and composition and atmospheric composition.
Emission spectra, covering the thermal waverange, have a number of significant advantages over reflectance spectroscopy including the capability to identify (i) a wide range of minerals not detectable in reflectance spectra; (ii) variations in rock fabric and bulk chemistry and (iii) petrological level mineralogical information. These capabilities enable individual stratum to be classified into specific sedimentological facies and diagenetic types using their diagnostic emission spectral profiles. These classification approaches could enable a high level of sedimentary analysis to be automatically implemented at high spatial resolution, over continuous areas from site-to-basin scales. The ability to automatically resolve individual stratum and stratigraphic sections in borehole cores and outcrops at site-to-basin scales would provide a means of correlating stratum across entire basins enabling sequence stratigraphic analysis and key structural data such as fault throw to be determined and incorporated into geospatial models. These new remote observational datasets would not only provide a significant increase in the amount but also produce new types of observational datasets of the key compositional and structural information required by sedimentary petrologists and basin analysts. At the site scale continuous, complete coverage of compositional and structural features, even across inaccessible localities such as quarry walls, would be a significant new data resource. At the landscape scale the increase in the volume, the improvement in the spatial distribution and the continuous nature of the coverage would be equally as important. These new compositional and structural observational datasets would provide a means of significantly improving the accuracy of analysis of hydrocarbon basins at a fraction of the cost of the overall project budget at locations anywhere in the world. The potential market for the proposed methodology is extensive, global and the industry uptake is likely to be significant and immediate.
Planned Impact
Outcomes and Benefits of Project
There will be a number of significant outcomes from the project:
A thorough evaluation of the capability of the MicroFTS, coupled with a TLS and digital photography, to significantly increase the volume and coverage, the level of detail and the three-dimensional characterisation of structural and compositional information retrievable from outcrops and borehole cores.
Development of novel methods to integrate datasets acquired from digital data capture from analogue sources and new field-based datasets.
Potential of a 3D rig, integrating a TLS, ultra-high resolution digital photography and the MicroFTS to acquire imagery of borehole core samples.
A thorough evaluation of capabilities of the MicroFTS imaging FTIR approach to remotely retrieve a wide range of geological information. Specifically:
1. chemical-mineralogical-lithological classified image datasets with specific reference to oil and gas related lithologies, e.g. shale, sandstone, limestone.
2. textures, stratification, bedding, and nature of diagenesis
3. essential structural and stratigraphical details such as fold strike and dips measurements, fault throw values.
4. capability to resolve individual stratum and complete stratigraphic sections across boreholes and outcrops and the potential structural mapping capabilities.
These outcomes will provide a number of significant benefits not only to the oil and gas sector but to a wide range of geologists in both industry and academia.
Classification of the integrated image datasets will enable a high level of sedimentary analysis to be automatically implemented at high spatial resolution, over continuous areas from site-to-basin scales. The ability to automatically resolve individual stratum and stratigraphic sections in borehole cores and outcrops at site-to-basin scales would provide a means of correlating stratum across entire basins enabling sequence stratigraphic analysis and key structural data such as fault throw to be determined and incorporated into geospatial models. These new remote observational datasets would not only provide a significant increase in the amount but also produce new types of observational datasets of the key compositional and structural information required by sedimentary petrologists and basin analysts. At the site scale continuous, complete coverage of compositional and structural features, even across inaccessible localities, would be a significant new data resource. At the landscape scale the increase in the volume, the improvement in the spatial distribution and the continuous nature of the coverage would be equally as important. These new compositional and structural observational datasets would provide a means of significantly improving the accuracy of analysis of hydrocarbon basins at low cost anywhere in the world. The potential market for the proposed methodology is extensive, global and the industry uptake is likely to be significant and immediate.
The low cost, high spectral resolution, and portability of the MicroFTS will provide a step-change in the operational deployability and capabilities of an Imaging FTIR with a significant increase in the potential applications including mapping surface compositions and gas flux analysis. The MicroFTS has the capability of being deployed in the field in a variety of observation configurations (ground, UAV, aircraft) providing the potential for practical application in a range of fields.
There will be a number of significant outcomes from the project:
A thorough evaluation of the capability of the MicroFTS, coupled with a TLS and digital photography, to significantly increase the volume and coverage, the level of detail and the three-dimensional characterisation of structural and compositional information retrievable from outcrops and borehole cores.
Development of novel methods to integrate datasets acquired from digital data capture from analogue sources and new field-based datasets.
Potential of a 3D rig, integrating a TLS, ultra-high resolution digital photography and the MicroFTS to acquire imagery of borehole core samples.
A thorough evaluation of capabilities of the MicroFTS imaging FTIR approach to remotely retrieve a wide range of geological information. Specifically:
1. chemical-mineralogical-lithological classified image datasets with specific reference to oil and gas related lithologies, e.g. shale, sandstone, limestone.
2. textures, stratification, bedding, and nature of diagenesis
3. essential structural and stratigraphical details such as fold strike and dips measurements, fault throw values.
4. capability to resolve individual stratum and complete stratigraphic sections across boreholes and outcrops and the potential structural mapping capabilities.
These outcomes will provide a number of significant benefits not only to the oil and gas sector but to a wide range of geologists in both industry and academia.
Classification of the integrated image datasets will enable a high level of sedimentary analysis to be automatically implemented at high spatial resolution, over continuous areas from site-to-basin scales. The ability to automatically resolve individual stratum and stratigraphic sections in borehole cores and outcrops at site-to-basin scales would provide a means of correlating stratum across entire basins enabling sequence stratigraphic analysis and key structural data such as fault throw to be determined and incorporated into geospatial models. These new remote observational datasets would not only provide a significant increase in the amount but also produce new types of observational datasets of the key compositional and structural information required by sedimentary petrologists and basin analysts. At the site scale continuous, complete coverage of compositional and structural features, even across inaccessible localities, would be a significant new data resource. At the landscape scale the increase in the volume, the improvement in the spatial distribution and the continuous nature of the coverage would be equally as important. These new compositional and structural observational datasets would provide a means of significantly improving the accuracy of analysis of hydrocarbon basins at low cost anywhere in the world. The potential market for the proposed methodology is extensive, global and the industry uptake is likely to be significant and immediate.
The low cost, high spectral resolution, and portability of the MicroFTS will provide a step-change in the operational deployability and capabilities of an Imaging FTIR with a significant increase in the potential applications including mapping surface compositions and gas flux analysis. The MicroFTS has the capability of being deployed in the field in a variety of observation configurations (ground, UAV, aircraft) providing the potential for practical application in a range of fields.
Publications
Ferrier G
(2016)
Identification of Multi-Style Hydrothermal Alteration Using Integrated Compositional and Topographic Remote Sensing Datasets
in Geosciences
Description | The aim of this grant was to employ a company specialising in the Oil and Gas sector to undertake a market assessment of the potential of the imaging FTIR instrument that Hull and RAL have developed as part of a previous NERC grant. The company (OTM consulting Ltd) carried out a thorough evaluation of the a wide range of service and production companies and demonstrated, through interviews and questionnaires, that there was an immediate and significant market opportunity, both in the UK and globally, for the instrument. |
Exploitation Route | The findings of this study showed that there was a very large market for a wide range of imaging-based mapping techniques from sample to site scales. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Energy,Environment |
Description | The main findings of this project was a market assessment study produced by OTM consulting Ltd on the potential of the MicroFTS Imaging FTIR for the oil and gas sector. The results of this project have been used to inform a wide range of companies, in the UK and abroad, about the potential of this UK developed instrument in all aspects of the oil and gas industry. This Market assessment was presented to a panel of UK industrialists as part of the NERC Follow-on grant evaluation process where it provided the basis of a demonstration informing UK industry of the potential of the MicroFTS. This market assessment has been invaluable in presenting to industry (including BP) the potential market for this technology. The results of this project have been used as the basis for a number of industry-focused funding applications. |
Sector | Chemicals,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Energy,Environment |
Impact Types | Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
Description | Higher Education Investment Fund |
Amount | £52,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Hull |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2018 |
End | 08/2018 |
Description | NERC Proof-of-Concept |
Amount | £124,469 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NE/N007948/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2016 |
End | 04/2019 |
Title | Imaging FTIR spectroscopy |
Description | The project is developing a novel, low cost, field portable instrument that will enable the detection of gas escapes from the infrastructure of petrochemical and related facilities. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | The first phase of the project is currently underway and the results are highly promising |
Title | Integrated of Terrestrial Laser Scanner and Hyperspectral Thermal Datasets for enhacing compositional and structureal |
Description | This project is developing a highly novel integrated geological compositional and structural remote mapping system by integrating a Terrestrial Laser Scanner and our Imaging FTIR spectrometer. This will provide a methodology for integrating digital datasets from borehole, outcrop, site and landscape scales to provide new, quantitative methods for analysing the three-dimensional structure of on-shore hydrocarbon basins |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | I have given a presentation at an international conference on the preliminary results of this project. The feedback from both academic and industry attendees was extremely positive with a significant number of potential research and commercial collaborations in development |
Title | Imaging FTIR |
Description | Development of an low cost, field portable Imaging FTIR |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Under development |
Description | Borehole and drillcore compositional mapping |
Organisation | Chemostrat Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We have provided detailed information on the geological mapping capabilities of our new field portable, Imaging FTIR. We have discussed a number of project options and funding opportunities to exploit the capabilities of our new instrument and the exceptional bore hole and well log mineralogical and geochemical datasets held by chemostrat |
Collaborator Contribution | Chemostrat has participated in a number of research projects up till now. They have searched through their extensive dataset and identified a representative range of borehole and well-log datasets that can be utilised in a targeted pilot research project. They have sent up the physical samples and the supporting mineralogical and geochemical datasets |
Impact | We are currently developing a grant proposal to submit to Innovate UK to undertake a demonstration project to investigate the potential of our Imaging FTIR for borehole and well core compositional logging |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Geological Mapping |
Organisation | Getech |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Getech has provided support in the development of potential new methodologies and products for the oil and gas sector that could be produced using our instrument. Getech has advised on a market strategy for our instrument and has outlined a number of potential industry research collaborations |
Collaborator Contribution | Getech has advised on the potential of our instrument in the oil and gas sector |
Impact | on-going |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Potash mine compositional mapping |
Organisation | Sirius plc |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We have had some preliminary discussions regarding investigating the potential of our Imaging FTIR for potash compositional characterisation with a specific focus on the mine currently under development in North Yorkshire |
Collaborator Contribution | We have had preliminary discussions. |
Impact | This is a multidisciplinary project involving engineers, geologists and computer science researchers |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Annual Geological Remote Sensing Group Conference : "Future of Geological Remote Sensing: Innovation and Challenges" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I gave a presentation at the Geological Remote Sensing Group (The Geological Society) on the preliminary results of the project outlining the scientific rationale for the project, the aims and objectives, and the methodology implemented. Preliminary results from the field and laboratory-based studies wee presented. The audience was large (>100) and composed of a wide variety of attendees including a majority from industry. The attendees were also primarily from overseas with participants from leading government, academic and commercial organisations from the UK, Europe, Australia and the United States. My presentation was very well received with considerable interest from a range of academic and commercial organisations. As a result of attending this meeting I am actively developing a variety of funding and research proposals. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.grsg.org.uk/meetings/grsg-27th-annual-conference-future-of-geological-remote-sensing-inn... |