Integrated, multi-science interpretations now represent the state of the art because of the detail and confidence they provide
Geophysics has proven its value in both identifying areas of interest within a broad region and in clarifying structure in specific areas. In some situations the geosciences are the only way to get a reliable picture of a prospective structure
Basement and Structure
IGC believes in the premise that basement is the foundation of a basin. In essence, basement is the bedrock on which much of the dynamics for hydrocarbon accumulation and/or migration rest. Potential Fields have the ability to define basement in a way that seismic data cannot.
The utilization of the Potental Fields methods is becoming even more important because new tectonic models and recent basin restorations indicate that exploration must take into account the Moho discontinuity as well as the basement itself. A complete earth model requires these deeper horizons in order to build viable in-situ interpretations.
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Potential Fields show structure where seismic can’t see well
In some places—especially salt/sedimentary and igneous/sedimentary—interfaces, seismic cannot resolve structure well. In these areas, gravity/magnetics interpretations are critical to high-confidence decisions. -more-
What magnetics and gravity see
The two geophysical disciplines that are integrated geologic interpretations for petroleum exploration are the study of variations in the earth’s magnetic field—generally referred to as MAGNETICS; and the study of variations in the earth’s gravity—generally referred to as GRAVITY. (The GLOSSARY OF GRAVITY AND MAGNETICS TERMS explains much of the technical language you may find on this website.)
The links below provide overviews of each discipline and links to much more detailed descriptions of the methods and critical factors in their use
Extracting full value from the science requires the right data and extensive interpretation experience
The quality and resolution of geophysical data have a profound impact on the reliability of interpretation. So does the experience and local geological knowledge of the interpreter. Extensive knowledge of the science, suppliers and geology are critical to making high-confidence interpretations. -more-
History of the sciences
If you are curious about the distant history and recent evolution of these sciences, here’s a little background prepared by IGC founder, Corine Prieto. -more-