IMAGING HYDROCARBON MICROSEEPS IN AZERBAIJAN
K.H. Scholte (Ph.D. student)
Department of Applied Earth Sciences
The aim of this research project is to develop a methodology for detection and monitoring of onshore oil
and gas microseepages using remote sensing, surface geochemistry and subsurface imaging to better
understand the relation between tectonics and active oil and gas seepage in Azerbaijan.
Introduction
Oil and gas reservoirs leak resulting in gas and oil seeps at the Earth surface. This poses environmental
threats and the emission of the greenhouse gas methane at seeps contributes an unknown volume to global
change processes. In Azerbaijan seepage occurs in oil mud volcanoes that erupt regularly and episodically.
Studying the relation between these eruptions and local tectonics and stress state in the lithosphere allows
to better understand the relation between seeps and plate tectonics. Seeps also cause changes in the mineral
stability and chemical reactivity at surface, what will be assessed using imaging spectrometry and surface
geochemistry. It is the combination of remote sensing and geological modelling that is the innovative of
this research. It bridges the gab between the remote sensing community and the geological community on
an issue that is of interest to industry as well as to the global change community.
The project is planned from September 2000 to September 2004.
Recent Results
Hydrocarbon microseeps are indirectly detected using low spectral resolution data such as Landsat
Thematic Mapper (TM). A remote sensing data inversion using Landsat TM data is carried out and the
preliminary results show a typical spatial distribution of a combination of different surface alteration
spectra in twenty selected mud volcanoes (figure 1). Several surface alteration combinations (classes 1, 2,
4, and 8 (figure 1)) are found to be representive for all mud volcanoes.
Research plan for 2001
 A field survey will be carried out to collect hyperspectral data on mudvolcano surface properties.
Field and image data will be employed to spectrally characterize the oil seeps (oil-“mud” flows) with
the aim of allowing to classify these flows in terms of relative age because of differences in
weathering condition and new-growth of minerals
 Backstripping and forward basin modelling techniques will be used to infer the stress state of the
lithosphere in recent geological history
 The field data we obtain will be compared with historical records of mud volcano eruption,
seismological data, and sun spot activity to obtain a better understanding of the mechanisms triggering
and controlling oil mud volcano activity
 In cooperation with the Faculty of Geodetical Engineering, satellite radar interferometry will be used
to investigate recent mud volcano surface deformations and movements
 To find a concept for a process based model to integrate sub surface seismic data with surface spectral
data to dynamically model surface measurements.
Planned Courses
tg001: An overview of standard seismic processing applications
tg211: Geological outcrop analysis
Private course in Russian
Completed Courses
tg114: Field and Imaging Spectrometry for Geologists
Visiting Scientists
From October until December TA had three visiting scientists: two from the Geological Institute of
Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences and a Ph.D.-student from Moscow State University, Department of
Geography. A good data and knowledge exchange is established what resulted in an abstract to be
presented at the EAGE conference in Amsterdam 2001 (see research output). A paper for an international
journal is in preparation.
Education
Supervised the practical part of the first year course ta1940 Remote Sensing
Research output
Scholte, K.H., F. van der Meer, S.B. Kroonenberg, I. S. Guliyev, M. Malkhazov, E. Aliyeva, D.
Huseynov; 2001, Remote sensing data inversion to map onshore oil mud volcanoes, Azerbaijan, EAGE
63rd Conference & Technical Exhibition - Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 11 - 15 June 2001.
Figure 1. Part of a Landsat TM image of the South Caspian
Basin,displayed by TM band 4 and UTM coordinate system.
Five classified mud volcanoes are given by figures A, B, and C.
Figure A shows three small mud volcanoes with different
spectral input data combinations.
Figure B shows a big mud volcano with a crater fully classified as class 4.
The striped pattern represents mud and breccia flows.
Figure C shows Lok Batan mud volcano. In the centre of the crater
spectral input data “natural oil seepage” is found. The outside crater
is mainly classified as pyrite and bright soil.
320000
330000
340000
350000
4450000
370000
360000
2
4450000
1
4440000
4440000
3
4430000
320000
A 4
330000
1
1
6 4
340000
B
4
1
350000
2
8
4
6
4430000
370000
360000
C
3
9
4
2
9
2
1
9
2
1
Natural oil seepage and bright soil
6
IV and Pyrite
2
Natural oil seepage and II
7
Natural oil seepage and General
3
Natural oil seepage and IV
8
II and Pyrite
4
Gryphon and Pyrite
9
Pyrite and bright soil
5
Natural oil seepage and Gryphon
10
General and Pyrite
2
EM class
class 01
class 02
class 03
class 04
class 05
class 06
class 07
class 08
class 09
class 10
4
total %
14.19
17.05
2.26
26.21
3.58
7.60
2.21
13.71
9.92
3.28