Principle investigators from GEUS want communication with companies or individuals, who have personal experience with non-seismic methods, which can be used for onshore oil and gas exploration. In a recently started project, they are looking for preferable commercial versions of the following types: Geochemistry, 3D gravimetric modelling, magnetotellurics (MT), High-Moment Electromagnetics (HMEM), High-Powered Spectral Induced Polarization (HPSIP), an electron para-magnetic resonance based method (TST), and Airborne Transient Pulse Surveys.
The search for hydrocarbons touches both offshore and onshore areas in Denmark. The two environments exhibit different challenges, not the least, when it comes to the protection of parks and sensitive natural biological entities, and manmade structures. Seismic investigations involving many explosions as the source of the seismic signal do not agree well with fragile houses, protected lands and infrastructure important for society.
Naturally, companies look for other, alternative methods to use that do not destroy or damage anything but still produces useful data reflecting the presence of oil or gas. There are methods making that claim but they are not commonly used, because it is very hard to compete with the detailed and accurate information gained through seismic investigations, and frankly, there are many who simply doubt the applicability of these other methods.
New project wants contact with experts
However, sometimes it is simply a no-go to use seismic methods. Two Danish oil companies, Dong Energy A/S and Nordsøfonden A/S, have experienced this when exploring in onshore Denmark; they have commissioned GEUS to carry out a comparative study of several alternative methods:
- Geochemistry
- 3D gravimetric modelling
- Magnetotellurics (MT)
- High-Moment Electromagnetics (HMEM)
- High-Powered Spectral Induced Polarization (HPSIP)
- An electron para-magnetic resonance based method (TST)
- Airborne Transient Pulse Surveys.
The project, ALTKUL ("Alternative methods for onshore exploration of hydrocarbons in Denmark), has just been initiated, and the two principle investigators Thorkild M. Rasmussen & Leif Thorning are interested in communicating with companies or individuals, who have personal experience with preferably commercial versions of these methods.
We will be approaching interested companies and individuals known to us, but there are most likely many more that we are not aware of at this time.
Send an e-mail to
Thorkild M. Rasmussen
tmr@geus.dk
or
Leif Thorning
lth@geus.dk
Project ALTKUL will end mid 2012, hopefully after having tested one or two of the most promising methods in the field in Denmark.
The study will subsequently become available to the public.