Abstract:
The mineral alteration zones in surface rocks affected by hydrocarbons' upward seepage have frequently been described using satellite images. The primary objectives of the study were to highlight the vertical and spatial extent of the hydrocarbon-mediated alteration induced by these seeps and to discover more about the mechanisms underlying the subsequent mineral alterations. Three hydrocarbon-induced diagenetic anomalies (HIDAs) associated to undifferentiated clays and kaolinite, as well as red bed bleaching, were visible in multispectral and aster satellite images. In this study, Landsat 7 ETM+ imagery and Aster data were utilized to identify places with hydrocarbon microseepage in a section of Fateh Jang in Pakistan's Northern Potowar province. Two spectral enhancement approaches, principal component analysis (PCA) and band ratio analysis, have been applied to the Landsat 7 ETM+ pictures and the Aster data based on the spectrum properties of the hydrocarbon micro seepage-induced changed minerals. Three principal component images are revealed by PCA to show relatively better enhancement for the areas altered by hydrocarbons. And again, band ratio analysis of the images shows that ratio images possess high spectrum enrichment for the mineral changes caused by hydrocarbons. To identify potential hydrocarbon micro seepage areas, the three PC images and the three band ratio images are combined. This study serves as an example of the potential of such an integrated approach as a tool for oil exploration and a way to assess the intensity of the environmental effects of hydrocarbon seepage on terrestrial ecosystems.
