ASSESSMENT OF THE HYDROCARBON POTENTIAL OF THE SALATIN AND ALEKPERLI STRUCTURES USING THE FREQUENCY–RESONANCE PROCESSING OF SATELLITE IMAGES

Abstract The paper presents the results of a regional assessment of the hydrocarbon potential of the promising Salatin and Alekperli structures located in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea. The study was carried out using a frequency–resonance method for processing satellite imagery and vertical electric resonance sounding (VERS). The Umid gas-condensate field, which has been thoroughly studied by drilling and is under commercial development, was used as a reference object for method calibration. Based on the processing of a Landsat 8 satellite image at a scale of 1:250,000, ten anomalous zones were identified within the study area and interpreted as potentially gas- and gas-condensate-bearing. It was established that the anomalous zones corresponding to the Salatin and Alekperli structures are comparable in terms of area and intensity characteristics to the reference Umid field, indicating their prospectivity. The Alekperli structure is particularly notable, as the area and intensity of its anomaly are close to those of Umid. The results of vertical electric resonance sounding performed for the Umid field and the Salatin structure made it possible to conduct a comparative analysis of their deep geological structure and to identify anomalously polarized intervals interpreted as potentially productive reservoirs. For the Salatin structure, a limited number of promising intervals were identified, mainly within the depth range of up to 6,200–6,300 m, which makes it possible to recommend optimization of exploratory drilling depths. It is concluded that the applied set of methods is an effective tool for preliminary (screening-level) forecasting of oil and gas potential at the regional stage. The results obtained substantiate the feasibility of further detailed studies and the initiation of exploration activities on the Salatin and Alekperli structures using larger-scale surveys and integrated interpretation of seismic and geoelectric data.