Geochemical methods of prospecting for hydrocarbons

Because the commonly used reflection-seismograph exploration technique misses many marginal low-relief structural prospects and regardless of its electronic computer sophistication, overlooks almost all stratigraphic traps, the hydrocarbon exploration industry should take a look at geochemical prospecting methods, which detect geochemical anomalies in the near-surface soils by measuring the thermal dissociation of the soil carbonates that are found overlying hydrocarbon accumulations. To promote understanding of such prospecting techniques, Geochemical Surveys reviews the methods used, the soil-alteration patterns, the lateral and vertical migration of hydrocarbon gases, the halo phenomenon (a ring or annual anomaly), the geochemical modification of sediments, and the data-interpretation and exploration procedures involved in a carbonate ..delta.. C analysis, which measures the residual, stable, cumulative effect of hydrocarbon migration.