GGI enters the exploration toolkit

摘要

Gravity gradient imaging is becoming an important technology for explorers. There has never been a greater need for the explorer to have an accurate picture of subsurface geology. One relatively new technique that is delivering real answers for the oil and gas industry is Gravity Gradient Imaging (GGI). Available in the oil and gas industry only in the last few years, the early results have shown what a remarkable technology this is. Covering large areas rapidly, the surveys have yielded benefits including lease decisions, seismic location determination, prospect generation and drilling locations. GGI is conducted from a light aircraft flown at low altitudes. The instrument measures the gradient of the Earth's gravity field, effectively logging density variations in the underlying rocks. In contrast to traditional airborne gravity surveys, airborne GGI delivers results on both shallow and deeper targets with a vast improvement in image quality due to a superior signal-to-noise ratio. This provides a much more detailed exploration dataset, increasing returns and reducing risks for exploration and production companies.