The spatial distribution of the strike angles derived from EIGEN 6C4 gravity model-a new possibility for oil and gas exploration?

Abstract

We discovered a correlation between the 'combed' strike angles (one of the gravity functions derived from a gravity field model) and regions with oil, gas, shale gas deposits or ground water, paleolakes or impact craters. The spatial distribution of the combed strike angles may indicate a new cheap and accessible geophysical tool for recognition of some potential oil and gas areas. We work with the global gravity field model EIGEN 6C4 providing a ground resolution of about 10 km and a precision typically 10 mGal. First, we test the well-known oil/gas fields; this attests the success of the proposed methodology. Then, we extrapolate outside the known zones. The new method may be an inexpensive tool for frontier areas in terms of decreasing the risk of deposit exploration. An extensive supplementary material is added.