Delineation of Subtle and Obscure Structures in West Bengal Shelf:A Remote Sensing and GIS-Based Parallel Approach

Abstract

In the West Bengal part of the Bengal Basin, even after five decades of seismic-based hydrocarbon exploration no commercial finds have been identified. Deep drilling revealed the presence of hydrocarbon within the thick sedimentary sequence ranging from Gondwana to Recent. However, well-defined structures suitable for hydrocarbon pool in shallower sediments are apparently not visible in seismic data. In this article, a parallel approach to seismic exploration has been attempted to delineate shallow and subtle structures in the shelf area based on analysis of surface geomorphic data. The study identifies subtle structures in shallow sediments that entrap the remigrated hydrocarbons as well as envisages a multistoried, stacked model of hydrocarbon accumulations in the area. These areas are considered as promising targets and recommended for high-resolution seismic and close grid micro-gravity exploration survey for further detailing.