Remote Sensing Pilot Study Using Landsat Thematic Mapper Data, OP175, Amadeus Basin, NT

Abstract

A remote sensing pilot study over known oil and gas fields in OP175, Amadeus Basin, was commissioned in April 1987 and completed in May, 1987. The aim of the study was to determine whether reflectance anomalies attributable to hydrocarbon seepages exist over these fields using the latest resolution, multispectral Landsat Thematic Mapper data.

Preliminary results do not show obvious anomalies except at Palm Valley where spectral signatures in several areas along the Field's northern flank indicate anomalous soil-reflectance. The significance of these is currently being investigated. The thematic data has, however, proved to be useful in identifying subtle structural trends which could be missed by conventional air photography. Moreover, its apparent ability to differentiate spectral responses of diverse soil and vegetation types does hold promise for its future usefulness as a direct hydrocarbon indicator. The method may be better suited to areas where there is uniform cover over buried structures compared to those investigated for this study, where the wide variability in surface exposures, soil and vegetation cover were less than ideal.