Imaging Arctic Permafrost: Modeling for Choice of Geophysical Methods
Knowledge of permafrost structure, with accumulations of free natural gas and gas hydrates, is indispensable for coping with spontaneous gas emission and other problems related to exploration and production drilling in Arctic petroleum provinces. The existing geophysical methods have different poten...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Geosciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/12/10/389 |
| _version_ | 1827650112072974336 |
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| author | Igor Buddo Natalya Misyurkeeva Ivan Shelokhov Evgeny Chuvilin Alexey Chernikh Alexander Smirnov |
| author_facet | Igor Buddo Natalya Misyurkeeva Ivan Shelokhov Evgeny Chuvilin Alexey Chernikh Alexander Smirnov |
| author_sort | Igor Buddo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Knowledge of permafrost structure, with accumulations of free natural gas and gas hydrates, is indispensable for coping with spontaneous gas emission and other problems related to exploration and production drilling in Arctic petroleum provinces. The existing geophysical methods have different potentialities for imaging the permafrost base and geometry, vertical fluid conduits (permeable zones), taliks, gas pockets, and gas hydrate accumulations in the continental Arctic areas. The synthesis of data on cryological and geological conditions was the basis for a geophysical–geological model of northern West Siberia to a depth of 400 m, which includes modern permafrost, lenses of relict permafrost with hypothetical gas hydrates, and a permeable zone that may be a path for the migration of gas–water fluids. The model was used to model synthetic seismic, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and transient electromagnetic (TEM) data, thus testing the advantages and drawbacks of the three methods. Electrical resistivity tomography has insufficient penetration to resolve all features and can run only in the summer season. Seismic surveys have limitations in mapping fluid conduits, though they can image a horizontally layered structure in any season. Shallow transient electromagnetic (sTEM) soundings can image any type of features included into the geological model and work all year round. Thus, the best strategy is to use TEM surveys as the main method, combined with seismic and ERT data. Each specific method is chosen proceeding from economic viability and feasibility in the specific physiographic conditions of mountain and river systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:10:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-981761362dc64be3a1f10d26f7fc4bc6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3263 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:10:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-981761362dc64be3a1f10d26f7fc4bc62023-11-24T00:17:58ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632022-10-01121038910.3390/geosciences12100389Imaging Arctic Permafrost: Modeling for Choice of Geophysical MethodsIgor Buddo0Natalya Misyurkeeva1Ivan Shelokhov2Evgeny Chuvilin3Alexey Chernikh4Alexander Smirnov5Institute of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 664033 Irkutsk, RussiaInstitute of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 664033 Irkutsk, RussiaInstitute of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 664033 Irkutsk, RussiaSkolkovo Institute for Science and Technology, 121205 Moscow, RussiaSchool of Subsurface Resource Management, Irkutsk National Research Technical University, 664074 Irkutsk, RussiaArctic Research Center of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, 629008 Salekhard, RussiaKnowledge of permafrost structure, with accumulations of free natural gas and gas hydrates, is indispensable for coping with spontaneous gas emission and other problems related to exploration and production drilling in Arctic petroleum provinces. The existing geophysical methods have different potentialities for imaging the permafrost base and geometry, vertical fluid conduits (permeable zones), taliks, gas pockets, and gas hydrate accumulations in the continental Arctic areas. The synthesis of data on cryological and geological conditions was the basis for a geophysical–geological model of northern West Siberia to a depth of 400 m, which includes modern permafrost, lenses of relict permafrost with hypothetical gas hydrates, and a permeable zone that may be a path for the migration of gas–water fluids. The model was used to model synthetic seismic, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and transient electromagnetic (TEM) data, thus testing the advantages and drawbacks of the three methods. Electrical resistivity tomography has insufficient penetration to resolve all features and can run only in the summer season. Seismic surveys have limitations in mapping fluid conduits, though they can image a horizontally layered structure in any season. Shallow transient electromagnetic (sTEM) soundings can image any type of features included into the geological model and work all year round. Thus, the best strategy is to use TEM surveys as the main method, combined with seismic and ERT data. Each specific method is chosen proceeding from economic viability and feasibility in the specific physiographic conditions of mountain and river systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/12/10/389Arcticpermafrostgas hydratesseismic surveysresistivity surveyselectrical resistivity tomography |
| spellingShingle | Igor Buddo Natalya Misyurkeeva Ivan Shelokhov Evgeny Chuvilin Alexey Chernikh Alexander Smirnov Imaging Arctic Permafrost: Modeling for Choice of Geophysical Methods Geosciences Arctic permafrost gas hydrates seismic surveys resistivity surveys electrical resistivity tomography |
| title | Imaging Arctic Permafrost: Modeling for Choice of Geophysical Methods |
| title_full | Imaging Arctic Permafrost: Modeling for Choice of Geophysical Methods |
| title_fullStr | Imaging Arctic Permafrost: Modeling for Choice of Geophysical Methods |
| title_full_unstemmed | Imaging Arctic Permafrost: Modeling for Choice of Geophysical Methods |
| title_short | Imaging Arctic Permafrost: Modeling for Choice of Geophysical Methods |
| title_sort | imaging arctic permafrost modeling for choice of geophysical methods |
| topic | Arctic permafrost gas hydrates seismic surveys resistivity surveys electrical resistivity tomography |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/12/10/389 |
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