16 Drones in Geoscience: Advancements in Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Applications in the Geosciences

Monday, 19 May 2025
1:30 PM - 3:15 PM
Cascade AB

USING HIGH-RESOLUTION DRONE IMAGERY AS A TOOL FOR RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION: A CASE STUDY OF THE CRETACEOUS IRON SPRINGS FORMATION

Paper number: 16-5
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 2:20 PM – 2:35 PM

Authors

Abstract

High net-to-gross fluvial systems form critical subsurface reservoirs for hydrocarbon exploration, carbon storage, and many other uses; however, their complex architecture complicates the generation of accurate reservoir models. Detailed study of analogous outcrop exposures provides valuable insights into internal geometries and connectivity, reducing exploration risk and enhancing production strategies. This research addresses challenges in subsurface fluvial characterization, particularly for systems underrepresented by seismic resolution.

This study focuses on the Late Cretaceous Iron Springs Formation in Southwest Utah, an upward-coarsening, high net-to-gross fluvial system deposited proximal to the Sevier Orogenic belt. The Iron Springs Formation provides an excellent analog for comparable systems in the geologic record and offers a unique opportunity to develop high-resolution models of fluvial architecture and connectivity.

This study employs an integrated methodology combining traditional and digital field methods. High-resolution drone photogrammetry was utilized to construct 3D models of approximately two kilometers of continuous outcrop in Parowan Gap. These models, generated using Agisoft Metashape, allow for identification and delineation of detailed architectural elements such as channels and channel complexes across the study area. These geobodies, along with facies assignments from geolocated measured sections, are both used in Schlumberger’s Petrel software to extrapolate observed relationships in three dimensions and build a detailed reservoir model.

Preliminary results indicate a high degree of channel connectivity within the system, even in zones dominated by meandering morphologies. This has significant implications for understanding reservoir architecture in sand-rich fluvial systems and underscores the value of integrating drone-based photogrammetry with traditional field techniques.

The results of this study provide a clearer picture of the paleogeographic evolution of the Sevier foreland basin and offer key insights for refining predictive models in similar fluvial-deltaic systems. This case study illustrates the potential of drone-based approaches for addressing long-standing challenges in subsurface characterization.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 5

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025RM-409484

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