Exploration of Hydrocarbon Traps Using Fractal Method and GIS Model at Qum Area, Iran

In the aim of petroleum exploration at Qum area, gravity and magnetic measurements incorporating 2059 measuring stations have been conducted in order to detect likely buried oil traps, any volcanic intrusive, faults and subsurface folding related to the Qum formation. Bouguer and total magnetic anomaly maps were produced when the required corrections were made on the gravity and magnet data. The fractal method incorporating intensity-area model was used to produce residual gravity and magnetic maps. These maps were compared with those maps produced by trend surface analytical method and then interpreted. The results obtained by the interpretation show that although the presence of an anticline which was determined using gravity method is important for petroleum exploration; however, the magnetic intensity is very high on a part of this anomaly. Furthermore, it is probably affected by the surrounding faults. The results obtained in this study can be effectively used to decide doing further exploration works in the study area.