REVIEW PAPER
Delineating Pixels of Natural Hydrocarbon
Micro-Seepage Induced Alterations and Anomalies
in Overlying Soils and Sediments in Ugwueme,
with ASTER Data and Band Ratio Technique
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1
Department of Geoinformatics and Surveying, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
2
Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics, Delta State University of Science and Technology,
Ozoro, Delta State, Nigeria
3
Applied Geophysics programme, Department of Physics, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
4
Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez University, Suez, 43221, Egypt
5
Department of Geology & Geophysics, College of Science, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
6
Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica, Tajovského 40,
974 01 Banska Bystrica, Slovakia
Submission date: 2023-02-19
Final revision date: 2023-09-21
Acceptance date: 2023-10-06
Online publication date: 2024-07-10
Publication date: 2024-07-25
Corresponding author
Mfoniso Asuquo Enoh
Department of Geoinformatics and Surveying, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(6):6015-6024
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ABSTRACT
The earth’s underlying hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs frequently leak. These reservoirs leak
because of their inadequate sealing, and at high pressure, oil and gas escape vertically or nearly
vertically to the earth’s surface as seepage. Micro-seepages on the earth’s surface cause oxidationreduction
reactions, which cause anomalies in the soils and sediments beneath them. Remote sensing
(RS) and geographic information systems (GIS) are important tools for investigating hydrocarbon
micro-seepage-induced changes and anomalies in overlying soil and sediments. In this study, ASTER
remote sensing data was adopted to delineate pixels of hydrocarbon micro-seepage-induced anomalies
in Ugwueme, south-eastern Nigeria. Band Ratio (BR) was used as a spectral enhancement technique to
detect alterations and anomalies in the overlying soil and sediments. ASTER BR of 2/1 improves ferric
iron; (5+7)/6 improves clay minerals; (1+4)/(2+3) improves ferrous iron; and 4/(6+9) improves gypsum. The study highlights that BR is an excellent spectral enhancement technique for delineating areas
of alterations and anomalies induced by hydrocarbon micro-seepage.