Application of geographic information system to exploration studies in sedimentary basins

GIS technology applied to the San Juan basin includes both surface and subsurface data sets that establish a three-dimensional perspective of the basin's fundamental stratigraphic and structural framework and aid in the identification of the basins temporal and tectonic relationships relative to origin and occurrence of its resources. Among the digital databases used for surface mapping is the US GeoData system from the USGS's National Mapping Program, which includes Digital Elevation Models (DEM) for terrain elevations; Digital Line Graphs (DLG) for planimetric information on boundaries, transportation, hydrography, and the US Public Land Survey System; and Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) data. Additional databases used for surface mapping include surficial geology, locations of oil and gas wells, well status, and oil and gas fields. Databases for subsurface mapping include structure contour, isopach, and facies maps for the major oil- and gas-producing formations (Pictured Cliffs, Gallup and Dakota Sandstones, and Mesaverde Group); cross sections; paleogeographic reconstructions; geophysical and geochemical maps; and composed map products. Current technology and software being used include the GIS ARC/INFO system on the PRIME computer, the Petroleum Information-Well History Control System (PI-WHCS) well database, and mapping software such as Interactive Surface Modeling (ISM) and Triangulated Irregular Networkmore » (TIN).« less