Applying the combination of GIS tools with upgraded structural and morphological methods for studying neotectonics

Structural and geomorphological methods are often applied to the search for small oil-producing structures. Morphometric analysis of digital elevation models has proved to be the most informative one. Morphometric surfaces can be used to evaluate the direction and amplitude of vertical movements, to outline local and regional neotectonic structures and assess their petroleum saturation. This paper shows how to enhance the traditional morphometric analysis with GIS (geographic information systems) tools. A manifold increase in the efficiency of morphometric analysis takes it to a qualitatively new level. Setting specific parameters for some geoprocessing tools (for example, stream network tools) can be very important when studying local structures in small areas. In case of large territories, the output result is almost independent of the calculation errors. The improved technique proposed in this paper was tested on a large territory located in the Volga region. As a result, high-order morphometric surfaces were obtained, which was not possible before. In addition, a statistically significant relationship was discovered between morphometric surfaces and distribution of oil deposits, which can be considered a reliable prospecting indicator in the Volga-Ural petroleum province. Keywords: neotectonics; structural and morphological methods; geoinformation systems; hydrocarbon potential assessment.