Locating Undocumented Wells Using Historical Oil and Gas Exploration Maps: A Case Study in Osage County, Oklahoma

Area of Science:

• Geosciences
• Environmental Science
• Computer Science

Background:

• Undocumented oil and gas wells pose risks due to unknown locations and characteristics.
• These wells can cause project delays, increased costs, and environmental contamination if not properly managed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a method for identifying undocumented oil and gas wells using historical maps.
• To assess the utility of integrating historical cartography with modern geospatial and machine learning techniques.

Main Methods:

• Georeferencing and analyzing historical United States Geological Survey petroleum exploration maps from the early 20th century.
• Employing a computer vision model to detect well symbols on the maps.
• Comparing detected well locations with existing databases to identify potential undocumented wells.

Main Results:

• Over 500 potential undocumented oil and gas wells were identified in Osage County, Oklahoma.
• Dry holes represented the largest fraction of the identified potential wells.
• Field verification confirmed the existence of some undocumented wells, validating the method.

Conclusions:

• Historical oil and gas maps are valuable resources for locating undocumented wells.
• Integrating historical maps with geospatial and machine learning techniques is effective for identifying and managing undocumented wells.
• This approach complements existing methods and improves resource management and environmental protection.