Spatial integration of geological datasets for predictive hydrocarbon studies in Murzuq basin, SW Libya

This paper aims to integrate available geological information in the Murzuq basin to predict the geological factors which may indicate the existence of hydrocarbons and to delineate regions of high potential for more investigation. A prior probability of hydrocarbon occurrence was estimated from past exploration and updated by combining the geological factors which control the occurrence of petroleum. Each factor represent as evidence map, which classified to binary map by calculating a weight for the pattern present (W⁺) and a weight for the pattern absent W^-). The contrast, C = W⁺-W^-, gives a measure of the spatial relationship between the occurrence of petroleum accumulations and binary maps. The statistical analysis helps to determine, for each evidence factor, the statistically significant spatial relationship with petroleum accumulations in the study area.