Computer supported exploration and production of heterogeneous distributed hydrocarbon sources in subsurface formations based on microbial prospecting

A computer supported method of providing a predictive production map of a subsurface heterogeneous hydrocarbon source in an area under investigation, based on microbial prospecting, comprising microbial data representing a type and count of a plurality of different microorganisms representative of microbial activity attributable to hydrocarbon microseepage, said predictive production map being indicative of predicted hydrocarbon productivity of said hydrocarbon source in said area under investigation, said method comprising the steps of:

• i) retrieving, by said computer, of a plurality of geographic locations of an area or play comprising a heterogeneous hydrocarbon source, said microbial data associated with a quantity indicative of subsurface hydrocarbon productivity at a respective location;
• ii) correlating, by said computer, in a data correlation algorithm, said retrieved microbial data and quantities indicative of hydrocarbon productivity, providing a threshold hydrocarbon productivity quantity and a truncated set of said retrieved microbial data, said set identifying individual types of said microorganisms and corresponding individual weighting factors computed by said data correlation algorithm, for distinguishing prospective hydrocarbon productivity quantities from non-prospective hydrocarbon productivity quantities,
• iii) retrieving, by said computer, said microbial data of a plurality of geographical grid positions of said area under investigation;
• iv) calculating, by said computer, an estimated subsurface hydrocarbon productivity quantity for each of said plurality of grid positions by count weighting retrieved microbial data of a respective grid position for microorganisms identified in said truncated set, applying said individual weighting factors, and
• v) providing, by said computer, said predictive production map by presenting said estimated hydrocarbon productivity quantities in relation to said corresponding grid positions of said area under investigation, and indicating whether an estimated hydrocarbon productivity quantity compared to said threshold hydrocarbon productivity quantity qualifies as prospective hydrocarbon productivity quantity.