Copper is widely regarded as one of the key commodities that underpin the global energy mix, however, future copper supply forecasts suggest significant gaps on the horizon. Therefore, a shift is needed in the mindset and tools used in the conceptualization and exploration of economic mineral systems. At Halliburton, we continue to develop subsurface solutions to help explorers tackle these challenges by expediting the reduction in search space, through global and regional prospectivity maps and screening workflows. From over 25 years of working closely with the hydrocarbon industry, we have developed a global tectonostratigraphic framework that can also facilitate mineral systems thinking, to allow mineral predictions deeper into the subsurface or in data-poor areas.
In this edition of Subsurface Insights, we build on our existing approach to the mapping of prospective sedimentary-hosted copper basins and discuss our new exploration framework through the concept of ‘copper kitchens’ – sedimentary basins (or parts thereof) where the fundamental components, for the generation of copper-bearing fluids, may be present in different or variable temporal-stratigraphic configurations.
This approach helps in the study of complex multi-depth component mineral systems. It is not tied to ridged analogs,; therefore, it can also help identify unknown basins of interest. The output maps generated therefore provide a rapid assessment, at the global scale, of sedimentary basins that may have the critical components needed for the generation and precipitation of copper-bearing fluids. These new maps can potentially aid corporate intelligence, portfolio assessments, and streamline research and development planning.
The new approach extends beyond prospectivity mapping itself. By bringing diverse geological datasets into a single, standardized framework, the Neftex® software from Halliburton, empowers exploration teams to rapidly identify, rank, and compare opportunities across multiple basins and regions, reducing the time and cost associated with early-stage screening.
Rather than relying solely on established analogs or fragmented datasets, geoscientists can evaluate copper prospectivity in a more systematic and consistent manner with this approach, helping generate new exploration concepts, focus technical effort on the most prospective areas, and ultimately accelerate the path from regional assessment to discovery.
