🛢️ Part of our Oil & Gas Industry Training Series — browse all related courses →
About This Course
The search for hydrocarbons has always been a data-intensive endeavour, and geospatial technologies now sit at the very centre of modern exploration strategy. From satellite-derived surface anomaly detection to 3D subsurface modelling and basin-scale GIS analysis, the ability to acquire, process, integrate, and interpret spatial data has become a core competency for every geoscientist and exploration engineer working in the upstream oil and gas sector.
This ten-day programme, delivered by TrainingComplex, provides a rigorous and practical grounding in the full spectrum of geospatial technologies applied to hydrocarbon exploration. Participants work through the entire exploration workflow — from regional play-fairway analysis using satellite imagery and airborne geophysics, through seismic data integration in a GIS environment, to prospect mapping, volumetric estimation, and risk-weighted portfolio management. The course balances conceptual depth with hands-on software exercises, ensuring that every skill taught can be applied immediately on return to the workplace.
The programme draws on real-world basin datasets from proven and frontier provinces across Africa, the Middle East, and beyond, giving participants direct exposure to the types of challenges and data environments they face in practice. Whether you are a geologist seeking to sharpen your spatial analysis skills, a geophysicist looking to leverage GIS for seismic interpretation, or an exploration manager aiming to integrate multi-disciplinary datasets for better investment decisions, this course delivers the technical knowledge and practical confidence you need.
TrainingComplex's expert-led, collaborative learning environment ensures that participants leave not only with enhanced technical skills but also with a professional network of peers from across the energy industry — an asset that continues to deliver value long after the course ends.
Who Should Attend
- Exploration geologists and geoscientists working in upstream oil and gas
- Geophysicists involved in seismic acquisition, processing, or interpretation
- Petroleum engineers seeking to integrate spatial data into reservoir workflows
- GIS analysts and spatial data specialists supporting energy sector clients
- Remote sensing specialists transitioning into the petroleum geosciences
- Exploration managers and technical team leads responsible for prospect portfolios
- Environmental and HSE professionals involved in offshore or onshore exploration projects
- Government geologists and regulators in national oil companies and petroleum authorities
Learning Objectives
- Explain the principles of GIS and remote sensing as applied to oil and gas exploration
- Acquire, manage, and quality-check multi-source geospatial datasets in an exploration context
- Apply satellite imagery and airborne geophysical data to regional basin analysis and play-fairway mapping
- Integrate seismic interpretation outputs with GIS for prospect delineation and structural mapping
- Build and interrogate subsurface spatial databases linking well data, seismic, and potential field information
- Perform spatial analysis to identify structural traps, stratigraphic plays, and hydrocarbon seep anomalies
- Use digital elevation models and bathymetric data for onshore and offshore exploration planning
- Conduct volumetric estimation and uncertainty analysis within a GIS-enabled prospect evaluation framework
- Assess environmental and regulatory spatial constraints affecting exploration licence areas
- Produce professional exploration maps, reports, and decision-support visualisations for management audiences
- Apply remote sensing techniques — including hyperspectral and SAR imagery — to surface geochemical and structural interpretation
- Evaluate geospatial data quality, metadata standards, and data governance requirements in petroleum projects
- Develop a personal workflow for integrating geospatial tools into day-to-day exploration practice
Course Modules
Module 1: Foundations of Geospatial Science for Petroleum Exploration
- Core GIS concepts: coordinate systems, projections, and spatial data models relevant to exploration
- Geospatial data types used in petroleum geoscience — vector, raster, and point cloud formats
- Overview of leading geospatial platforms: QGIS, ArcGIS Pro, Petrel GIS, and Kingdom
- Workflow integration: how geospatial tools fit within the upstream exploration decision cycle
- Spatial reference management across datasets: handling datum shifts and projection mismatches between legacy and modern exploration data
- Metadata standards and file format conventions for sharing geospatial products across multidisciplinary exploration teams
Module 2: Remote Sensing Principles and Satellite Data Acquisition
- Electromagnetic spectrum fundamentals and sensor types — optical, radar, and thermal
- Satellite missions relevant to oil and gas: Landsat, Sentinel, ALOS-2, and WorldView series
- Image acquisition parameters, atmospheric correction, and data quality assessment
- Data portals and licensing considerations for exploration-grade satellite imagery
- Orbital parameters, revisit frequency, and temporal compositing strategies for monitoring dynamic exploration environments
- Resolution trade-offs — spatial, spectral, radiometric, and temporal — and their implications for geological mapping objectives
Module 3: Geological Mapping from Satellite and Airborne Imagery
- Lineament extraction and structural interpretation from multispectral imagery
- Lithological discrimination using band combinations and spectral indices
- Fault and fold mapping techniques applied to frontier basin evaluation
- Integrating image-derived geology with legacy field maps in a GIS environment
- Principal component analysis and decorrelation stretching for enhancing subtle lithological boundaries in structurally complex terrains
- Accuracy assessment of remotely sensed geological maps using field validation points and confusion matrix statistics
Module 4: Digital Elevation Models and Terrain Analysis in Exploration
- DEM sources: SRTM, TanDEM-X, ICESat-2, and bathymetric grids for offshore areas
- Terrain derivatives — slope, aspect, hillshade, and curvature — and their geological significance
- Drainage pattern analysis and its relationship to structural geology and fracture networks
- Onshore logistics and environmental baseline mapping using DEM-derived products
- DEM vertical accuracy assessment: identifying and correcting artefacts caused by vegetation, radar layover, and data voids in exploration areas
- Geomorphometric classification of landforms — ridges, valleys, and plateau margins — to infer subsurface structural controls and guide prospect targeting
Module 5: Airborne Geophysics and Potential Field Data in GIS
- Gravity and magnetic survey design, acquisition, and data formatting for GIS import
- Image enhancement techniques for aeromagnetic and Bouguer anomaly grids
- Depth-to-basement estimation methods and their spatial integration with seismic horizons
- Radiometric data interpretation for near-surface lithological and alteration mapping
- Regional-residual separation techniques — trend surface, wavelength filtering, and upward continuation — and their geological interpretation in a GIS context
- Joint visualisation of potential field anomaly maps with geological boundaries and seismic line locations to identify data coverage gaps and priority survey areas
Module 6: Seismic Data Integration within a GIS Environment
- Exporting interpreted seismic horizons, faults, and velocity surfaces to GIS-compatible formats
- Georeferencing and coordinate management for 2D and 3D seismic survey footprints
- Spatial querying of horizon grids to generate time-structure and isochron maps
- Co-visualisation of seismic attributes with satellite, gravity, and well data in GIS
- Converting seismic two-way time surfaces to depth using velocity models loaded as spatial grids, and propagating conversion uncertainty into structural maps
- Managing large seismic dataset footprints within enterprise GIS: tile indexing, metadata cataloguing, and access control for multi-project seismic libraries
Module 7: Well Data Management and Spatial Database Design
- Well header data, deviation surveys, and formation tops — loading and QC in a spatial database
- Designing a relational geospatial database schema for multi-well exploration datasets
- Spatial interpolation of formation tops to generate subsurface structural and isopach maps
- Cross-validation of well-derived surfaces against seismic interpretation in GIS
- Comparative evaluation of interpolation algorithms — kriging, inverse distance weighting, and natural neighbour — for sparse well control scenarios typical of frontier exploration
- Managing stratigraphic nomenclature conflicts and biostratigraphic age assignments within a spatially-enabled well database to maintain correlation consistency across licence areas
Module 8: Hydrocarbon Seep Detection and Surface Geochemical Mapping
- Mechanisms of macro- and micro-seepage and their spectral and radar signatures
- Hyperspectral and SAR-based seep detection methods and case study validation
- Surface geochemical sampling programme design using GIS-based spatial planning tools
- Integrating seep anomaly maps with structural and stratigraphic play elements
- Differentiating thermogenic from biogenic seep signatures using ancillary spectral and geochemical data, and the implications for charge risk assessment
- Time-series SAR analysis for detecting episodic or migrating seep activity and correlating temporal patterns with tidal, pressure, or seismic triggers
Module 9: Play Fairway Analysis and Prospect Mapping
- Play element mapping — source, reservoir, seal, and trap — within a GIS framework
- Spatial scoring and ranking of play fairways using multi-criteria overlay analysis
- Prospect delineation from integrated datasets: closure mapping and lead maturation
- Risk mapping: assigning geological chance of success components spatially across a basin
- Analogue dataset integration: importing production statistics and reservoir parameters from analogous basins to calibrate play element probability distributions spatially
- Lead and prospect inventory management within a GIS-linked database: tracking maturation status, data requirements, and work programme commitments across a portfolio
Module 10: Volumetric Estimation and Uncertainty Analysis
- GIS-derived prospect geometry: area-depth relationships, gross rock volume calculation
- Monte Carlo probabilistic volumetric estimation tied to spatially-defined input parameters
- Resource categorisation (P90-P50-P10) and its communication to non-technical stakeholders
- Sensitivity analysis — identifying which spatial inputs most influence volumetric uncertainty
- Capturing spatial correlation between prospect input parameters — such as net-to-gross and reservoir depth — and its effect on volumetric distribution shape and skewness
- Aggregating probabilistic volumes across multiple leads and prospects within a fairway, accounting for portfolio-level dependencies and common risk segments
Module 11: Environmental, Regulatory, and Land-Access Spatial Analysis
- Mapping protected areas, maritime boundaries, and exclusion zones within exploration licences
- Environmental sensitivity mapping for HSE baseline studies and impact assessment
- Spatial analysis of infrastructure constraints — pipelines, roads, and community locations
- Geospatial due diligence requirements for Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs)
- Indigenous land rights, free prior and informed consent (FPIC) spatial datasets, and their integration into licence planning and stakeholder engagement workflows
- Change detection analysis using multi-temporal satellite imagery to establish pre-exploration environmental baselines and monitor land-cover disturbance during operations
Module 12: Geospatial Data Governance, Standards, and Digital Integration
- Petroleum industry spatial data standards: PPDM, OSDU, and ISO 19115 metadata requirements
- Data quality management — lineage, accuracy assessment, and version control for exploration datasets
- Cloud-based geospatial platforms and their application in collaborative exploration teams
- Cybersecurity and data sovereignty considerations for sensitive petroleum geospatial data
- Implementing a data lifecycle policy for geospatial exploration assets: archival formats, retention schedules, and decommissioning procedures aligned with regulatory reporting obligations
- Interoperability frameworks for connecting geospatial platforms with subsurface interpretation software and corporate data lakes using APIs and standardised exchange formats
Module 13: Integrated Prospect Evaluation and Professional Presentation
- Assembling a multi-dataset prospect evaluation package for internal investment committees
- Designing exploration maps and infographics that communicate risk and opportunity clearly
- Peer review methodology: structured technical critique of prospect maps and volumetric estimates
- Personal geospatial workflow planning: embedding new tools and skills into daily exploration practice
- Constructing a defensible audit trail for a prospect evaluation: documenting data sources, processing decisions, and interpretive assumptions in a format suitable for regulatory or partner review
- Scenario-based presentation exercise: adapting the same prospect dataset into distinct narrative packages tailored for technical peers, executive leadership, and external farm-out audiences
Requirements & Prerequisites
Participants should have at least two years of professional experience in geology, geophysics, petroleum engineering, or a closely related geoscience discipline. A basic familiarity with map reading, coordinate systems, and subsurface data concepts is expected. No prior GIS software experience is required, though participants who have worked with ArcGIS, QGIS, or Petrel will be able to progress more quickly through the early modules.
Training Methodology
- Guided software workshops using real basin datasets in QGIS and ArcGIS Pro, with step-by-step instructor demonstration followed by independent participant practice
- Seismic-to-GIS integration exercises in which participants load, georeference, and spatially query interpreted seismic horizon grids
- Remote sensing interpretation sessions using multispectral, hyperspectral, and SAR satellite imagery over analogue exploration areas
- Prospect mapping challenges where small teams delineate and rank prospects from a multi-dataset package, mirroring an actual exploration team workflow
- Case study analysis of successful and unsuccessful exploration campaigns — examining how geospatial data influenced key decisions
- Subsurface database construction exercises linking well headers, formation tops, and geochemical data in a spatial environment
- Volumetric estimation practicals using Monte Carlo simulation integrated with GIS-derived area-depth relationships
- Peer review sessions where participants present their prospect maps and receive structured technical critique from instructors and fellow delegates
- Field-style photo interpretation exercises using drone and satellite imagery to identify surface expressions of subsurface geology
- Personal workflow design session on the final day, in which each participant drafts a geospatial integration plan for their own organisation
Organisational Benefits
- Faster and more accurate prospect identification through systematic spatial data integration
- Reduced exploration risk through better structural and stratigraphic mapping supported by multiple geospatial datasets
- Improved investment decision quality as managers gain access to spatially-informed, risk-weighted prospect portfolios
- Stronger multi-disciplinary collaboration when geologists, geophysicists, and engineers share a common GIS-enabled data environment
- Enhanced compliance with environmental, regulatory, and land-access spatial requirements
- Greater efficiency in licence-round preparation, data room management, and acreage evaluation
- Upskilled technical teams capable of leveraging modern geospatial platforms without dependence on external consultants
- Better alignment with international petroleum industry data standards and digital transformation initiatives
Where Is Geospatial Technologies in Oil and Gas Exploration Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Nairobi, Kampala, Johannesburg, Nakuru, Accra, Dar es Salaam, Cape Town, Lagos, Naivasha, Mombasa, Riyadh, Kigali, Abuja, Dubai, Zanzibar, Pretoria, Kisumu, Addis Ababa, Arusha, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Live Virtual |
Online |
28 Sept 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
KES 160,000 |
| Nairobi, Kenya |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
KES 230,000 |
| Kampala, Uganda |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Johannesburg, South Africa |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 7,000 |
| Nakuru, Kenya |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
KES 230,000 |
| Accra, Ghana |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 7,600 |
| Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,600 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
17 Oct 2026 – 6 Dec 2026 |
KES 160,000 |
| Cape Town, South Africa |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
USD 7,600 |
| Lagos, Nigeria |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
USD 5,000 |
| Naivasha, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 230,000 |
| Mombasa, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
KES 240,000 |
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
USD 9,000 |
| Kigali, Rwanda |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Abuja, Nigeria |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 5,600 |
+238 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need prior GIS software experience to attend this course?
No prior GIS experience is required — the programme begins with foundational concepts and builds progressively. Participants who already have experience with QGIS, ArcGIS, or Petrel will advance more quickly through the early modules but will still find substantial new material in the seismic integration, remote sensing, and prospect evaluation sections.
What software will be used during the hands-on workshops?
The primary platforms used are QGIS (open-source) and ArcGIS Pro. Selected sessions also introduce Petrel GIS workflows and Python-based spatial analysis using GeoPandas. TrainingComplex provides licensed software access for the duration of the course; participants are encouraged to bring their own laptops with QGIS pre-installed.
Will I receive a certificate upon completing the course?
Yes. Participants who attend all sessions and complete the assessed prospect mapping exercise receive a TrainingComplex Certificate of Completion in Geospatial Technologies for Oil and Gas Exploration. The certificate can be used as evidence of continuing professional development for membership bodies such as EAGE, SPE, and GSL.
Are real exploration datasets used in the exercises?
Yes. The course uses real, publicly available basin datasets from established petroleum provinces in Africa and the Middle East, supplemented by synthetic but geologically realistic datasets designed to replicate frontier exploration scenarios. All datasets remain within the course environment and are not distributed beyond the training setting.
Is this course suitable for professionals from national oil companies and regulatory bodies?
Absolutely. The programme explicitly covers regulatory spatial data requirements, environmental and licence boundary mapping, and data governance standards — topics of direct relevance to professionals in national oil companies, petroleum authorities, and ministry geoscience departments. Several modules are specifically designed to support government geoscientists in evaluating acreage and managing petroleum geodatabases.
