Abstract

Spectroscopic characterization of crude oils in the VNIR-SWIR (Visible to Near Infrared – Shortwave Infrared) wavelength region is essential for understanding their molecular constituents and structures. However, to date, Indian crude oils have not been characterized spectrally in this part of the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) spectrum. This study aims to identify the characteristic absorption features of crude oils from several selected fields in the Cambay Basin, India, using a high-resolution spectroradiometer. We observed that two prominent absorption features of C-H (carbon – hydrogen) bonds, at around 1726 nm and 2270 nm, are exhibited by all the crude oils examined. This study suggests that these two absorption characteristics can be targeted in the hyperspectral images to extract oil signatures in surface soils or rocks. This approach could serve as a rapid and cost-effective tool for direct oil exploration as well as for detecting oil spills or pipeline leakages throughout the basin