ELECTRONIC ENHANCEMENT OF SATELLITE IMAGERY AND PHOTO 
INTERPRETATION IN OIL, GAS AND MINERAL EXPLORATION 
C.C. Reeves, Jr. 
Texas Tech University 
Lubbock, Texas 
ABSTRACT 
Electronic enhancement of standard aerial photographs 
and satellite imagery, employing a 32-color density slicer, 
edge-enhancer and the X-Y monitor, has been used with out 
standing sucess in areas where the distribution of oil, 
gas and metallic mineralization is controlled by fractures 
or conjugate lineament intersections. Such methods, almost 
without exception, reveal lineaments not found during 
normal photo interpretation or by field studies. A cost/ 
benefit analysis indicates at least a 100-fold reduction in 
exploration costs when such electronic methods are used in 
place of more conventional reconnaissance methods. 
INTRODUCTION 
The electronic enhancement methods explained in this 
report are density slicing, edge-enhancement and the X-Y 
monitor. Admittedly, certain modifications have been 
made to the commercially available equipment, but these 
modifications have extended magnification or allowed the 
attachment of various filters and grids to improve resolu 
tion and have not altered methodology. I presume the 
equipment per se is known to all present, thus I will not 
explain operational modes in any detail. Finally, infor 
mation regarding specific localities and interpretations 
is proprietary; however, generalizations will suffice to 
explain the methods and procedures used and the results 
obtained. 
METHODOLOGY 
First examination of imagery from an unknown area 
is naturally by pocket stereoscope or a zoom binocular. 
As available published data is gathered, preliminary