Water-soluble radium in brines as an indicator of oil and gas content in the Pripyatskij depression

The uranium and radium distributions have been studied in subterranean waters of the Pripyatskij depression. The uranium content is in the range of nx10-7 g/l and less. In some cases the tendency of decreasing its content when approaching the oil deposit is observed, which indicates the possibility of sorption of water-soluble uranium by hyrocarbons from the near-contour waters. The radium content is distributed in the form of haloes of high and anomalous concentrations around oil deposits as compared to the general regional stock. To determine the type of dependence of the radium content on the distance to the deposit, as well as to use it for oil searching purposes, the data on the determination of this component have been processed by the known earlier methods. A formula and a diagram for the evaluation of prospects on oil-bearing local structures on radium have been suggested. The dissipation haloes of radium in near-contour brines, dimensions of which are determined analytically and graphically, and correspond to the actual data, decrease to background concentrations at the distance of 1.8 - 22 km from the deposit. The vertical dimension of the radium halo can reach 100 - 119 m. The above investigations show the possibility of use of water-soluble radium to evaluate prospects of oil-bearing Devonian deposits of the Pripyatskij depression. The evaluation method is expressive and sufficiently reliable