How to perform quick, easy georegistration and digitization of maps in Powerpoint

1. Jason Eleson
GeoIntegra Consulting, LLC
Email: jasoneleson3@gmail.com
Cell: +1 (281)382-1839
www.linkedin.com/in/jasoneleson
GeoNuggets, Series 1:
Quick & Easy Georegistration
in Powerpoint

2. In a Nutshell
• Georegistration is fitting an image or drawing to a reference object
with known geographic information
• It can be a fast, easy way to co-render multiple sources of
geologic, surficial or other data on a single map
• Georegistering data is most useful in larger exploration settings
(i.e. transferring previously mapped regional faults onto a basin
map), but is not recommended at development/production scales
(i.e. using georegistered data to pick bottom hole locations of
directional wells)
• ArcGIS, QGIS or other advanced geospatial software is preferred,
but PowerPoint is suitable for transferring data from one map to
another where higher degree of accuracy are not required

3. Before you begin
• Make sure you have rights to the data you are georegistering first
• Check online to see if the data is already available as a shapefile,
georegistered image, etc. This will be faster and give you a
higher quality product than doing your own georegistration
• Manage your expectations! This is a quick, easy approach, but it
has its share of imperfections

4. Introduction
• Georegistration allows you to transfer key data elements from
one map to another
• Target map refers to the data being georegistered, whereas
reference map (aka “base map”) refers to the map being used to
assign to georegister the input map
• Using registrations points (common locations between the two
maps) you can transfer data layers from the input map to the
reference map
• Georegistered maps using identical projections & datums as the
base map will have best fit
• Maps with differing projections & datums will require a bit of
stretching & pulling of the georegistered map, and decrease
accuracy of the georegistration
• Successfully georegistered maps and derivative products can be
shared with others in programs such as Google Earth Pro,
ArcGIS, Petra, Petrel, etc.

5. How it works (General Overview)
1. Identify reference map/
study area of interest that
contains required map
details
– Select a map that
has features or
locations that are
shared with the
target map that will
be used (towns,
highways, rivers,
township/range, etc.)
– White background
preferred
– Select a map that is
not too crowded or
“busy, since
additional map items
will be added soon
Piceance Reference Map from Pranter et al., 2013

6. How it works (General Overview)
2. Identify other map that
contains features that
you wish to georegister
– Select a map that
has features or
locations that are
shared with the
reference map that
will be added
(towns, highways,
rivers, township/
range, etc.)
– White background
preferred
Piceance Target Map from Wiechman et al., 2013

7. How it works (General Overview)
3. First pass scaling:
• Scale target map to
fit the reference map
using common
reference points
Target Map
Reference Map

8. How it works (General Overview)
4. Second pass scaling:
– Double click image
to activate Format
Picture tab, select
“Set Transparent
Color”, and
physically click on
the most common
color on the target
map (White works
best)
Target Map
Reference Map

9. How it works (General Overview)
Target Map
Reference Map
5. Second pass scaling:
– Map on top is target
map (you can see
through it now), map
on bottom is reference
map.
– Use scale adjustment
features for the target
map to shift that map to
fit the reference map
– Holding shift key down
while adjusting size of
target map will ensure
that aspect ratio of that
map remains the same
– If you want to lock
down reference map so
it can’t move, you can
copy and paste into the
master slide, then
move it back to the
original slide later

10. How it works (General Overview)
Digitized Features
6. Digitize target features:
– Mesaverde outcrop
polygon was used as
common reference
points
– Maps are now at same
scale, so features from
target map can be
digitize using freeform
line tool
Target Map
Features to
Digitize

11. How it works (General Overview)
7. Finish Digitization &
Cleanup:
7. Finish digitize desired
features
8. Delete target map or
hide it behind reference
map if you may want to
digitize other features
in the future
9. Group the features so
that they don’t get lost
or mistranslated if the
map is transferred to
another presentation,
etc.
Original Reference Maps with Digitized Structures

12. Gotchas
• Location of georegistered features is approximate and should
not be used when high resolution/high precision mapping is
required
• Unlike a shape file or kml file, this map cannot be shared across
platforms, and thus is a stand-alone product
• Maps with opaque or variably colored backgrounds are less ideal
for this technique
• Georegistration can still occur by locating common features
between the maps. Put a small star or circle at those locations on
the reference map, pull those on top of the target map by
selecting Arrange->Bring To Front, then line up those points with
the same features on the target map

13. Summary
• Powerpoint can be used to quickly georegister & digitize data
from one map to another
• Resolution/Precision is low, but speed and efficiency make this an
ideal tool when you haven’t got much time
• More advanced GIS-based mapping applications will yield
superior results with increased flexibility (i.e. Google Earth Pro or
ArcGIS/QGIS), and will be described in the next GeoNuggets
series

14. Your Turn!
• Using Powerpoint, attempt to georegister and digitize the oil and gas fields from
the target map on the left with the reference map on the right using the Mesaverde
outcrop map as a common reference point

15. About the Author
Global Experience
Jason Eleson, Consulting Geologist &
Owner of GeoIntegra Consulting, LLC
• Active in US Onshore & Global Oil and
Gas Exploration/Production since 2000
Key Skills
Selected Basins &
Plays
Software
Carbonate, Clastic &
Shale
Stratigraphy
Piceance:
Mancos/Niobrara, Iles
Williams Fork
Petra
Reservoir
Characterization
DJ: Niobrara/Codell Kingdom/SMT
Petrophysical
Modeling
Williston: Bakken Petrel
Core & Thin Section
Petrography
Maverick: Austin Chalk,
Eagleford
Geographix
Seismic Interpretation
Permian: Permian Reef
Brushy Canyon
Woodford, Wolfcamp
Powerlog
Risking, Volumetrics &
Reserves
East Texas: Woodbine,
Eagle Ford
GeoX
Well Planning &
Optimization
Neuquén: Vaca Muerta,
Centenario, Sierras
Blancas, Yacoraite
OpenWorks
Acquisitions &
Divestitures
Santos/Campos:
Presalt Carbonates
ArcGIS/QGIS
Project
Management
Pricaspian: Presalt
Carbonates, Postsalt
Clastics
Microsoft Office
Integration. Integrity. Results.
Exploration Development/Production Outcrop Field Work
US Onshore Experience
Jason Eleson
GeoIntegra Consulting, LLC
Email: jasoneleson3@gmail.com
Cell: +1 (281)382-1839
www.linkedin.com/in/jasoneleson