A breakthrough in 3D seismic interpretation
Abstract
Accompanying the advancement of computer science and technologies, new techniques have been introduced to optimise the seismic interpretation workflow. In this study, we apply the “Global seismic interpretation method”, developed by Pauget et al. [1]. A 3D Relative Geologic Time (RGT) model was obtained directly from the 3D seismic volume which is the outcome of this method. Given the fact that in the 3D RGT model, the geologic time is continuous, a relative geologic age can be interpolated and assigned to every voxel of the seismic volume. The dataset used in this study is the Maui 3D seismic volume from Taranaki basin, offshore New Zealand. A stack of 400 continuous stratigraphic horizons is produced from the Maui RGT model, even for complex areas where classical methods failed to achieve or would take a long time to complete. Integrated with seismic attribute mappings such as RMS amplitude and/or spectral decomposition, the horizon stack enables to navigate the seismic volume in stratigraphic order. Thus, the result enhances the identification of geological elements, stratigraphic insights, and paleo-depositional environments in greater detail for stratigraphic reservoir detection and characterisation. The novel methodology indicates a new way to conduct seismic interpretation, utilises all the information in the 3D seismic data, hence greatly reduces the exploration time cycle.
References
Fabien Pauget, Sébastien Lacaze, and Thomas Valding, “A global approach to seismic interpretation based on cost function and minimization”, SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts 2009. DOI: 10.1190/1.3255384.
Hilde G. Borgos, Thorleif Skov, Trygve Randen, and Lars Sonneland, “Automated geometry extraction from 3D seismic data”, SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts 2003. DOI: 10.1190/1.1817590.
Paul de Groot, Arnaud Huck, Geert de Bruin, Nanne Hemstra, and Jonathan Bedford, “The horizon cube: A step change in seismic interpretation”, The Leading Edge, Vol. 29, No. 9, pp. 1048 - 1055, 2010. DOI: 10.1190/1.3485765.
H.J. Ligtenberg, G. de Bruin, N. Hemstra, and C. Geel, “Sequence stratigraphic interpretation in the wheeler transformed (flattened) seismic domain”, 68th EAGE Conference and Exhibition Incorporating SPE EUROPEC 2006. DOI: 10.3997/2214-4609.201402337.
Jesse Lomask, Antoine Guitton, Sergey Fomel, Jon Claerbout, and Alejandro A. Valenciano, “Flattening without picking”, Geophysics, Vol. 71, No. 4, pp. 13 - 20, 2006. DOI: 10.1190/1.2210848.
Xinming Wu and Dave Hale, “Horizon volumes with interpreted constraints”, Geophysics, Vol. 80, No. 2, 2015. DOI: 10.1190/geo2014-0212.1.
Tracy J. Stark, “Relative geologic time (age) volumes - Relating every seismic sample to a geologically reasonable horizon”, The Leading Edge, Vol. 23, No. 9, pp. 928 - 932, 2004. DOI: 10.1190/1.1803505.
Peter R. King, “Tectonic reconstructions of New Zealand: 40 Ma to the present”, New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 611 - 638, 2000. DOI: 10.1080/00288306.2000.9514913.
P.R. King and Glenn P. Thrasher, “CretaceousCenozoic geology and petroleum systems of the Taranaki basin, New Zealand”, Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, Vol. 13, No. 2, 1996.
K.E Higgs, P.R. King, J.I Raine, R. Sykes, G.H Browne, E.M Crouch, J.R Baur, “Sequence stratigraphy and controls on reservoir sandstone distribution in an Eocene marginal marine-coastal plain fairway, Taranaki Basin, New Zealand”. Marine and Petroleum Geology, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 110 - 137, 2012. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2011.12.001.
Eahsanul Haque, Aminul Islam, and Mohamed Ragab Shalaby, “Structural modeling of the Maui gas field, Taranaki basin, New Zealand”, Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology, Vol. 43, No. 6, pp. 965 - 975, 2016. DOI: 10.1016/S1876-3804(16)30114-8.
G. Thrasher, H. Seebeck, P. Viskovic, S. Bull, M. Sarma, and K. Kroeger, “Time structure grids for the greater Maui-Maari-Tui region, Taranaki basin, New Zealand”, GNS Science Data Series, 2018.
Ingelise Schmidt, Sebastien Lacaze, and Gaynor Paton, “Spectral decomposition and geomodel interpretation - Combining advanced technologies to create new workflows”, 75th EAGE Conference & Exhibition Incorporating SPE EUROPEC 2013, London, UK, 10 - 13 June 2013. DOI: 10.3997/2214-4609.20130567.
Marco Fonnesu, Denis Palermo, Mauro Galbiati, Marco Marchesini, Enrico Bonamini, and Daniel Bendias, “A new world-class deep-water play-type, deposited by the syndepositional interaction of turbidity flows and bottom currents: The giant Eocene Coral field in northern Mozambique”, Marine and Petroleum Geology, Vol. 111, pp. 179 - 201, 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2019.07.047.
Tony Marsh and Anne Powell, “Regional stratal slice imaging of the Northern Carnarvon basin, Western Australia”, ASEG Extended Abstracts, 2019. DOI: 10.1080/22020586.2019.12073062.
Lia Turrini, Christopher A-L. Jackson, and Philip Thompson, “Seal rock deformation by polygonal faulting, offshore Uruguay”, Marine and Petroleum Geology, Vol. 86, pp. 892 - 907, 2017. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2017.06.038.
Karsten F. Kroeger, Glenn P. Thrasher, and Monmoyuri Sarma, “The evolution of a Middle Miocene deep-water sedimentary system in northwestern New Zealand (Taranaki basin): Depositional controls and mechanisms”, Marine and Petroleum Geology, Vol. 101, pp. 355 - 372, 2019. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2018.11.052.
Nguyễn Xuân Thịnh và Hà Quang Mẫn, “Đột phá trong minh giải tài liệu địa chấn 3D để phát hiện các bẫy chứa địa tầng”, Tạp chí Dầu khí, Số 3, trang 45 - 51, 2021. DOI: 10.47800/PVJ.2021.03-06.
1. The Author assigns all copyright in and to the article (the Work) to the Petrovietnam Journal, including the right to publish, republish, transmit, sell and distribute the Work in whole or in part in electronic and print editions of the Journal, in all media of expression now known or later developed.
2. By this assignment of copyright to the Petrovietnam Journal, reproduction, posting, transmission, distribution or other use of the Work in whole or in part in any medium by the Author requires a full citation to the Journal, suitable in form and content as follows: title of article, authors’ names, journal title, volume, issue, year, copyright owner as specified in the Journal, DOI number. Links to the final article published on the website of the Journal are encouraged.