Salt in the Vulcan sub-basin, NW Australia: observations from high-quality 3D seismic data and implications for palaeogeography

2021 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 684
Author(s):  
Simon Molyneux ◽  
Stephen Doyle
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Spatiotemporal Distribution ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Regional Tectonic ◽  
Tectonic Features ◽  
First Time ◽  
3D Seismic Data ◽  
Nw Australia

The Vulcan sub-basin is one of the few places in Australia where tectonic features (i.e. diapirs) associated with a mobile substrate can be found. In this presentation one of these features, the Paqualin diapir, and its environs will be described and discussed using the new regional NOVAR MC3D prestack depth migrated seismic dataset. The extent of the NOVAR MC3D seismic dataset makes it possible, for the first time, to integrate the observation of c. 600m of interbedded halite and anhydrite in the Paqualin-1 well, local fault geometries indicative of the movement of a mobile layer and regional tectonic features consistent with the presence of a mobile substrate. In this presentation the observations will be integrated with global analogues, regional palaeogeographic interpretations to refine models for the origin and spatiotemporal distribution of mobile layers in the Vulcan sub-basin.

Insights of Processing Early-Outs from New High-Quality 3D Seismic Data for Exploration Prospectivity: A Land Case Example from Abu Dhabi

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Helena Caeiro ◽  
Guillaume Cambois ◽  
Mohamed Mahgoub ◽  
Miaad Al Hammadi ◽  
Cara L. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
High Quality ◽  
3D Seismic Data

scholarly journals Targeting nickel sulfide deposits from 3D seismicreflection data at Kambalda, Australia

Geophysics ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
pp. WC123-WC132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milovan Urosevic ◽  
Ganesh Bhat ◽  
Marcos Hexsel Grochau
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Nickel Sulfide ◽  
Forward Modeling ◽  
Geometric Constraints ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Sulfide Deposits ◽  
3D Seismic Data

The greenstone belts of the Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia, host numerous Archaean gold, nickel, and iron ore deposits. These deposits typically are found in complex geologic structures hidden by a deep, heterogeneous, and often conductive regolith profile. This added complexity limits the depth of penetration for the potential field methods, but at the same time opens new revenue possibilities through the application of seismic methods. To explore this opportunity, we acquired high-resolution, experimental, 3D seismic data over Lake Lefroy in Kambalda, Western Australia. The main objective was to map exceptionally complex, deep structures associated with Kambalda dome. Survey design used 3D ray tracing to improve the distribution of the common reflection points across ultramafic-basalt contacts which host numerous small, high-grade nickel sulfide deposits. A combination of small explosive sources, high-shot/receiver density, and exceptionally good coupling over the ultrasalty lake surface produced seismic data of very high quality. Processing focused on computation of accurate static and dynamic corrections, whereas imaging was helped by the existing geologic model. Advanced volumetric interpretation supported by seismic forward modeling was used to guide mapping of the main lithological interfaces and structures. Forward modeling was carried out using rock properties obtained from ultrasonic measurements and one borehole, drilled in the proximity of the 3D seismic volume. Using this information, geometric constraints based on the typical size of ore bodies found in this mine and a simple window-based seismic attribute, several new targets were proposed. Three of these targets subsequently have been drilled and new zones of mineralization were intercepted. The case study presented demonstrates that high-quality, high-resolution, 3D seismic data combined with volumetric seismic interpretation could become a primary methodology for exploration of deep, small, massive sulfide deposits distributed across the Kambalda area.

Seismic expression of salt tectonics in the Sab’atayn Basin, onshore Yemen

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. SM91-SM100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabor Tari ◽  
Rudi Dellmour ◽  
Emma Rodgers ◽  
Shaista Sultan ◽  
Abdo Al Atabi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Strong Correlation ◽  
Seismic Reflection ◽  
Upper Jurassic ◽  
Salt Tectonics ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
Flip Flop ◽  
Well Data ◽  
Tectonic Features ◽  
3D Seismic Data

A variety of distinct salt tectonic features are present in the Sab’atayn Basin of western Yemen. Based on the interpretation of 2D/3D seismic data and exploration wells in the central part of the basin, an Upper Jurassic evaporite unit produced numerous salt rollers, salt pillows, reactive, flip-flop, and falling diapirs. Halokinetics began as soon as the early Cretaceous, within just a few million years after the deposition of the Tithonian Sab’atayn evaporite sequence. The significant proportions of nonevaporite lithologies within the “salt” made the seismic interpretation of the salt features challenging. The evaporite sequence had been described by most as a syn-rift unit and therefore a strong correlation was assumed between the subsalt syn-rift basement architecture and the overlying diapirs and other salt-related features. However, seismic reflection and well data revealed a nonsystematic relationship between the salt diapirs and the subsalt basement highs. This observation has very important implications for the subsalt fractured basement play in the Sab’atayn Basin.

RECENT DISCOVERIES IN THE PYRENEES MEMBER, EXMOUTH SUB-BASIN: A NEW OIL PLAY FAIRWAY

2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 233 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.P. Scibiorski ◽  
M. Micenko ◽  
D. Lockhart
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Joint Venture ◽  
Depositional Environments ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Gas Field ◽  
Geological Information ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Complex Structural ◽  
3D Seismic Data

Recent drilling by BHP Billiton Pty Ltd in WA-155-P(1) and WA-12-R, on behalf of its partners Apache Energy Ltd and INPEX ALPHA LTD, has resulted in the discovery of four oil fields in the southern Exmouth Sub-basin, namely Ravensworth, Crosby, Stickle and Harrison. These discoveries, together with the earlier discoveries made by West Muiron–5 and Pyrenees–2, define the Early Cretaceous Pyrenees Member play fairway.The Pyrenees Trend play was first conceived in 1999 following appraisal of the Macedon gas field (Keall, 1999), but the concept remained dormant until the integration of geological information with high quality 3D seismic data led to the recognition of hydrocarbon related seismic attributes in the postulated play fairway.Ravensworth–1 intersected a 37 m gross oil column below a 7 m gas cap in high quality Pyrenees Member sandstones beneath the regionally significant Intra- Hauterivian Unconformity. Ravensworth, located on a northeast–southwest trending fault terrace, is a complex structural-stratigraphic trap that relies on separate top, base and cross-fault seals. High quality 3D seismic data coupled with recent interpretation techniques were integral to its discovery. In particular, the quantitative interpretation of seismic amplitude populations was a key factor in decreasing exploration risk.The Ravensworth discovery was followed by successful exploration wells on the adjacent Crosby, Stickle and Harrison fault terraces. Four appraisal wells have since been drilled at the northern ends of the main discoveries.The oil in the Pyrenees Member discoveries is biodegraded, moderately viscous (8–11 cp) and heavy (18–19° API gravity). Methane-dominated gas caps were intersected in Ravensworth–1, West Muiron–5 and Pyrenees–2.The recent drilling and coring campaigns by BHP Billiton and others in the Exmouth Sub-basin have significantly advanced knowledge of the stratigraphy and depositional environments of the late Tithonian to early Berriasian Macedon, Muiron and Pyrenees Members of the lower Barrow Group. The lower Barrow Group is a third order sequence deposited rapidly in marine to fluviodeltaic environments in response to the breakup of Gondwana and the onset of active rifting along the West Australian margin.BHP Billiton and its joint venture partners are assessing the commercial viability of the Pyrenees Trend discoveries.

scholarly journals Focal-time analysis: A new method for stratigraphic depth control of microseismicity and induced seismic events

Geophysics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 84 (6) ◽  
pp. KS173-KS182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Poulin ◽  
Ron Weir ◽  
David Eaton ◽  
Nadine Igonin ◽  
Yukuan Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Seismic Events ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
Time Analysis ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Depth Control ◽  
Zero Offset ◽  
3D Seismic Data

Focal-time analysis is a straightforward data-driven method to obtain robust stratigraphic depth control for microseismicity or induced seismic events. The method eliminates the necessity to build an explicit, calibrated velocity model for hypocenter depth estimation, although it requires multicomponent 3D seismic data that are colocated with surface or near-surface microseismic observations. Event focal depths are initially expressed in terms of zero-offset focal time (two-way P-P reflection time) to facilitate registration and visualization with 3D seismic data. Application of the focal-time method requires (1) high-quality P- and S-wave time picks, which are extrapolated to zero offset and (2) registration of correlative P-P and P-S reflections to provide [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] time-depth control. We determine the utility of this method by applying it to a microseismic and induced-seismicity data set recorded with a shallow-borehole monitoring array in Alberta, Canada, combined with high-quality multicomponent surface seismic data. The calculated depth distribution of events is in good agreement with hypocenter locations obtained independently using a nonlinear global-search method. Our results reveal that individual event clusters have distinct depth distributions that can provide important clues about the mechanisms of fault activation.

scholarly journals New approach to appraise non-structural Tyumen formation traps in the absence of high quality of data

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 43-51
Author(s):  
Evgeniia M. Viktorova ◽  
Daria I. Zhigulina ◽  
Pavel Y. Kiselev ◽  
Vladimir Y. Klimov
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Depositional Environments ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
Quality Of Data ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Blind Test ◽  
Sand Bodies ◽  
3D Seismic Data

Background. On the one hand, the focus of exploration works changes to the more difficult reserves side, which were basically accumulated in the non-structural traps of Achimov and Tyumen formations. On the other hand, there are two important questions. The first is how the volume of reserves should be estimated correctly and the second is which volume of reserves is enough for economic successfully development. Aim. The main aim is to create a new actual approach of non-structural traps appraisal is considered in the absence of high quality of seismic data which allows identify such types of traps, which allows identify such types of traps. Materials and methods. Presented at the article algorithm enables estimate resources of non-lithological traps as exemplified in Tyumen formation, which was formed during depositional changes from continental to transitional depositional environments. The algorithm consists of some steps. The first step is collection on numbers, sizes and areas potential sand bodies based on different seismic attributes from analogies data. On the next step the coefficient which shows what numbers of geological bodies can be found on the unit of area was defined. Based on these data the probability distribution function which shows what part of studied area could be covered by potential bodies was made. After these steps, the integral resource base without regard to geological chance of success (gCoS) can be estimated. In order to account for geological risks the numbers of potential traps (including also non-structural traps), which were formed by meandering rives, tidal channels and point-bars, have to be defined. As a result, the discrete mathematical distribution of expected numbers of traps was made based on analogies data. If the oil infl ow was obtained from wells which have already drilled on the studied area part of resource base transfer to reserves (without including gCoS). Results. Discussed method was applied for “blind-test” on the new studied block with 3D seismic data. The obtained results of potential sand bodies fraction is correspond to the initial distribution from analogy fields. The method can be used for resource base potential on any block where there are lithological traps, which are controlled by mainly the facies conditions instead of structural plan, and also the 3D seismic data is absent. Conclusions. The appliance of discussed method which based on the available statistical data helps improve the quality estimation of change resource base range and allows to map the new prospective areas containing reserves and resources. One more important thing is this method allows to resolve the problem of base potential estimation and as a result to put a price on asset and risk capital values needed to explore the potential areas by drilling before the key outlays in the exploration program will be invested.

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