Using petrophysics and cross‐section balancing to interpret complex structure in a limited‐quality 3-D seismic image

A study was done to characterize deep, prolific Ellenburger gas reservoirs at Lockridge, Waha, West Waha, and Worsham‐Bayer fields in Pecos, Ward, and Reeves counties in West Texas. A major effort of the study was to interpret a 176-mi2 3-D seismic data volume that spanned these fields. Well control defined the depth of the Ellenburger, the principal interpretation target, to be 17 000–21 000 ft (5200–6400 m) over the image area. Ellenburger reflection signals were weak because of these great target depths. Additionally, the top of the Ellenburger had a gentle, ramp‐like increase in acoustic impedance that did not produce a robust reflection event. A further negative influence on seismic data quality was the fact that a large portion of the 3-D seismic area was covered by a variable surface layer of low‐velocity Tertiary fill that was, in turn, underlain by a varying thickness of high‐velocity salt/anhydrite. These complicated near‐surface conditions attenuated seismic reflection signals and made static corrections of the data difficult. The combination of all these factors has caused many explorationists to consider this region of west Texas a no‐record seismic area for deep drilling targets. Although the 3-D seismic data aquired in this study produced good‐quality images throughout the post‐Mississippian section (down to ∼12 000 ft, or 3700 m), the images of the deep Ellenburger targets (∼20 000 ft, or 6100 m) were limited quality. The challenge was to use this limited‐quality 3-D image to interpret the structural configuration of the deep Ellenburger and the fault systems that traverse the area so that genetic relationship could be established between fault attributes and productive Ellenburger facies. Two techniques were used to produce a reliable structural interpretation of the 3-D seismic data. First, log data recorded in 60-plus wells within the 3-D image space were analyzed to determine where there was evidence of overturned and repeated units caused by thrusting and evidence of missing sections caused by normal faulting. These petrophysical analyses allowed reliable fault patterns and structural configurations to be build across 3-D seismic image zones that were difficult to interpret by conventional methods. Second, cross‐section balancing was done across the more complex structural regimes to determine if each interpreted surface that was used to define the postdeformation structure had a length consistent with the length of that same surface before deformation. The petrophysical analyses thus guided the structural interpretation of the 3-D seismic data by inferring the fault patterns that should be imposed on the limited‐quality image zones; the cross‐section balancing verified where this structural interpretation was reliable and where it needed to be adjusted. This interpretation methodology is offered here to benefit others who are confronted with the problem of interpreting complex structure from limited‐quality 3-D seismic images.