3D seismic traveltime tomography imaging of the shallow subsurface at the C O2 SINK project site, Ketzin, Germany

Geophysics ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. G1-G15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sawasdee Yordkayhun ◽  
Ari Tryggvason ◽  
Ben Norden ◽  
Christopher Juhlin ◽  
Björn Bergman
Keyword(s):  
Velocity Structure ◽  
Velocity Model ◽  
Geological Structure ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
Storage Site ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Shallow Subsurface ◽  
Traveltime Tomography ◽  
Reflection Seismic ◽  
Reflection Data

A 3D reflection seismic survey was performed in 2005 at the Ketzin carbon dioxide [Formula: see text] pilot geological-storage site (the [Formula: see text] project) near Berlin, Germany, to image the geological structure of the site to depths of about [Formula: see text]. Because of the acquisition geometry, frequency limitations of the source, and artefacts of the data processing, detailed structures shallower than about [Formula: see text] were unclear. To obtain structural images of the shallow subsurface, we applied 3D traveltime tomography to data near the top of the Ketzin anticline, where faulting is present. Understanding the shallow subsurface structure is important for long-term monitoring aspects of the project after [Formula: see text] has been injected into a saline aquifer at about [Formula: see text] depth. We used a 3D traveltime tomography algorithm based on a combination ofsolving for 3D velocity structure and static corrections in the inversion process to account for artefacts in the velocity structure because of smearing effects from the unconsolidated cover. The resulting velocity model shows low velocities of [Formula: see text] in the uppermost shallow subsurface of the study area. The velocity reaches about [Formula: see text] at a depth of [Formula: see text]. This coincides approximately with the boundary between Quaternary units, which contain the near-surface freshwater reservoir and the Tertiary clay aquitard. Correlation of tomographic images with a similarity attribute slice at [Formula: see text] (about [Formula: see text] depth) indicates that at least one east-west striking fault zone observed in the reflection data might extend into the Tertiary unit. The more detailed images of the shallow subsurface from this study provided valuable information on this potentially risky area.

scholarly journals Ray-tracing traveltime tomography versus wave-equation traveltime inversion for near-surface seismic land data

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. SO11-SO19
Author(s):  
Lei Fu ◽  
Sherif M. Hanafy
Keyword(s):  
Wave Equation ◽  
Ray Tracing ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Velocity Model ◽  
Water Table Depth ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Traveltime Tomography ◽  
Initial Starting

Full-waveform inversion of land seismic data tends to get stuck in a local minimum associated with the waveform misfit function. This problem can be partly mitigated by using an initial velocity model that is close to the true velocity model. This initial starting model can be obtained by inverting traveltimes with ray-tracing traveltime tomography (RT) or wave-equation traveltime (WT) inversion. We have found that WT can provide a more accurate tomogram than RT by inverting the first-arrival traveltimes, and empirical tests suggest that RT is more sensitive to the additive noise in the input data than WT. We present two examples of applying WT and RT to land seismic data acquired in western Saudi Arabia. One of the seismic experiments investigated the water-table depth, and the other one attempted to detect the location of a buried fault. The seismic land data were inverted by WT and RT to generate the P-velocity tomograms, from which we can clearly identify the water table depth along the seismic survey line in the first example and the fault location in the second example.

Joint refraction traveltime tomography and migration for multilayer near-surface imaging

Geophysics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 84 (6) ◽  
pp. U31-U43
Author(s):  
Yihao Wang ◽  
Jie Zhang
Keyword(s):  
High Velocity ◽  
Velocity Structure ◽  
Joint Inversion ◽  
Velocity Model ◽  
Surface Velocity ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Traveltime Tomography ◽  
First Arrival ◽  
Migration Method

In near-surface velocity structure estimation, first-arrival traveltime tomography tends to produce a smooth velocity model. If the shallow structures include a weathering layer over high-velocity bedrock, first-arrival traveltime tomography may fail to recover the sharp interface. However, with the same traveltime data, refraction traveltime migration proves to be an effective tool for accurately mapping the refractor. The approach downward continues the refraction traveltime curves and produces an image (position) of the refractor for a given overburden velocity model. We first assess the validity of the refraction traveltime migration method and analyze its uncertainties with a simple model. We then develop a multilayer refraction traveltime migration method and apply the migration image to constrain traveltime tomographic inversion by imposing discontinuities at the refraction interfaces in model regularization. In each subsequent iteration, the shape of the migrated refractors and the velocity model are simultaneously updated. The synthetic tests indicate that the joint inversion method performs better than the conventional first-arrival traveltime tomography method with Tikhonov regularization and the delay-time method in reconstructing near-surface models with high-velocity contrasts. In application to field data, this method produces a more accurately resolved velocity model, which improves the quality of common midpoint stacking by making long-wavelength static corrections.

Structural interpretation using refraction velocities from marine seismic surveys

Geophysics ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
James F. Mitchell ◽  
Richard J. Bolander
Keyword(s):  
Sedimentary Rock ◽  
Seismic Energy ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
Subsurface Structure ◽  
Seismic Reflection Data ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Reflection Data ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Streamer Length ◽  
Set Up

Subsurface structure can be mapped using refraction information from marine multichannel seismic data. The method uses velocities and thicknesses of shallow sedimentary rock layers computed from refraction first arrivals recorded along the streamer. A two‐step exploration scheme is described which can be set up on a personal computer and used routinely in any office. It is straightforward and requires only a basic understanding of refraction principles. Two case histories from offshore Peru exploration demonstrate the scheme. The basic scheme is: step (1) shallow sedimentary rock velocities are computed and mapped over an area. Step (2) structure is interpreted from the contoured velocity patterns. Structural highs, for instance, exhibit relatively high velocities, “retained” by buried, compacted, sedimentary rocks that are uplifted to the near‐surface. This method requires that subsurface structure be relatively shallow because the refracted waves probe to depths of one hundred to over one thousand meters, depending upon the seismic energy source, streamer length, and the subsurface velocity distribution. With this one requirement met, we used the refraction method over a wide range of sedimentary rock velocities, water depths, and seismic survey types. The method is particularly valuable because it works well in areas with poor seismic reflection data.

scholarly journals 3-D reflection seismic imaging of the Hontomín structure in the Basque-Cantabrian Basin (Spain)

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 1575-1614
Author(s):  
J. Alcalde ◽  
D. Martí ◽  
C. Juhlin ◽  
A. Malehmir ◽  
D. Sopher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Co2 Storage ◽  
Processing Parameters ◽  
Surface Velocity ◽  
Storage Site ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Velocity Inversion ◽  
Geological Co2 Storage ◽  
Reflection Seismic ◽  
Carbonate Formations ◽  
Basque Cantabrian Basin

Abstract. The Basque-Cantabrian Basin of the Northern Iberia peninsula constitutes a unique example of a major deformation system, featuring a dome structure developed by extensional tectonics followed by compressional reactivation. The occurrence of natural resources in the area and the possibility of establishing a geological storage site for carbon dioxide motivated the acquisition of a 3-D seismic reflection survey in 2010, centered on the Jurassic Hontomín dome. The objectives of this survey were to obtain a geological model of the overall structure and to establish a baseline model for a possible geological CO2 storage site. The 36 km2 survey included approximately 5000 mixed (Vibroseis and explosives) source points recorded with a 25 m inline source and receiver spacing. The target reservoir is a saline aquifer, at approximately 1450 m depth, encased and sealed by carbonate formations. Acquisition and processing parameters were influenced by the rough topography and relatively complex geology. A strong near surface velocity inversion is evident in the data, affecting the quality of the data. The resulting 3-D image provides constraints on the key features of the geologic model. The Hontomín structure is interpreted to consist of an approximately 107 m2 large elongated dome with two major W–E and NW–SE striking faults bounding it.

An example of extreme near-surface variability in shallow seismic reflection data

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. SH1-SH9
Author(s):  
Steven D. Sloan ◽  
J. Tyler Schwenk ◽  
Robert H. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Reflection ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Seismic Reflection Data ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Shallow Subsurface ◽  
Reflection Data ◽  
Shallow Seismic ◽  
Low Velocity Layer ◽  
Velocity Layer

Variability of material properties in the shallow subsurface presents challenges for near-surface geophysical methods and exploration-scale applications. As the depth of investigation decreases, denser sampling is required, especially of the near offsets, to accurately characterize the shallow subsurface. We have developed a field data example using high-resolution shallow seismic reflection data to demonstrate how quickly near-surface properties can change over short distances and the effects on field data and processed sections. The addition of a relatively thin, 20 cm thick, low-velocity layer can lead to masked reflections and an inability to map shallow reflectors. Short receiver intervals, on the order of 10 cm, were necessary to identify the cause of the diminished data quality and would have gone unknown using larger, more conventional station spacing. Combined analysis of first arrivals, surface waves, and reflections aided in determining the effects and extent of a low-velocity layer that inhibited the identification and constructive stacking of the reflection from a shallow water table using normal-moveout-based processing methods. Our results also highlight the benefits of using unprocessed gathers to pragmatically guide processing and interpretation of seismic data.

3‐D tomographic static correction

Geophysics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 1275-1285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Chang ◽  
Yike Liu ◽  
Hui Wang ◽  
Fuzhong Li ◽  
Jing Chen
Keyword(s):  
Computation Time ◽  
Matrix Decomposition ◽  
Velocity Model ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
Surface Model ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Model Inversion ◽  
Static Corrections ◽  
Refracted Waves

A 3‐D tomographic inversion approach based on a surface‐consistent model for static corrections is presented in this paper. Direct, reflected, and refracted waves are used simultaneously to update the near‐surface model. We analyze the characteristics of the first‐break traveltime in complicated low‐velocity layers. To improve the accuracy for the velocity model, the various first‐break times from direct, reflected, and refracted waves are considered for model inversion. A fractal algorithm which overcomes the error caused by wavelet shape differences is applied to pick first breaks. It also overcomes the leg jump of refractions. The method can pick a large number of first breaks automatically. The raypaths and traveltimes are calculated with a 3‐D ray tracer that does not increase computation time for complicated geological models. Our method can determine the raypath associated with minimum traveltimes regardless of wave mode (direct, refracted, or reflected). We use a least‐squares approach in conjunction with a matrix decomposition to reconstruct a 3‐D velocity model from the actual first‐break times obtained from 3‐D data. Finally, long‐ and short‐wavelength static corrections are calculated concurrently, based on the reconstructed velocity profile. The method can be applied to wide‐line profiles, crooked lines, and 2‐D and 3‐D seismic survey geometries. The results applied to a real 3‐D data example indicate that the 3‐D tomographic static corrections are effective for field data.

Seismic tomography studies of cover thickness and near-surface bedrock velocities

Geophysics ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. U77-U84 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Bergman ◽  
A. Tryggvason ◽  
C. Juhlin
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Velocity Structure ◽  
Synthetic Data ◽  
General Situation ◽  
Seismic Profiles ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Reflection Seismic ◽  
Crystalline Bedrock ◽  
Cover Thickness

Reflection seismic imaging of the uppermost kilometer of crystalline bedrock is an important component in site surveys for locating potential storage sites for nuclear waste in Sweden. To obtain high-quality images, refraction statics are calculated using first-break traveltimes. These first-break picks may also be used to produce tomographic velocity images of the uppermost bedrock. In an earlier study, we presented a method applicable to data sets where the vast majority of shots are located in the bedrock below the glacial deposits, or cover, typical for northern latitudes. A by-product of this method was an estimate of the cover thickness from the receiver static that was introduced to sharpen the image. We now present a modified version of this method that is applicable for sources located in or on the cover, the general situation for nuclear waste site surveys. This modified methodalso solves for 3D velocity structure and static correctionssimultaneously in the inversion process. The static corrections can then be used to estimate the cover thickness. First, we test our tomography method on synthetic data withthe shot points in the bedrock below the cover. Next, we developa strategy for the case when the sources are within the cover. Themethod is then applied to field data from five crooked-line,high-resolution reflection seismic profiles ranging in lengthfrom 2 to [Formula: see text]. The crooked-line profiles make the study 2.5dimensional regarding bedrock velocities. The cover thicknessalong the profiles varies from 0 to [Formula: see text]. Estimated thickness ofthe cover agrees well with data from boreholes drilled near theprofiles. Low-velocity zones in the uppermost bedrock generallycorrelate with locations where reflections from the stackedsections project to the surface. Thus, the method is functional,both for imaging the uppermost bedrock velocities as well as for estimating the cover thickness.

scholarly journals Three-dimensional shear velocity structure of the Mauleon and Arzacq basins (Western Pyrenees)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilien Lehujeur ◽  
Sébastien Chevrot ◽  
Antonio Villaseñor ◽  
Emmanuel Masini ◽  
Nicolas Saspiturry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Velocity Structure ◽  
Hanging Wall ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Shear Velocity ◽  
Velocity Model ◽  
Tomographic Images ◽  
Reflection Seismic ◽  
Local Earthquake Tomography ◽  
Local Earthquake

We present a 3-D shear wave velocity model of the Mauleon and Arzacq basins from the surface down to 10~km depth. This model is obtained by inverting phase velocity maps for periods from 2 to 9~s measured on coherent surface wavefronts extracted from ambient seismic noise by matched filtering. This new model, which is found in good agreement with local earthquake tomography, reveals the architecture of the Mauleon and Arzacq basins which were poorly imaged by conventional reflection seismic data. Combining these new tomographic images with surface and subsurface geological information allows us to trace major orogenic structures from the basement to the surface. In the basin, the models are successfully imaging first-order folds and thrusts at kilometric scale. The velocity structure within the basement and its geometrical relationship with the base of inverted rift basins supports a progressive northward exhumation of deep crustal and mantle rocks in the hanging wall of north-vergent Pyrenean thrusts. Our tomographic models image in 3-D orogen-perpendicular structures responsible for crustal segmentation as the Saison and Barlanes transfer zones. We propose that these steep structures consist in tear faults that accommodate the deepening of the Mauleon basin basement from west to east. To the west, this basement made of former hyper-extended rift domains (including mantle rocks) is anomalously sampled within the hanging-wall of north-directed orogenic thrusts, explaining its shallow attitude and its best preservation in comparison to the eastern segment of the study area. Eastward, the vertical shift of the basement makes that the former Mauleon basin hyper-extended rift basement remained in a footwall situation in respect of orogenic thrust and was underthrust. The comparison of the tomographic models obtained with surface wave tomography and local earthquake tomography shows that each approach has its own advantages and shortcomings but also that they are very complementary in nature, which would suggest to combine them in joint inversions to further improve passive imaging of the shallow crust and sedimentary basins.

A new interpretation of geological structure of Tempoku Coal Field by crooked-line survey

1992 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 241
Author(s):  
O. Nakano ◽  
M. Endo ◽  
E. Ishii ◽  
H. Watanabe
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Geological Structure ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
Coal Field ◽  
Coal Seams ◽  
Reflection Seismic ◽  
Line Method ◽  
Northern Island ◽  
New Interpretation ◽  
Seismic Lines

Tempoku Coal Field is located in the northern area of Japan's northern island, Hokkaido. Here the exploration target, the Soya Coal-Bearing Formation, is of Tertiary age overlying Cretaceous basement. The regional structure of the area is characterised by a series of synclines and anticlines trending north-northwest, with several reverse faults. A suite of surveys was carried out in 1991, in the Asajino area in the central part of the coal field. The study included drilling, vertical seismic profiling, and trenching, as well as a reflection seismic survey with the crooked-line method, which is the subject of this paper. The crooked-line method was adopted because of the mountainous terrain of the area. The seismic lines were laid out along existing tracks and valleys. The main geological structure of the area had long been considered to be a monotonous series of folds. However, the 1991 survey revealed a large-scale thrust-related structure in the main coal seams, which presented clear reflectors. Together with the data from other surveys, a reinterpretation of the structure of the Asajino area is proposed.

scholarly journals Joint interpretation of magnetotelluric, seismic, and well-log data in Hontomín (Spain)

Solid Earth ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 943-958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xènia Ogaya ◽  
Juan Alcalde ◽  
Ignacio Marzán ◽  
Juanjo Ledo ◽  
Pilar Queralt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Velocity Model ◽  
Unconsolidated Sediments ◽  
Well Log ◽  
Storage Site ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Log Data ◽  
Velocity Models ◽  
Joint Interpretation

Abstract. Hontomín (N of Spain) hosts the first Spanish CO2 storage pilot plant. The subsurface characterization of the site included the acquisition of a 3-D seismic reflection and a circumscribed 3-D magnetotelluric (MT) survey. This paper addresses the combination of the seismic and MT results, together with the available well-log data, in order to achieve a better characterization of the Hontomín subsurface. We compare the structural model obtained from the interpretation of the seismic data with the geoelectrical model resulting from the MT data. The models correlate well in the surroundings of the CO2 injection area with the major structural differences observed related to the presence of faults. The combination of the two methods allowed a more detailed characterization of the faults, defining their geometry, and fluid flow characteristics, which are key for the risk assessment of the storage site. Moreover, we use the well-log data of the existing wells to derive resistivity–velocity relationships for the subsurface and compute a 3-D velocity model of the site using the 3-D resistivity model as a reference. The derived velocity model is compared to both the predicted and logged velocity in the injection and monitoring wells, for an overall assessment of the computed resistivity–velocity relationships. The major differences observed are explained by the different resolution of the compared geophysical methods. Finally, the derived velocity model for the near surface is compared with the velocity model used for the static corrections in the seismic data. The results allowed extracting information about the characteristics of the shallow unconsolidated sediments, suggesting possible clay and water content variations. The good correlation of the velocity models derived from the resistivity–velocity relationships and the well-log data demonstrate the potential of the combination of the two methods for characterizing the subsurface, in terms of its physical properties (velocity, resistivity) and structural/reservoir characteristics. This work explores the compatibility of the seismic and magnetotelluric methods across scales highlighting the importance of joint interpretation in near surface and reservoir characterization.

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