Seismic velocity-depth relation in foreland basins: the case study of the Central Adriatic Sea

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vittorio Scisciani ◽  
Paolo Mancinelli
Keyword(s):  
Adriatic Sea ◽  
Seismic Velocity ◽  
Vertical Component ◽  
Foreland Basin ◽  
Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽  
Foreland Basins ◽  
Seismic Profiles ◽  
Borehole Data ◽  
Geophysical Processes ◽  
Stratigraphic Evolution

<p>In the frame of the geological characterization of the subsurface, the multidisciplinary approach is key to fully understand the geological and geophysical processes. Seismic data analysis and interpretation would result in a mere exercise without constraints provided by geological, geophysical and petrophysical data. These constraints may be provided by borehole data, surface geology or laboratory measurements on samples. In this work, to support geological understanding of foreland basins we integrate reprocessed seismic profiles and borehole data in the Central Adriatic Sea to investigate the velocity-depth trend of the Pliocene-Quaternary turbiditic siliciclastic deposits. These deposits play a key role in the reconstruction of the geodynamic and stratigraphic evolution of the foreland basin, as well as on the hydrocarbon exploration and gas storage in central Adriatic. Relying on independent approaches to map two way time (TWT) thickness of the PH deposits, we converge on testing linear and exponential functions to predict V<sub>P</sub> depth trend. Results suggest that for large (> 1500 m) thicknesses of the PH deposits best fit is achieved by the exponential function V<sub>P</sub>(z) = c z<sup>(1-n)</sup> while for thinner deposits, a linear function like V<sub>P</sub>(z) = V<sub>0</sub> + k z provides best fitting estimates. We also investigate anomalies in velocity trend with depth and suggest that velocity drops observed in deep (2500-3500 m) PH sequences may reflect overpressure of these deposits. An hypothesis supported by the high sedimentation rates in central Adriatic during Pliocene. Finally, we stress the importance of considering vertical-component phenomena and their time evolution when modelling foreland basins.</p>

Insights into seismic activity of Central Adriatic offshore (Italy) evidenced by the 2013-2014, Conero seismic sequence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guido Maria Adinolfi ◽  
Elvira Battimelli ◽  
Ortensia Amoroso ◽  
Paolo Capuano
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Activity ◽  
Adriatic Sea ◽  
Probabilistic Approach ◽  
Active Faults ◽  
Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Seismic Sequence ◽  
Borehole Data ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
Orogenic Belts

<p>The Adriatic region has always attracted the interests of researchers involved in the study of the tectonic processes that controlled the evolution of the Alpine-Mediterranean area. It has been considered as an undeformed area, an aseismic, rigid block located between two active orogenic belts, the Apennines and External Dinarides thrust belts. Nevertheless, new scientific evidences reveal a complex structural framework in which active faults are capable to produce seismic activity not only along the borders of Adriatic Sea, but also in the offshore areas. In fact, the outer thrusts of Apennines and Dinarides orogenic belts propagated from the coasts to the offshore areas originating active, NW-SE trending anticlines and thrust faults that affects the Plio-Quaternary sequences.</p><p>Defining the seismotectonics of Adriatic domain and studying the active tectonics of the area with its seismogenic potential represent a challenge because the sea prevents direct observation of main geological and structural lineaments and the deployment of standard seismic networks for a more accurate analysis of seismicity. Despite the existence of new evidences, derived from seismic profiles and borehole data, by hydrocarbon exploration, correct seismic hazard estimates of Adriatic Sea require original and accurate data on the seismic activity that can allow to depict the number, size and geometry of seismogenic sources.</p><p>In this work, we focused our attention on the seismic sequence, consisting of about 230 events,  which occurred along the Central Adriatic coast, in the Conero offshore, during the 2013-2104, with a M<sub>L</sub> 4.9 mainshock located at 20 km far away from city of Ancona, the main city of Marche region. After a careful and innovative selection of the data recorded from the Italian National Seismic Network, operated by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, the earthquakes were relocated according to a probabilistic approach. By the inversion of the polarity of the P-wave first arrivals, the focal mechanisms were estimated and finally the local magnitudes were re-calculated. Moreover, in order verify if there has been a migration of seismicity with the activation of different faults during the seismic sequence, the analysis of spatio-temporal evolution of the seismic sequence was performed. Preliminary results show that the seismic sequence was originated mainly at small depths (< 10 km) along NW-SE trending thrust fault structures as evidenced by fault plane solutions, consistent with NE-SW horizontal, maximum compression of the outer front of Apennines thrust belt, still active in the Central Adriatic offshore.</p>

scholarly journals Structural and Economic Analysis of Meyal Oil Field in the Northern Potwar Deformed Zone, Upper Indus Basin, Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 65-71
Author(s):  
Muhammad Armaghan Faisal Miraj ◽  
Muhammad Yaseen ◽  
Abid Ali ◽  
Rana Faizan Saleem ◽  
Sher Afgan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Foreland Basin ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽  
Indus Basin ◽  
Thickness Variation ◽  
Borehole Data ◽  
Subsurface Structures ◽  
Structural Style ◽  
Exploratory Wells ◽  
Meyal Oil Field

Potwar sub-basin is famous for its structural style, hydrocarbon exploration and production activities from Cambrian to Pliocene rocks. Foreland basin related subsurface structures, in the presence of source and seal rocks offer a variety of traps to host hydrocarbons. Meyal Oil field, situated in the NW Potwar sub-basin, is a hydrocarbon resource for the country. Subsurface structures of Meyal area were outlined by interpreting two strike and four dip lines in IHS Kingdom suite. Borehole data of MYL-10, MYL-12 and MYL-13 exploratory wells were incorporated to improve the subsurface understanding. A total five prominent reflectors of Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Paleocene and Eocene rocks were marked on the seismic sections. The seismic interpretation shows a post Eocene pop-up structure flanked by a back thrust and a fore thrust. Moreover, the time structure maps for Meyal area display a doubly plunging and faulted anticline as a result of south directed compression. Four isochron maps show thickness variation in Permian to Eocene sediments in the study area. The results of interpretation show favorable structural trap for economic hydrocarbon exploration.

scholarly journals Volcanism and Volcanogenic Submarine Sedimentation in the Paleogene Foreland Basins of the Alps: Reassessing the Source-to-Sink Systems with an Actualist View

Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Andrea Di Capua ◽  
Federica Barilaro ◽  
Gianluca Groppelli
Keyword(s):  
Foreland Basin ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Foreland Basins ◽  
The North ◽  
Source To Sink ◽  
The Alps ◽  
Alpine Foreland ◽  
Alpine Foreland Basin ◽  
Tectonic Lineament ◽  
First Time

This work critically reviews the Eocene–Oligocene source-to-sink systems accumulating volcanogenic sequences in the basins around the Alps. Through the years, these volcanogenic sequences have been correlated to the plutonic bodies along the Periadriatic Fault System, the main tectonic lineament running from West to East within the axis of the belt. Starting from the large amounts of data present in literature, for the first time we present an integrated 4D model on the evolution of the sediment pathways that once connected the magmatic sources to the basins. The magmatic systems started to develop during the Eocene in the Alps, supplying detritus to the Adriatic Foredeep. The progradation of volcanogenic sequences in the Northern Alpine Foreland Basin is subsequent and probably was favoured by the migration of the magmatic systems to the North and to the West. At around 30 Ma, the Northern Apennine Foredeep also was fed by large volcanogenic inputs, but the palinspastic reconstruction of the Adriatic Foredeep, together with stratigraphic and petrographic data, allows us to safely exclude the Alps as volcanogenic sources. Beyond the regional case, this review underlines the importance of a solid stratigraphic approach in the reconstruction of the source-to-sink system evolution of any basin.

Channel waves in cross‐borehole data

Geophysics ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 334-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry R. Lines ◽  
Kenneth R. Kelly ◽  
John Queen
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Velocity ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Borehole Data ◽  
Geological Information ◽  
Channel Wave ◽  
First Arrival ◽  
Borehole Seismic ◽  
Seismic Velocity Contrasts ◽  
Ray Bending

Layered geological formations with large seismic velocity contrasts can effectively create channel waves in cross‐borehole seismic data. The existence of channel waves for such waveguides can be confirmed by ray tracing, wave equation modeling, and modal analysis. Channel wave arrivals are identified in cross‐borehole data recorded at Conoco’s Newkirk test facility. For these data, where velocity contrasts are about 2 to 1, tomography based on first arrival traveltimes, is limited due to problems with extreme ray bending and seismic shadow zones. However, it may be possible to extract geological information using channel wave information. The seismometer differencing method appears to be a promising approach for detecting waveguide boundaries by use of cross‐borehole data.

Seismic evidence of the Messinian events in the Adriatic basin

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Lanzoni ◽  
Anna Del Ben ◽  
Edy Forlin ◽  
Federica Donda ◽  
Massimo Zecchin
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Adriatic Sea ◽  
Carbonate Platform ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Seismic Profiles ◽  
Northern Adriatic ◽  
Platform Margin ◽  
Gargano Promontory ◽  
Po Delta ◽  
Adriatic Basin

<p>The Adriatic basin represents one of several restricted basins located in the Mediterranean Area. It consists of the foreland of three different orogenic belts: the Dinarides to the East, active during the Eocene, the Southern Alps to the North, active since the Cretaceous time, and the Apennines to the West, active since the Paleogene. The Apennines had a primary role during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC), conditioning the connection between the Adriatic basin, the Ionian basin, and the proto-Tyrrhenian basin. During the Messinian, the present Adriatic Sea was characterized by shallow water domains, where gypsum evaporites initially deposited and often successively incised or outcropped. </p><p>In the past 50 years, a massive dataset, composed of 2D multichannel seismic data and boreholes, was collected, covering almost the whole Adriatic basin in the Italian offshore. In this work, we interpreted the Plio-Quaternary base (PQb), based on available public datasets and on seismic profiles present in literature, which provided regional information from the northernmost Trieste Gulf (Northern Adriatic Sea) to the Otranto Channel (Southern Adriatic Sea). Here, we propose the PQb time-structural map, obtained by analyzing more than 600 seismic profiles. The PQb represents both the Messinian erosion and/or the top of the Messinian evaporites. It is characterized by a high-amplitude reflector, commonly called “horizon M” in the old literature. Principal findings concerning the Messinian event are summarized as below: </p><p>-The Northern Adriatic (Gulf of Trieste, Gulf of Venice, Po delta, Kvarner Area) reveals widespread channelized systems produced by the initial decrease of the sea level, followed by subaerial erosion, related to further sea level decrease. High-grade erosion involved the nearby Adriatic carbonate platform in the Croatian offshore, where deep valleys, filled with Last Messinian or post- Messinian sediments, cut through the limestones.</p><p>-The Central Adriatic (from the Po delta to the Gargano Promontory) displays a higher evaporites accumulation than the northern sector. Meanwhile, the Mid-Adriatic Ridge was already developing, along with the Apennine Chain, which was in a westernmost position. Erosional features in the deeper area are related to channelized systems, which followed the evaporites deposition. Meanwhile, also the Mid-Adriatic Ridge was affected by erosion.</p><p>-The Southern Adriatic (from the Gargano Promontory to the Otranto Channel) is characterized by the Mesozoic Apulia carbonate platform, covered by a thin Cenozoic sequence affected by subaerial erosion or non-deposition. The platform margin and the slope leading to the deepest South Adriatic basin, where a Messinian gypsum layer, also recorded in the Albanian and Croatian offshore, shows a lower level of upper erosion.</p><p>In general, we notice strongly variable thicknesses of the horizon M, which is related to submarine erosion (channels), subaerial erosion (discontinuous surfaces), non-deposition (possible unconformity), and tilting toward the surrounding chains (deepening horizons). In this work, we evaluate these different components from a regional point of view.  </p>

Westward propagation of thrusts in the external Western Alps (France) reappraised from an updated chronostratigraphy of the Miocene Molasses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Kalifi ◽  
Philippe-Hervé Leloup ◽  
Philippe Sorrel ◽  
Albert Galy ◽  
François Demory ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Foreland Basin ◽  
Western Alps ◽  
Seismic Profiles ◽  
Stratigraphic Framework ◽  
Basin Scale ◽  
Deformation Kinematics ◽  
Westward Migration ◽  
External Part ◽  
Tectonics And Sedimentation

<p>The fact that the western Alps Miocene foreland basin succession is poorly dated impacts directly our understanding of the deformation kinematics of that part of the external part of the Alpine belt (France). Here we propose a multidisciplinary approach aiming at building a robust tectono-stratigraphic framework of the Miocene deposits at the basin scale (northern subalpine massifs, southern Jura, Royans, Bas-Dauphiné and La Bresse basins). Sr isotopes stratigraphy combined with magnetostratigraphy and biostratigraphy enable sequence stratigraphy subdivisions S1 to S8 between the Upper Aquitanian (-21 Ma) and the Tortonian (-9 Ma) dated with a precision <0.5 Ma. These results highlight four different palaeogeographical domains during the Miocene: (i) the oriental domain with depositional sequences S1a to S3 (~21.3 to 15Ma), (ii) the median domain, in which sequences S2, S3, S4 and S5 occurred (~17.8 to 14Ma), (iii) the occidental domain with sequences S2 to S8 (~17.8 to ~9.5Ma); and (iv) the Bressan domain, in which sequences S6 to S8 are found (~ 11.5 to ~9.5Ma).</p><p>This revised chronostratigraphy was complemented with a structural and tectono-sedimentary study based on new fieldwork data and a reappraisal of regional seismic profiles, allowing to highlight five major faults zones (FZ). It appears that the oriental, median and occidental paleogeographical domains are delineated by FZ1, FZ2 and FZ3, therefore suggesting a strong interplay between tectonics and sedimentation. Evidences of syntectonic deposits and a westward migration of the depocenters impart the following deformation chronology : a Oligocene compressive phase (P1) corresponding to thrusting above FZ1 rooted east (above) Belledonne, which generated reliefs that limited the early Miocene transgression to the east; an Early- to Middle Miocene W-WNW/E-ESE-directed compressive phase (P2) involving the Belledonne massif basal thrust, which between 18.05 +/- 0.15 Ma and 12Ma successively activated the Salève thrust fault, and the FZ2 to FZ5 from east to west. P2 deeply impacted the Miocene palaeogeographical evolution by a rapid westward migration of depocenters in response to the exhumation of piggy-back basins above the growing fault zones; a last Tortonian phase (P3), less well constrained, apparently implied a significant uplift in the subalpine massifs, combined with the activation of the frontal Jura thrust.</p>

Deepwater reservoir prediction using broadband seismic-driven impedance inversion and seismic sedimentology in the South China Sea

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. SO17-SO29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaneng Luo ◽  
Handong Huang ◽  
Yadi Yang ◽  
Qixin Li ◽  
Sheng Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South China Sea ◽  
South China ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Seismic Velocity ◽  
The South China Sea ◽  
Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽  
The South ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
China Sea ◽  
Impedance Inversion

In recent years, many important discoveries have been made in the marine deepwater hydrocarbon exploration in the South China Sea, which indicates the huge exploration potential of this area. However, the seismic prediction of deepwater reservoirs is very challenging because of the complex sedimentation, the ghost problem, and the low exploration level with sparse wells in deepwater areas. Conventional impedance inversion methods interpolate the low frequencies from well-log data with the constraints of interpreted horizons to fill in the frequency gap between the seismic velocity and seismic data and thereby recover the absolute impedance values that may be inaccurate and cause biased inversion results if wells are sparse and geology is complex. The variable-depth streamer seismic data contain the missing low frequencies and provide a new opportunity to remove the need to estimate the low-frequency components from well-log data. Therefore, we first developed a broadband seismic-driven impedance inversion approach using the seismic velocity as initial low-frequency model based on the Bayesian framework. The synthetic data example demonstrates that our broadband impedance inversion approach is of high resolution and it can automatically balance between the inversion resolution and stability. Then, we perform seismic sedimentology stratal slices on the broadband seismic data to analyze the depositional evolution history of the deepwater reservoirs. Finally, we combine the broadband amplitude stratal slices with the impedance inversion results to comprehensively predict the distribution of deepwater reservoirs. Real data application results in the South China Sea verify the feasibility and effectiveness of our method, which can provide a guidance for the future deepwater hydrocarbon exploration in this area.

Growth fold controls on carbonate distribution in mixed foreland basins: insights from the Amiran foreland basin (NW Zagros, Iran) and stratigraphic numerical modelling

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduard Saura ◽  
Jean-Christophe Embry ◽  
Jaume Vergés ◽  
David W. Hunt ◽  
Emilio Casciello ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Modelling ◽  
Foreland Basin ◽  
Foreland Basins

scholarly journals Pre-salt rift morphology controls salt tectonics in the Campos Basin, offshore SE Brazil

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francyne B. Amarante ◽  
Christopher A-L. Jackson ◽  
Leonardo M. Pichel ◽  
Claiton M. S. Scherer ◽  
Juliano Kuchle
Keyword(s):  
Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽  
Passive Margin ◽  
Salt Tectonics ◽  
Borehole Data ◽  
Temporal And Spatial Distribution ◽  
South Central ◽  
Campos Basin ◽  
Se Brazil ◽  
Gravity Driven ◽  
Base Salt

<p>Salt-bearing passive margin basins offshore SE Brazil have been and remain attractive for hydrocarbon exploration and production. In the Campos Basin, major reservoir types include post-salt turbidites, which are located in structural traps related to thin-skinned faulting above salt anticlines and rollers. Classic models of gravity-driven salt tectonics commonly depict kinematically linked zones of deformation, characterised by updip extension and downdip contraction, separated by a weakly deformed zone associated with downdip translation above a relatively smooth base-salt surface. We use 2D and 3D seismic reflection and borehole data from the south-central Campos Basin to show that this does not adequately capture the styles of salt-detached gravity-driven deformation above relict, rift-related relief. The base-salt surface is composed of elongated, broadly seaward-dipping ramps with structural relief reaching c. 2 km. These ramps define the boundary between the External High and the External Low, basement structures related to the rift tectonics. Local deformation associated with the base-salt ramps can overprint and/or influence regional, margin-scale patterns of deformation producing kinematically-variable and multiphase salt deformation. We define three domains of thin-skinned deformation: an updip extensional domain, subdivided into subdomains E1 and E2, an intermediate multiphase domain and a downdip contractional domain. The multiphase domain is composed of three types of salt structures with a hybrid extensional-contractional origin and evolution. These are: (i) contractional anticlines that were subjected to later extension and normal faulting; (ii) diapirs with passive and active growth later subjected to regional extension, developing landward-dipping normal faults on the landward flank; and, lastly, (iii) an extensional diapir that was subsequently squeezed. We argue that this multiphase style of deformation occurs as a consequence of base-salt geometry and relief creating local variations of salt flow that localize extension at the top and along the ramps, and contraction at the base. Translation and extension of salt and its overburden across major base-salt ramps resulted in three ramp syncline basins northeast of the study area, partially bounded by salt-detached listric faults. The temporal and spatial distribution and evolution of these and other key salt and overburden structures, and their relationship to base-salt relief, suggest 30 to 60 km of horizontal gravity-driven translation of salt and overburden.</p>

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