Seismic attribute analysis of a fault zone in the Thebe field, NW Shelf, Australia

Seismic data is one of the main ways to characterize faults in the subsurface. Faults are 3D entities and their internal structure play a key role in controlling fluid flow in the subsurface. We aim to characterize a geologically sound fault volume that could be used for subsurface model conditioning. We present an attribute analysis of a normal fault from a high resolution seismic dataset of the Thebe Field, offshore NW Australia. We merge together a series of common attributes for fault characterization: dip, semblance and tensor (DST), and we also introduce a new Total Horizontal Derivative (THD) attribute to define the edges of the fault zone. We apply a robust statistical analysis of the attributes and fault damage definition through the analysis of 2D profiles along interpreted horizons. Using the THD attribute, we interpret a smaller width of the fault zone and a more straightforward definition of the boundaries than from the DST cube. Following the extraction of this fault volume, we define two seismic facies that are correlated to lithologies extracted from our conceptual model. We observe a wider fault zone at larger throws, which corresponds also to syn-rift sequence, hence more complex internal fault damage. Our method provides volumes at adequate scale for reservoir modeling and could therefore be used as a proxy for property conditioning.

NORMALIZED VERTICAL DERIVATIVES IN THE EDGE ENHANCEMENT OF MAXIMUM-EDGE-RECOGNITION METHODS IN POTENTIAL FIELDS

Gravity and magnetic data have unique advantages for studying the lateral extents of geological bodies. There is a class of methods for edge recognition called the maximum-edge-recognition methods that use their extreme values to locate the edges of geological bodies. These methods include the total horizontal derivative, the analytic signal amplitude, the theta map, and the normalized standard deviation. These are all first-order derivative-based techniques. There are also higher-order derivative-based methods that are derived from the first-order filters, for example, the total horizontal derivative of the tilt angle. We present an edge recognition filter that is based on the idea of the normalized vertical derivatives of existing methods. For each maximum-edge-recognition method, we first calculate its nth-order vertical derivative and then use thresholding to locate its peaks. The peak values are subsequently normalized by the values of the original maximum-edge-recognition method. Testing on synthetic and real data shows that the normalized vertical derivatives of the maximum-edge-recognition methods have higher accuracy, better lateral resolution and are more interpretable than existing techniques, and thus are a worthwhile addition to the set of edge-detection tools for potential-field data.

Structural interpretation of High-resolution aeromagnetic data over the Dahomey basin, Nigeria: implications for hydrocarbon prospectivity

The renewed quest to boost Nigeria’s dwindling reserves through aggressive search for oil and gas deposits in Cretaceous sedimentary basins has re-ignited the need to re-evaluate the hydrocarbon potentials of the Dahomey Basin. Aeromagnetic data are a low-cost geophysical tool deployed in mapping regional basement structures and determination of basement depths and sedimentary thickness in frontier basin exploration. In this study, high-resolution aeromagnetic (HRAM) data covering the Dahomey Basin Nigeria have been interpreted to map the basement structural configuration and to identify mini-basins favorable for hydrocarbon prospectivity. The total magnetic intensity grid was reduced to the equator (RTE) and edge detection filters including first vertical derivative (FVD), total horizontal derivative (THDR), tilt derivative (TDR) and total horizontal derivative of upward continuation (THDR_UC)) were applied to the RTE grid to locate the edges and contacts of geological structures in the basin. Depth to magnetic sources were estimated using the source parameter imaging (SPI) method. Data interpretation results revealed shallow and deep-seated linear features trending in the NNE-SSW, NE-SW, NW-SE and WNW-ESE directions. The SPI map showed a rugged basement topography which depicted a horst-graben architecture on 2D forward models along some selected profiles. Two mini-basins ranging in basement depths between 4.5 – 6.3km were mapped offshore of the study area. It appears the offshore Dahomey Basin holds greater promises for hydrocarbon occurrence due to the presence of thicker succession of sedimentary deposits in the identified mini-basins.

A combined Euler deconvolution and tilt angle method for interpretation of magnetic data in the South region

Introduction: The purpose of this paper is to determinate the position, depth, dip direction and dip angle the faults in the South region of Vietnam from the total magnetic intensity anomalies, that reduced to the magnetic pole (RTP). Methods: Based on the Oasis Montaj software, we proposed a new way to compute the positions and the depth to the top of the faults by combining the Tilt angle and the Euler deconvolution methods. In addition, the angle and direction of the dip of theses faults were also determined by considering maximum of the total horizontal derivative of the RTP upward continuation at the different height levels. Results: The results show that there are 12 faults along the longitudinal direction, latitudinal direction, Northwest — Southeast direction and Northeast — Southwest direction with the mazimum depth is about 3100 m and the dip angle changes in the range of 65-82◦. Results: These indicate that these methods are valuable tools for specifying the characteristics of geology, contribute to give and confirm the useful information on geological structure in the South region of Vietnam.

3D gravity inversion with optimized mesh based on edge and center anomaly detection

Gravity inversion is inherently nonunique. Minimum-structure inversion has proved effective at dealing with this nonuniqueness. However, such an inversion approach, which involves a large number of unknown parameters, is computationally expensive. To improve efficiency while retaining the advantages of a minimum-structure-style inversion, we have developed a new method, based on edge detection and center detection of geologic bodies, to help to focus the spatial extent of meshing for gravity inversion. The chosen method of edge detection, normalized vertical derivative of the total horizontal derivative, helps to outline areas to be meshed by approximating the edges of key geophysical bodies. Next, the method of center detection, normalized vertical derivative of the analytic signal amplitude, helps to confirm the center of the areas to be meshed, then a binary mesh flag is generated. In this paper, the binary mesh flag, restricting the spatial extent of meshing, is first undertaken using the two methods, and it is shown to dramatically reduce the number of grid cells from 574,992 for the whole research volume to 170,544 for the localized mesh by the same size of cell, which is decreased by almost 70%. Second, gravity inversion is performed using the spatially restricted mesh. The recovered model constructed using the binary mesh flag is similar to the model obtained using the mesh spanning the whole volume and saves approximately 80% of the CPU time. Finally, a real gravity data example from Olympic Dam in Australia is successfully used to test the validity and practicability of this proposed method. The geologic source bodies are resolved between 250 and 750 m depth. Overall, the combination of edge detection and center detection, and our binary mesh flag, succeed in reducing the number of cells and saving the CPU time and computer storage required for gravity inversion.

Geophysical Data Processing for the Delineation of Tectonic Lineaments in South Cameroon

The processing of aeromagnetic and gravity data of the Northern part of Congo Craton (South Cameroon region), between latitudes 2°30’-3°30’ N and longitudes 12°-13° E, permitted the determination of the structural features ccurring within the Precambrian basement (Ntem Complex) southwards and the Pan-African belt (Yaounde Group) northwards. The maxima of the Horizontal Gradient within the study area, were obtained using the Blakely and Simpson method (1986). Those maxima were used to trace the magnetic lineaments of the study area. Furthermore, the Total Horizontal derivative of the Tilt derivative applied on the residual grid of Bouguer anomaly guaranteed the enhancement of linear structures which were automatically extracted using the CET Grid Analysis algorithm. The superimposition of both magnetic and gravity lineaments allowed us to display the structural framework of the area, whose major trending directions are E-W, ENE-WSW, and NE-SW. These major lineament directions are likely to be linked to one or more than a single tectonic event such as the ENE-WSW/NE-SW trends, considered as the subduction direction of the Congo craton beneath the Pan-African belt. These trends may be linked to the Eburnean orogeny and are also said to be connected to the Central African Shear Zone (CASZ). The geophysical lineaments identified in the study are defined as potential targets along which mineralization may have been formed, considering the economic potential of the area.

3D Modeling and Tectonic Interpretation of the Erzincan Basin (Turkey) using Potential Field Data

Erzincan Basin was investigated using gravity data within the scope of this study. It is also aimed to reveal the discontinuities in the work area as well as the buried discontinuities. Boundary determination filters and analysis of the structure of the data and its connection are revealed and clear information is obtained. Gravity anomalies were applied with an upward continuation method for 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1 km levels. Total Horizontal Derivative (THD) filter, Analytical Signal (AS) filter, Tilt Angle Derivative (Tilt) filter, Total Horizontal Derivative (THDR) filter, Theta Angle Derivative (Cos ɵ) filter, Hyperbolic Tilt Angle Derivative (HTAD) were applied to upward continued data. The discontinuities in the region and the boundaries of the geological structure were revealed. Tilt and Theta Angle derivatives yield the best results from the applied derivative based filters. The obtained data were compared with the existing surface geology and the compatibility between the formations was checked. New discontinuities were found in addition to the discontinuities determined from surface observations in the light of the obtained results. Erzincan Basin was modeled in three dimensions using gravity data of the study area. As a result of modeling, Erzincan Basin has been determined to have an average thickness of 7 km.Total Horizontal Derivative (THD) filter, Analytical Signal (AS) filter, Tilt Angle Derivative (TAd) filter, Total Horizontal Derivative (THDR) filter, Teta Angle Derivative (Cos ɵ) filter, Hyperbolic Tilt Angle Derivative (HTAD) were applied to upward continued data. The discontinuities in the region and the boundaries of the geological structure were revealed. Tilt and Theta angle derivatives yield the best results from the applied derivative based filters. The obtained data were compared with the existing surface geology and the compatibility between the formations was checked. New discontinuities were found in addition to the discontinuities determined from surface observations in the light of the obtained results. Erzincan basin is modeled in three dimensions using gravity data of the study area. As a result of modeling, Erzincan Basin has been determined to have an average thickness of 7 km.

3D gravity inversion of basement relief for a rift basin based on combined multinorm and normalized vertical derivative of the total horizontal derivative techniques

The basement of a rift sedimentary basin, often possessing smooth and nonsmooth shapes, is not easily recovered from gravity data by current inversion methods. We have developed a new 3D gravity inversion method to estimate the basement relief of a rift basin. In the inversion process, we have established the objective function by combining the gravity data misfit function, the known depth constraint function, and the model constraint function composed of the [Formula: see text]-norm and [Formula: see text]-norm, respectively. An edge recognition technology based on the normalized vertical derivative of the total horizontal derivative for gravity data is adopted to recognize the discontinuous and continuous parts of the basin and combine the two inputs to form the final model constraint function. The inversion is conducted by minimizing the objective function by the nonlinear conjugate gradient algorithm. We have developed two applications using synthetic gravity anomalies produced from two synthetic rift basins, one with a single graben and one with six differently sized grabens. The test results indicate that the inversion method is a feasible technique to delineate the basement relief of a rift basin. The inversion method is also tested on field data from the Xi’an depression in the middle of the Weihe Basin, Shaanxi Province, China, and the result illustrates its effectiveness.

NAV-Edge: Edge detection of potential-field sources using normalized anisotropy variance

Most existing edge-detection algorithms are based on the derivatives of potential-field data, and thus, enhance high wavenumber information and are sensitive to noise. The normalized anisotropy variance method (NAV-Edge) was proposed for detecting edges of potential-field anomaly sources based on the idea of normalized standard deviation (NSTD). The main improvement over the balanced, windowed normalized variance method (i.e., NSTD) used for similar purposes was the application of an anisotropic Gaussian function designed to detect directional edges and reduce sensitivity to noise. NAV-Edge did not directly use higher-order derivatives and was less sensitive to noise than the traditional methods that use derivatives in their calculation. The utility of NAV-Edge was demonstrated using synthetic potential-field data and real magnetic data. Compared with several existing methods (i.e., the curvature of horizontal gradient amplitude, tilt angle and its total-horizontal derivative, theta map, and NSTD), NAV-Edge produced superior results by locating edges closer to the true edges, resulting in better interpretive images.