Coal prospect evaluation using high‐resolution reflection seismology — a case study

Abstract

High‐resolution seismic reflection profiling can be used to evaluate detailed structural and stratigraphic features of coal prospects. Since most coal prospects are relatively shallow (less than 600 m deep), the vertical and lateral resolution of seismic data can be significantly improved by high sampling rates in space and time. The following case study shows the effective use of seismic data in evaluation of the Wyodak coal at a prospective coal gasification site. The data were used to map the detailed structure and thickness of the coal and to search for lateral discontinuities, such as pinchouts and faults. An important find was a paleochannel cutting across the base of the coal seam, which was later confirmed by drilling.