Interpreter Sam

Abstract

Sam attended a meeting at which Glen, a geophysicist in the company's exploration technology group, presented the results of a 2D gravity modeling study for a regional line through one of the company's recently acquired concessions. This particular area, which was located in a remote and essentially unexplored thrust belt, was adjacent to a foreland basin in which Sam had interpreted the only available seismic data, a relatively loose grid of generally poor quality 2D lines. Several of these lines extended into the thrust belt, but they were virtually uninterpretable — hence the importance of the gravity modeling, which was guided by regional concepts and constrained by surface geology. Sam's seismic interpretation was part of a work program in which the company was committed to drilling at least one well in a previously acquired concession covering most of the foreland basin; this activity was key to the company's regional strategy, the ultimate goal of which was to explore the thrust belt.