Presenting seismic stratigraphy and attribute analysis as pioneer techniques for delineation of reservoir quality sand bodies in the Indus Offshore Basin, southwest Pakistan

Abstract

It is generally believed that various exploration failures in the offshore areas of Pakistan are due to the absence of a mature petroleum system. However, a few recent gas shows and shales with 0.55–3.24% TOC suggest that a Middle-Upper Miocene lowstand systems tract (LST) exists that possesses organic, paleo-environmental, and sequence stratigraphic characteristics of a potential source rock. The objective of this work was to highlight and delineate the slope and basin facies through seismic sequence stratigraphy and seismic attribute analysis as a new approach to the interpretation of the southwestern Lower Indus Basin of Pakistan. Working within a sequence stratigraphic framework, four sequences have been delineated on the basis of reflection termination patterns. A sea-level curve was constructed from the reflection patterns representing coastal onlap. This sea-level curve was compared to a hypothetical sea-level curve generated by a spectral analysis Fourier transform function on the density logs.