Sub-salt imaging in the Gulf of Suez

Abstract

Abstract Sub-salt imaging on seismic data is a serious geophysical problem affecting exploration in the Gulf of Suez. Here, thick Miocene evaporite, shale and salt sequences with salt tectonics overlie rift structures involving pre-Miocene and Miocene oil-producing formations. This paper discusses the seismic imaging problems associated with salt swells in the Gulf of Suez and presents experimental work by GUPCO that has provided a better understanding and possible solution to the imaging problem. A realistic model for the Gulf was used to generate synthetic shot records using finite difference modelling. Processing of the simulated data in conjunction with actual field data led to improved understanding of the wave propagation behaviour in the subsurface, and to a realization of the validity of the common midpoint stacking technique and post-stack depth migration.