Seismic Interpretation Research Articles

Seismic lithology and geological implications of pre-salt jurassic carbonate rocks in the Amu Darya Right Bank

The formation and evolution of oil and gas reservoirs are typically related to the environment where sedimentary facies occur and regional sedimentary facies are distributed. The accurate characterization of reef–shoal complexes is one of the important tasks for exploring oil and gas in carbonate reservoirs. However, most traditional methods for characterizing sedimentary facies are based on high-density drilling data, core data, and thin-section data, often making them less suitable in areas with few drilled wells or sparse well networks. Hence, they often cannot characterize sedimentary facies accurately, severely hindering the oil and gas exploration success rate. This study seeks to characterize sedimentary facies using limited amount of data from drilled wells. An innovative model representing the relationship between lithofacies and seismic attributes was established by comprehensively analyzing the relationship among lithologic associations, principal component analysis, and regression analysis based on seismic lithology and data from various sources. The sedimentary facies of the Upper Jurassic (Oxfordian) formation in the eastern region of the Amu Darya Right Bank were accurately characterized using Red-Green-Blue (RGB) fusion. These analyses indicate that the relationship among micrite, bioclastic micrite, and bioclastic limestone can effectively represent the developmental pattern of sedimentary facies in the study area. The planar distribution of sedimentary facies based on the relationship between the lithologic associations identified through seismic interpretation revealed the relationship between sedimentary facies and the paleomorphology of the region. Results show that the paleo-landform in the study area's western zone is low-lying, where shoals are poorly developed; the paleo-landform in the central zone is high, with high-energy water and well-developed and widely distributed thick shoals; and the eastern zone is far from the open sea and affected by the central-zone landform, with low-energy water and low-quality reef–shoal complexes. Controlled by the unique landforms of the study area, the western reservoirs are thin and have low quality, central reservoirs are thick with good petrophysical properties, and eastern reservoirs have differing thickness and petrophysical properties.

Reservoir characterization of the Abu Roash D Member through petrography and seismic interpretations in Southern Abu Gharadig Basin, Northern Western Desert, Egypt

This research combines petrography and seismic analysis to assess the Upper Cretaceous Abu Roash (AR)/D’s carbonate member composition in the Southwest Abu-Sennan oil field in the Southern Abu Gharadig Basin within the Northern Western Desert of Egypt. Various datasets were used, including petrographic thin sections, and electrical well logs for four stratigraphic wells (01, -02, -03, and, -04), along with a time domain seismic dataset covering the study area. Petrographic analysis across multiple depths and intervals has provided valuable insights. Well-01 demonstrates mud-wackstone with diverse mineral components at 1671–74 m MD, indicating favorable reservoir quality. Well-02 exhibits diverse compositions at intervals 1740–43 m MD and 1746–49 m MD, also showcasing good reservoir quality. Well-03 reveals a packstone rock type at 1662–65 m MD with favorable reservoir characteristics. Well-04 displays peloids Wack-Packstone and Oolitic Packstone at intervals 1764–67 m MD and 1770–73 m MD, respectively, both indicating good reservoir quality. Integrating the petrography and seismic attributes results concerning the structural level of AR/D concerning the used wells, it's evident that Well-03 stands out due to its relatively high structural level, drilled near a major fault, revealing distinct fracture sets that contribute to a notably high reservoir quality as depicted in the RMS amplitude and Ant track attributes maps. AR/D reservoir levels in wells 02, and, 04, are relatively positioned at structurally lower levels, and face challenges with overburden pressure and mechanical compaction, resulting in diminished facies quality for the reservoir. Seismic attributes like the Ant track and RMS amplitude indicated that the presence of fractures within the AR/D Member's carbonate is linked to the prevalence of interpreted normal faults. The implemented procedure in this research can be applied to enhance comprehension of AR/D carbonate reservoirs in adjacent regions, thereby increasing the hydrocarbon exploration possibilities.

S-wave seismic data interpretation for gas reservoir at Sanhu area, Qaidam Basin, west China

The Qigequan Formation at the Sanhu area of the Qaidam Basin in western China is a significant gas producing formation. However, the conventional P-wave seismic survey conducted in this region reveals the presence of extensive gas clouds that strongly attenuate P waves, resulting in substantial uncertainty regarding the subsurface structure. To address this challenge, a 3D-9C seismic survey was conducted to produce S-wave reflection data unaffected by gas clouds and yielding remarkably clearer subsurface images with a higher level of confidence. The processing of the S-wave data largely used conventional P-wave processing techniques, except for S-wave splitting, which produced distinct fast (S1) and slow (S2) S-wave data sets. Notably, the S2 data exhibited superior quality compared with the S1 data, enabling us to apply various seismic attribute techniques to extract geologic features. To validate our findings, we cross reference the seismic attribute results with well-log and production data, revealing a pronounced spatial correlation between the gas reservoir and channel structure, as the prime targets for potential gas reservoirs.

Prospects for Geological Storage of CO2 in Carbonate Formations of the Adriatic Offshore

Croatia has both significant CO2 emissions from the point sources and a history of oil and gas exploration, and this is why the CCS technology surfaced as a viable solution for curbing CO2 emissions on a national level. Since approximately half of emissions from the stationary industrial sources occur along the Adriatic coastline, the entire offshore area became an exploration target. Regional studies revealed the potential storage plays, one of which is in the aquifer of the Mesozoic carbonate complex with dual porosity extending all along the Croatian offshore area. Three structures were chosen in its central part–Klara, Kate and Perina. For the first two, the models were constructed based on the data from old exploration wells and a regional structural map, while for the Perina structure, a new seismic interpretation was added to better characterise its properties. It came out that the Kate structure appears to be the most prospective in general (45 Mt), with neighbouring Klara as the second (39 Mt), while the initially promising Perina (7 Mt) turned out to be of far lesser importance. The Perina structure case is an example that new seismic interpretation can reduce the capacity estimate if it reveals certain limiting factors, in this case, the limitation of structural closure.

Study on the Mechanism of Natural Gas Hydrate Decomposition and Seabed Seepage Triggered by Mass Transport Deposits

Previous studies indicate that mass transport deposits are related to the dynamic accumulation of natural gas hydrates and gas leakage. This research aims to elucidate the causal mechanism of seabed seepage in the western region of the southeastern Qiongdongnan Basin through the application of seismic interpretation and attribute fusion techniques. The mass transport deposits, bottom simulating reflector, submarine mounds, and other phenomena were identified through seismic interpretation techniques. Faults and fractures were identified by utilizing variance attribute analysis. Gas chimneys were identified using instantaneous frequency attribute analysis. Free gas and paleo-seepage points were identified using sweetness attributes, enabling the analysis of fluid seepage pathways and the establishment of a seepage evolution model. Research has shown that in areas where the mass transport deposits develop thicker layers, there is a greater uplift of the bottom boundary of the gas hydrate stability zone, which can significantly alter the seafloor topography. Conversely, the opposite is true. The research indicates that the upward migration of the gas hydrate stability zone, induced by the mass transport deposits in the study area, can result in the rapid decomposition of gas hydrates. The gas generated from the decomposition of gas hydrates is identified as the principal factor responsible for inducing seabed seepage. Moderate- and low-speed natural gas seepage can create spiny seamounts and domed seamounts, respectively.

Use of resistivity and density borehole image logs to identify and distribute facies in the Pikka unit — A case study from the Nanushuk Formation, North Slope, Alaska

Over the past few decades, the North Slope of Alaska has yielded several major hydrocarbon discoveries in the deltaic topsets of the Brookian Nanushuk Formation. Together, the Nanushuk topsets and genetically related foreset and bottomset beds of the Torok Formation comprise part of a giant clinothem system that prograded across the Colville Foreland Basin during the lower Cretaceous (the Aptian through the Cenomanian). The Nanushuk Topset Play contains stratigraphically trapped hydrocarbons within multiple fairways trending roughly north to south along the basin’s extent. Inside the Pikka Unit, the Nanushuk Formation represents a shelf-edge delta and attached shoreface system, defined primarily from sedimentological interpretations of conventional cores integrated with 3D seismic reflection data and well-log motifs. In this study, we build a structural and stratigraphic framework for the Nanushuk reservoir across the Pikka Unit through integrated observations of the borehole image logs, seismic data, and core. In the described workflow, the boundaries delimiting dip zones interpreted in the wells are correlated to higher order stratigraphic cycles within the Nanushuk clinothem zone. These boundaries are observed in seismic profiles and provide the basis of the structural framework. In addition, core facies interpretations are calibrated to CT-scan data to establish each facies character and vertical distribution within the wells. In the absence of core data, core-calibrated borehole images are instrumental in guiding sedimentological and structural interpretations. This extrapolation is dependent on the image log quality and resolution. The calibrated facies interpretations are applied to wells without core data and guided by seismic amplitude interpretation to extrapolate reservoir presence and distribution across the area.

Impact of reservoir quality on the carbon storage potential of the Bunter Sandstone Formation, Southern North Sea

The Lower Triassic Bunter Sandstone Formation is a major prospective reservoir for carbon capture, utilization and storage in the UK Southern North Sea, and is likely to play a pivotal role in the UK reaching mid-century Net Zero targets. A knowledge gap in reservoir quality exists between previous detailed, but highly focused front-end engineering and development projects, and large-scale regional analysis. This study integrates a regional approach with locally derived reservoir characterization, offering a holistic analysis of the prospectivity of the Bunter Sandstone Formation for subsurface CO 2 storage. Petrophysical analysis of ninety-six wells across the UK Southern North Sea is coupled with seismic interpretation to understand spatial variations of reservoir thickness, facies and quality that underpin theoretical CO 2 storage capacity models. Electrofacies classification is employed to identify and correlate baffles and barriers to permeability over areas currently licensed for geological carbon storage. Our findings point to variable, but broadly favourable reservoir conditions, though identification and correlation of laterally extensive intraformational mudstones and halite-cemented horizons will likely present challenges to CO 2 injection. Within carbon storage license blocks CS001, CS006 and CS007, the Bunter Sandstone Formation has the potential to store 5700 MCO 2 t, the equivalent of seventy-nine years of the UK's 2022 business and industrial CO 2 emissions. A further 434 MCO 2 t is offered by Triassic closures within license CS005, with many neighbouring moderate (100–1000 MCO 2 t) and small (<100 MCO 2 t) closures forming part of newly awarded carbon storage licenses that will likely form part of the UK SNS CCUS portfolio in the future. Supplementary material: well-correlation panels and tabulated velocity and storage capacity modelling parameters are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.7027450

Extensional fault geometry and evolution within rifted margin hyper-extended continental crust leading to mantle exhumation and allochthon formation

Abstract. Seismic reflection interpretation at magma-poor rifted margins shows that crustal thinning within the hyper-extended domain occurs by in-sequence oceanward extensional faulting which terminates in a sub-horizontal reflector in the topmost mantle immediately beneath tilted crustal fault blocks. This sub-horizontal reflector is interpreted to be a detachment surface that develops sequentially with oceanward in-sequence crustal faulting. We investigate the geometry and evolution of active and inactive extensional faulting due to flexural isostatic rotation during magma-poor margin hyper-extension using a recursive adaptation of the rolling-hinge model of Buck (1988) and compare modelling results with published seismic interpretation. In the case of progressive in-sequence faulting, we show that sub-horizontal reflectors imaged on published seismic reflection profiles can be generated by the flexural isostatic rotation of faults with initially high-angle geometry. Our modelling supports the hypothesis of Lymer et al. (2019) that the S reflector on the Galician margin is a sub-horizontal detachment generated by the in-sequence incremental addition of the isostatically rotated soles of block-bounding extensional faults. Flexural isostatic rotation produces shallowing of emergent fault angles, fault locking, and the development of new high-angle shortcut fault segments within the hanging wall. This results in the transfer and isostatic rotation of triangular pieces of hanging wall onto exhumed fault footwall, forming extensional allochthons which our modelling predicts are typically limited to a few kilometres in lateral extent and thickness. The initial geometry of basement extensional faults is a long-standing question. Our modelling results show that a sequence of extensional listric or planar faults with otherwise identical tectonic parameters produce very similar seabed bathymetric relief but distinct Moho and allochthon shapes. Our preferred interpretation of our modelling results and seismic observations is that faults are initially planar in geometry but are isostatically rotated and coalesce at depth to form the seismically observed sub-horizontal detachment in the topmost mantle. In-sequence extensional faulting of hyper-extended continental crust results in a smooth bathymetric transition from thinned continental crust to exhumed mantle. In contrast, out-of-sequence faulting results in a transition to exhumed mantle with bathymetric relief.

The present-day stress field and paleo tectonics in offshore Brunei Darussalam

Present-day maximum horizontal stress orientation is one of the fundamental inputs for well design and stability analysis. Since the previous stress orientation map in Brunei Darussalam published in 2005, more borehole image data have been acquired to evaluate both reservoir geology and hole damages of different causes. The image-based breakout orientations in recent wells not only filled critical data gaps but also replaced the low-confident stress orientations from dipmeter data on the previous map. Integration with seismic interpretation also gives new insights into the present-day stress variations in relations to the tectonic evolution.The new map suggests three main stress domains transitioning to each other. Domain A in the deepwater to shelf slope region is compressional, characterized by northwest-southeast maximum horizontal stress, consistently perpendicular to the associated delta toe thrust structures near the well locations. The shelf to onshore region is divided into domain B in the east and domain C in the west as result of different evolutions and interactions between shallow deltaic and deep plate tectonics. This contrasts with the 2005 stress map, which divided the region into inversed inner shelf and extensional outer shelf provinces. The domain B is possibly in strike slip state with margin normal maximum horizontal stress, which is a reversal from the paleo extensions expressed by collapse faults and a large counter regional normal fault. The counter regional normal fault is interpreted as the result of rapid sediment load over thick ductile shales prior to the toe thrust system. The domain C in the west exhibits extension with east-west maximum horizontal stress, parallel to the normal faults but oblique to the thrust faults and the coastline. It is reversed from the latest compressional episode. Restoration of the structural deformation history suggests that tectonic reversals occurred several times in the domain C. Between the two shelf domains, where two sets of structural lineaments intersect, the maximum horizontal stress rotates across the two systems.

An artificial intelligence workflow for horizon volume generation from 3D seismic data

Horizon-based subsurface stratigraphic model building is a tedious process, especially in geologically complex areas where seismic data are contaminated with noise and thus are of weak and discontinuous reflectors. Seismic interpreters usually use stratal (proportional) slices to approximately inspect 3D seismic data along seismic reflectors yet to be interpreted. We introduce an artificial intelligence workflow consisting of three deep learning steps to provide a conditioned seismic image that is easier to interpret, a stratigraphic model that outlines major formations, and moreover a relative geologic time volume that allows us to automatically extract an infinite number of horizons along any seismic reflectors within a seismic cube. Depending on the availability of interpreters, the proposed workflow can either run fully unsupervised without human inputs or using sparse horizon interpretation as constraints to further improve the quality of extracted horizons, providing flexibility in both efficiency and quality. Starting from only seismic images and a few key horizons interpreted on very sparse seismic lines, we demonstrate the workflow to generate a stack of complete horizons covering the entire seismic volume from offshore Australia.

A New Workflow for Estimating Reservoir Properties With Gradient Boosting Model and Joint Inversion Using MWD Measurements

Triple-combo logs are important measurements for estimating geological, petrophysical, and geomechanical properties. Unfortunately, wireline and advanced logging-while-drilling (LWD) logs are typically dropped from the formation evaluation plan for unconventional wells due to economic constraints or borehole instability risks. Available measurements are typically measurement-while-drilling (MWD) gamma ray (GR) logs, along with surface measurements such as weight on bit (WOB), rate of penetration (ROP), torque, rotation per minute (RPM), and differential pressure. The development of a robust and rapid model for predicting reservoir properties using this limited data set would be of high value for geological evaluation. Estimating such properties is a challenging task due to the nonlinear relationship between the available log data and unknown reservoir properties. A novel workflow that combines two sequential models is presented. First is a machine-learning (ML) algorithm to predict triple-combo logs from drilling dynamics and GR logs. To train the ML algorithm, well logs obtained from multiple wells located in the Eagle Ford and Permian Basins are scrutinized to identify important features. This process includes depth shifting, outlier detection, and feature selection, which allows for strategic hyperparameter tuning. Several regression algorithms are investigated, and it is found that gradient boosting algorithms yield superior prediction performance. Unlike random forest methods, boosting algorithms train predictors sequentially, each trying to correct its predecessor. After triple-combo logs are predicted from MWD logs, a physics-based joint inversion model is applied to estimate various reservoir properties. The trained model is deployed on a blind test well, and the predicted logs show excellent agreement compared to the corresponding triple-combo measurements. The multimineral inversion using predicted triple-combo logs yields a geologic model that is validated with elemental capture spectroscopy (ECS) measurements. Additionally, reconstructed logs from the forward model closely match measured logs by minimizing the cost function. Therefore, real-time estimated geological, petrophysical, and geomechanical properties can reveal complex geologic information and be used to mitigate uncertainty related to drilling optimization, reservoir characterization, development planning, and reserve estimation. Using the MWD logs to predict triple-combo logs followed by a joint inversion is an innovative approach for geological evaluation with a limited data set. The developed workflow can successfully provide (1) geologic lithofacies identification and rock typing, (2) more confidence in real-time drilling operation, (3) reservoir properties prediction, (4) missing log imputations and pseudo-log generation with forward modeling, (5) guidance for future logging and perforation, (6) reference for seismic quantitative interpretation (QI) and well tie, and (7) potentially massive computation time saving from days to minutes.

2D Seismic Interpretation of Compressional Regime of the Dohdak Concession and Source Rock Assessment of the Early Cretaceous Sembar Formation; a Case Study from Central Indus Basin, Pakistan

2D Seismic Interpretation of Compressional Regime of the Dohdak Concession and Source Rock Assessment of the Early Cretaceous Sembar Formation; a Case Study from Central Indus Basin, Pakistan

Investigating the Bubble Point Pressure Discrepancy by History Matching for Mishrif Reservoir, Southern Iraqi Oil Field

Carbonate reservoirs have been a primary focus for academics and oil and gas companies for many years. However, the complex nature of these rocks has always posed challenges. This is particularly true in the study area, which is located in the unstable Mesopotamian Basin, where multiple oil fields produce hydrocarbons from NW-SE-trending anticlines along the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt. The primary goal of reservoir simulation is to forecast reservoir performance and apply different techniques to improve hydrocarbon recovery under different conditions. The study area faces a problem of discrepancy in the bubble pressure at the same reservoir unit, which is attributed to the faults in the Mishrif reservoir. A study was conducted to investigate the causes of this phenomenon. The proposed method for verification involves simulating history matching using the Petrel platform after building two geological models on the probability of the fault and the reef; as a result of seismic survey interpretation. Field data for gas production of the reservoir and Pressure-Volume-Temperature analyses, especially the wells (well pad F), were used to determine the causes of the discrepancy. The current study found that the calculated and observed data match more consistently in the case of the fault rather than in the case of the reef, indicating the presence of fault in the area near the well pad F. This caused compartmentalization, leading to the discrepancy in the bubble pressure. This study could significantly improve regional exploration, especially in Iraq.

Carbon capture integration in seismic interpretation: Advancing subsurface models for sustainable exploration

Sustainable exploration in the energy industry necessitates innovative approaches that address environmental concerns without compromising the efficiency (or robustness) of subsurface modeling. This paper explores the integration of carbon capture technologies into seismic interpretation as a means to advance subsurface models for sustainable exploration. The study leverages existing seismic interpretation techniques and incorporates carbon capture data to enhance the accuracy and environmental sustainability of exploration practices. The key concepts discussed include an overview of seismic interpretation methods, an introduction to carbon capture technologies, and the rationale for integrating carbon capture into seismic models. The practical application section provides insights into the proposed integration method, supported by real-world examples showcasing successful applications and potential benefits for sustainable exploration. Challenges and considerations in the integration process are identified, accompanied by strategies to overcome obstacles and considerations for industry-wide adoption. A detailed case example illustrates the step-by-step application of the integration, emphasizing its impact on subsurface models. The paper concludes with a forward-looking perspective, outlining potential technological advancements for further integration, suggesting areas for future research and development, and anticipating improvements in sustainability and exploration practices. This paper aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on sustainable exploration by providing a practical framework for integrating carbon capture in seismic interpretation, paving the way for environmentally conscious and efficient subsurface modeling in the energy sector.

Assessing the hydrocarbon potential of the Kadanwari gas field using integrated seismic and petrophysical data

Kadanwari is a major gas-producing field in Pakistan's Lower Indus Basin (LIB), extensively explored for optimized production. However, the reservoir sands of the Lower Goru Formation (LGF), deposited in a complex river-dominated delta, bear severe variability and hinder accurate facies approximation for optimal production. Furthermore, the regionally extended NNW-SSE directed horst and graben structures significantly compartmentalized these reservoir facies. The main E-sand interval is analyzed for its geological properties, depositional environment, and distribution. The integration of various approaches, including seismic interpretation, attribute extraction, well-based facies modeling, and petrophysical evaluation, proved significant in evaluating the heterogeneous and tectonically influenced E-sands. The discontinuity attribute substantially highlighted the structural style and aided in analyzing the geometries of faults. The low values of the frequency attribute (< 10 Hz) signified the entrapped gas-bearing sands along the faulted zones. The high responses of instantaneous amplitude and sweetness profoundly illuminated the gas-significant deposits throughout the field in association with the well-identified gas-prone sand facies. The outcomes of the neutron-density crossplot depicted gas-bearing sands having low density (< 2.3 g/cc) and good porosity (12%) with the assessment of various cements. The facies modeling distinguished between clean and intermixed sand-shale reservoir zones. Petrophysical analysis revealed a net pay of 14 m within E-sand having gas saturation of about 68%. The adopted approach is robust and efficient, employing a limited data set for developing well-associated seismic responses for potential zone delineation within structural arrangements. The techniques can be optimistic about the LGF's complex potential sands demarcation throughout the Indus Basin.

QS‐wave decoupling equation for wavefield separation in transversely isotropic media

AbstractConsidering the anisotropy of the earth media is helpful in reducing the depth error between seismic and drilling and providing reliable imaging data for seismic interpretation and inversion. Transversely isotropic media with a vertical axis of symmetry are the most common type of anisotropic media and have been under constant study. The separation of the P‐ and S‐wavefields, which affects the accuracy of elastic wave imaging and the inversion in transversely isotropic media with a vertical axis of symmetry, is a hot research topic. Among the commonly used wavefield decoupling methods, the S‐wave is typically obtained by subtracting the P‐wave from the total wavefield. However, this kind of wavefield decoupling method often leads to severe P‐wave crosstalk in the separated S‐wavefield; thus, it needs further development. In this paper, the principle that the divergence of the S‐wave is zero is employed to solve the unresolved S‐wave elastic parameters of the S‐wave stiffness matrix by utilizing the modified zero‐order pseudo‐Helmholtz decomposition operator. The obtained S‐wave elastic parameters are employed to construct the qS‐wave stress and facilitate the derivation of the relationship between the qS‐wave particle velocity and the qS‐wave stress. Furthermore, a qS‐wave decoupling first‐order velocity–stress equation, which matches the qP‐wave decoupling first‐order velocity–stress equation, is derived. By jointly using the decoupling equations of qS‐ and qP‐wave, the separation of the P‐ and S‐wavefields in transversely isotropic media with a vertical axis of symmetry is realized. The efficiency of the proposed method is demonstrated via numerical tests conducted to assess the wavefield separation. Moreover, a complex model is employed to perform elastic reverse‐time migration, resulting in the acquisition of accurate imaging results for PP, PS, SP, and SS waves, without the presence of significant artefacts. The correctness of the qS‐wave decoupling equation in transversely isotropic media with a vertical axis of symmetry is confirmed by the comparative tests using decoupling methods in isotropic media.

Unveiling the transtensional geodynamics of Cenozoic depocenter changes in the Andaman sea: Seismic evidence for the existence of the East Sagaing Fault and the Andaman Basin Central Fault Zone in the Tanintharyi region

The Andaman Sea, situated at the highly oblique convergent boundary of the Indian and the Sunda Plates in the eastern Indian Ocean, has been shaped by transtensional geodynamics throughout the Cenozoic and has given rise to the formation of fault systems in the Andaman back-arc region. Out of these faults, the Sagaing Fault system exists as the active transform boundary between the Burmese and Eurasian Plates. The East Sagaing Fault, which runs through the Gulf of Martaban in the Andaman Sea, is a critical component of this Sagaing Fault system in fostering the transtensional regime and contributing to the opening of the Andaman Sea as a pull-apart basin. In contrast, the Andaman Basin Central Fault Zone, previously misinterpreted as the South Sagaing Fault, is an inactive fault system that experienced deformation until the Middle Miocene and is currently concealed beneath the East Andaman Basin. This temporal disparity in the Andaman Basin Central Fault Zone and East Sagaing Fault activity patterns has led to uncertainty regarding their existence within the Tanintharyi region of the Andaman Sea. To address this uncertainty, 2D and 3D seismic data interpretations were used to explore the distribution of faults, including the presence and extent of these two faults in the Tanintharyi region. Through a comparative analysis of the structural characteristics of the East Sagaing Fault in the northern part, and the Andaman Basin Central Fault Zone in the southern part of the Andaman Sea, this study presents compelling evidence confirming the existence of both faults in the Tanintharyi region with their structural implications. The innovative discoveries in this article contribute to a deeper understanding of Cenozoic depocenter changes in the Tanintharyi region, substantiating the significance of these two faults in transtensional geodynamics and allowing for a comprehensive examination of geodynamic evolution in the Andaman Sea region.

Random noise attenuation of 3D multicomponent seismic data using a fast adaptive prediction filter

Random noise in seismic records affects the accuracy of effective signal identification, making it difficult for subsequent seismic data processing, imaging, and interpretation. Therefore, random noise attenuation has always been an important step in seismic data processing, especially for 3D data. In recent years, multicomponent exploration has been developed rapidly. However, the common method for processing multicomponent data is to process each component separately resulting in the correlation between multicomponent data being neglected. For 3D multicomponent data, we develop a multicomponent adaptive prediction filter (MAPF) based on noncausal regularized nonstationary autoregressive models to implement random noise attenuation in the t- x- y domain. The MAPF for multicomponent signals can be used to identify the potential correlations and differences between each pair of components, providing not only a robust analysis of the individual components but also effective information about the consistency and differences between each component with more information and constraints compared with traditional 1C prediction. Moreover, it can obtain smooth nonstationary prediction coefficients by solving the least-squares problem with shaping regularization. The example results demonstrate that the MAPF method is superior to the traditional adaptive prediction filtering method. Furthermore, because the multicomponent method requires more coefficients and takes a longer time to predict than the 1C method, we further develop a fast MAPF (FMAPF) combining the data pooling and coefficient reconstruction strategies. The example results demonstrate that the FMAPF method is effective at denoising and greatly improves computational efficiency. The method comes with a slight decrease in computational accuracy.

Structural and seismic attribute analysis of the Paleocene carbonate reservoir from the Balkassar Field, Potwar Plateau, Pakistan

The structural and seismic properties of the Paleocene carbonate reservoir are re-evaluated, using 3D seismic data multi-attributes, to improve reservoir prediction accuracy rarely documented earlier. This study highlights a number of relevant post-stack seismic attributes for understanding the structural setup and seismic properties of a carbonate reservoir. The structural analysis was carried out using seismic interpretation, combined with multi-attribute analysis for prospect actualization and generation of a 3D structural model to determine the structural aspect. The structural interpretation reveals the presence of faults and an asymmetrical anticlinal structure demonstrating a four-way closure, confirming compressional tectonics. The high amplitude anomaly (-6 to 12) combined with the RMS attribute (23 to 32) suggests bright spots in the Paleocene carbonate reservoir and gas saturated zone, the variance attribute (0.05 to 0.03) highlights the presence of two major faults, and the lower instantaneous frequency demonstrates the presence of hydrocarbons. The attribute results indicate that the Lockhart Limestone possesses good reservoir potential as revealed by DHI (bright spot), gas saturated zone and a trapping mechanism supported by four-way structure closure in the region and can help to understand analogous carbonate reservoirs in similar geological settings around the world.

Improved numerical solution of anisotropic poroelastic wave equation in microseismicity: Graphic process unit acceleration and moment tensor implementation

AbstractThe accuracy and computational efficiency of full waveform forward modelling in poroelastic media are crucial for microseismic monitoring. It enables intuitive, precise and efficient simulation of subsurface responses, thereby improving the reliability of moment tensor inversion and seismic source mechanism interpretation. Additionally, it reflects the role of fluid effects in waveform evolution. In this paper, based on the Biot mechanism, we derived the first‐order velocity–stress equation of poroelastic media and discretized the model using a rotated staggered grid. The rotated staggered grid can well adapt to anisotropic media with high contrast parameters. We provide the finite difference formula based on graphic process unit–acceleration and moment tensor and also provide the graphic process unit workflow for forward modelling of anisotropic poroelastic media. First, two models with different grid sizes were run based on single graphic process unit, 1‐thread Central Processing Unit (CPU) and 16‐thread CPU. The results show that the speedup factors are approximately 14.3 and 3.7, respectively, compared with the running time of 1‐thread CPU and 16‐thread CPU. Then, we compare and evaluate the response of three basic source mechanisms (isotropic expansion, double couple and compensated linear vector dipole) in the model. The comparison of analytical and numerical results verifies the effectiveness of the method. Furthermore, wavefield snapshots of two typical anisotropic media (vertical transversely isotropic and horizontal transversely isotropic) are analysed to correspond to different moment tensor sources. The results showed that the source mechanism does not change the isotropic and anisotropic plane and the wave travel time, but it does change the polarization amplitude of the velocity component. The attenuation of slow qP‐wave increases along with the increase of the value of viscosity. The effect of permeability on wavefield appears with the opposite effect of viscosity. Finally, the seismic waveform differences between multi‐layer elastic media and poroelastic media are compared and analysed. The results showed that the seismic wavefield and waveform of poroelastic media are more complex, the propagation speed of seismic waves is faster, but the attenuation of seismic waves is stronger.