PRINGLE, JAMIE K., Heriot-Watt University, Dept. Petroleum, Engineering, Edinburgh, Scotland
ABSTRACT:
3-D
Architecture in Turbidite Systems: Integrating Digital Photogrammetry,
Outcrop Geology and Geophysical Data in the Ross Formation, County Clare, West Ireland
Outcrop analogues are commonly used to constrain petroleum reservoir
heterogeneities at sub-seismic scales. Quantitative geometric data on potential reservoir
geobodies can be acquired when 2-D planar outcrops have little rugosity. Measurements
taken from outcrops may be influenced by the outcrop shape and orientation, as well as the
original geological features. Use of a number of nonparallel outcrop sections allows some
information about the third dimension to be obtained, but most studies are at best only
2.5D. The true 3-D
geometry is therefore uncertain. Parameters such as channel sinuosity,
continuity and connectivity are routinely incorporated into reservoir models, but are
poorly constrained by outcrop analogues.
We have shown that digital photogrammetric techniques can be applied to outcrop
sections to create high resolution, digital dynamic outcrop models in 3-D
. Ortho-rectified
images from these, models allow accurate 2-D data to be acquired. In addition,
3-D
,
geological surfaces can be extracted from the models. To become, fully three dimensional,
however, it is necessary to acquire
3-D
, volumetric data.
The GIA grant will be used to acquire multiple Ground Penetrating Radar lines, to
obtain a 3-D
migrated image volume of well exposed turbidites of the Carboniferous Ross
Formation at Loop Head, County Clare, Western Ireland. Small-scale heterogeneities in
channel and lobe deposits are well exposed, with the geology constrained from previous
studies undertaken in this Department. Integration of GPR data into the Digital Outcrop
Model results in a Digital Solid Model, from which accurate
3-D
, solid geobodies can, be
extracted to populate reservoir models.
This abstract is on pages 1871-1872.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90909©2000 AAPG Foundation Grants-in-Aid