3D Geological
and Seismic Forward Modeling of a Sinuous Slope Channel Complex, Brushy Canyon
Formation,
Tomasso, Mark1, David R. Pyles1,
Seismic interpretation reflects some
aspects of the sub-surface geology, but the scaling of seismic images rarely
shows the full geological picture. Many stratigraphic architectural elements
are typically at higher resolution than the acquired seismic image, and their
interpretability on seismic profiles is often limited. The ability to directly
compare outcrops with seismic objects has the potential to bridge this
scale-gap. Seismic forward modeling of outcrops enables the examination of
known stratigraphy and depositional elements at various scales.
We discuss the construction of a fully
three-dimensional geologic model, based upon the Beacon Channel outcrop of the
Brushy Canyon Formation of west
Seismic forward modeling of the reservoir
model was carried out at several peak frequencies, allowing a direct comparison
between outcrop architecture and its seismic image at varying resolutions.
Results show that for small multistorey channel complexes, the internal
architecture is unlikely to be resolved on exploration-grade seismic data,
indicating that knowledge derived from outcrop analogs is crucial for filling
in these gaps.
AAPG Search and Discover Article #90063©2007 AAPG Annual Convention, Long Beach, California