Print this pageStratigraphy to 
Seismic
(StSTM): Integrating Biostratigraphic Interpretations
with Seismic Data
Paul Watson, Caroline Reid, and Elisabeth Nairn
Fugro Robertson Ltd. (FRL), Llanrhos, Llandudno, North Wales, U.K., LL30 1SA
Biostratigraphic data are often presented in a text format with accompanying distribution
charts, stratigraphic summary logs and well correlations, the quality and detail of
which vary greatly. With the domination of personal computer and workstation based
working practices in the oil industry, it is important that biostratigraphers provide information
to the end-user in a format that is compatible with these practices ensuring
that biostratigraphic interpretation, which are critical to geological understanding, are
not overlooked. It is common practice within the oil industry to post important stratigraphic
data at well ties on the seismic in order to constrain geophysical interpretations.
This information of often only broad interpretation such as formation tops and significant
age boundaries however more subtle stratigraphic details are often not easily utilised
by the interpreter.
The Stratigraphy to Seismic (StSTM) technique has been developed in order to overcome
this information deficit by providing stratigraphic interpretations in a digital format
for integration with seismic data These interpretations are derived from a standard
biostratigraphic data set and are produced as a set of curves provided in .LAS (Log
ASCII [American Standard Code for Information Interchange) format which can be
plotted within workstation applications. StSTM has taken the concept of providing a plot
of age against depth using predominantly biostratigraphic data
and developed it so that
this curve gives an estimate of age at any point in the well having utilised all information
available. Four other curves are also created. These are a discontinuity, a reworking, a
paleobathymetry and a confidence curve. The methodology and application of these
techniques are outlined below.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90158©2012 GCAGS and GC-SEPM 6nd Annual Convention, Austin, Texas, 21-24 October 2012