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7th Middle East Geosciences Conference and Exhibition
Manama, Bahrain
March 27-29, 2006
Seismic
Multi-
Attribute
Classification and Forward Stratigraphic Modeling in Mid-
Cretaceous Carbonate Sequences, Arabian Gulf, Offshore Iran
1 Institute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, PO Box 60 15 53, Potsdam, D-14415, Germany, phone: +49 (0)331 977 5409, fax: +49 (0)331 977 5060,
[email protected]
2 Edison S.p.A, Foro Buonaparte 31, Milan, 20121, Italy
The characterization of carbonate settings in seismic
is often difficult, especially in areas with limited well control. This study
presents an integrated approach where a geophysical method (
seismic
multi-
attribute
classification) is combined with a
geological one (forward stratigraphic modeling). The combined results of both methods allow, to a certain extent, to predict
lithology distribution within the interval of interest and to locate the position of defined depositional settings within extensive
seismic
surveys. The presented study is based on a 2D
seismic
survey located in the central Arabian Gulf, offshore Iran.
The interval of interest is the salt tectonics influenced mid-Cretaceous Sarvak Formation, a stratigraphic equivalent to the
Mauddud/Mishrif and Natih formations of the Arabian Plate.
For the multi-attribute
classification (neural networks-based; unsupervised and supervised) a set of six volume- and gridbased
seismic
attributes was utilized. The classification result mapped the basic
seismic
facies distribution as well as large
scale depositional domains (e.g. shallow carbonate platform, intrashelf basin, salt withdrawal basin, platform progradation
front). For the forward stratigraphic modeling several
seismic
lines from the 2D survey were chosen as templates to be
matched by the 2D computer models. To support the interpretation of the modeling approach, outcrop analogue studies
from the Natih Formation in Oman were used. The resulting stratigraphic models provided an overview of the general facies
distribution and their packaging, which combined with the
seismic
attribute
classification, allowed a more realistic
interpretation of carbonate depositional settings.