Identification of a Shelf-Edge Submarine Canyon using Seismic Attributes and Spectral Decomposition in the Central Gulf Coast Region of Texas

Abstract

Sand-rich deposits in the submarine canyon system in the central Gulf Coast region of Texas are considered as high exploration potential reservoir bodies. However, the multiphase regression and transgression during the early Eocene complicate the structure position and the sand body distribution. Seismic attributes have been proven to be sensitive to seismic amplitude for detecting channels and canyons for decades. Specifically, the variance attribute is useful in distinguishing stratigraphic features, the root-mean-square (RMS) amplitude attribute is a good indicator of amplitude anomalies, and spectral decomposition is specialized in revealing the variations of layer thickness. In this study, we combine the variance and RMS amplitude attributes to detect the edges of the canyon and perform spectral decomposition to analyze the varying thickness of the sand bodies. Identification of the canyon system can provide significant constraint on predicting the distribution of the reservoir sand, and consequently improve the evaluation of production potential.

Meeting Name

88th Society of Exploration Geophysicists International Exposition and Annual Meeting, SEG 2018 (Oct. 14-19, Anaheim, CA)

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Research Center/Lab(s)

Center for Research in Energy and Environment (CREE)

Second Research Center/Lab

Center for High Performance Computing Research

Keywords and Phrases

Petroleum reservoir evaluation; Sand; Seismology; Stratigraphy; Submarines, Amplitude anomalies; Exploration potential; Seismic amplitudes; Seismic attributes; Spectral decomposition; Stratigraphic features; Submarine canyon; Varying thickness, Seismic prospecting

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2019 Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Oct 2019

Link to Full Text

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