3D Gravity Modeling of Complex Salt Features in the Southern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

We present a three-dimensional (3D) gravity modeling and inversion approach and its application to complex geological settings characterized by several allochthonous salt bodies embedded in terrigenous sediments. Synthetic gravity data were computed for 3D forward modeling of salt bodies interpreted from Prestack Depth Migration (PSDM) seismic images. Density contrasts for the salt bodies surrounded by sedimentary units are derived from density-compaction curves for the northern Gulf of Mexico’s oil exploration surveys. By integrating results from different shape- and depth-source estimation algorithms, we built an initial model for the gravity anomaly inversion. We then applied a numerically optimized 3D simulated annealing gravity inversion method. The inverted 3D density model successfully retrieves the synthetic salt body ensemble. Results highlight the significance of integrating high-resolution potential field data for salt and subsalt imaging in oil exploration.

Exploring a near‐surface subsidence over a rehabilitated underground mine through ambient seismic noise tomography in combination with other geophysical methods

“…Further, the simulated annealing algorithm proposed by Nava‐Flores et al . (2016) can be used to invert a 3D density model from the observed residual anomaly. Successful examples of this methodology have been presented by Nagihara and Hall (2001), Montesinos and Vieira (2005), Pallero et al .…”

“…The simulated annealing algorithm (Nava‐Flores et al ., 2016) was used to invert a 3D density model from the observed residual anomaly as shown in Fig. 2(b).…”

OpenMP Implementation of a Novel Potential-Field-Data Source-Growth-Based Inversion Approach for 3D Salt Imaging in Deepwater Gulf of Mexico

“…Although three-dimensional seismic imaging has experienced a quite significant development in recent years [5][6][7][8][9][10], it is well known that it still tends to fail in subsalt regions due to the high-density contrasts between salt structures and their surrounding-encapsulating-rocks, yielding varying degrees of uncertainty in estimation of base and highly dipping flanks of salt bodies [11]. In this context, potential field methods are often excellent supporting tools for geophysical subsalt exploration and can provide accurate estimations of depth distribution and geometry of allochthonous salt features [12,13]. In addition, integration of potential field methods as an aid to seismic-structural interpretation is useful for the construction of initial velocity and density models for seismic RTM and FWI migration processes [13,14].…”

A high-order 3D spectral-element method for the forward modelling and inversion of gravimetric data - Application to the western Pyrenees

“…Uieda & Barbosa (2012a,b) performed 3-D gravity inversion by using a shape-of-anomaly data misfit and L 2 -norm data misfit to better delineate geological structures. Recently, Nava-Flores et al (2016) applied stochastic simulated annealing inversion to determine salt dome structures trapped inside sediments in the Gulf of Mexico, using an a priori model obtained by pre-stack migration of seismic data.…”