Geodiversity: Exploration of 3D geological model space

Lindsay, Mark; Jessell, Mark; Aillères, Laurent; Perrouty, Stéphane; Kemp, E A de; Betts, Peter Graham

doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2013.03.013

Cited by 74 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…A geological model is the basis of any geological numerical simulation, but only by relying on reasonable geologic modelling can we objectively reveal the actual distribution of subsurface oil-gas reservoirs (Lindsay et al, 2013). However, since the distribution of the actual geological body in space is extremely complex, no geological model can comprehensively reflect an objective comprising a subsurface geological body of an existing formation.…”

Section: Geological Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation of oil–gas migration and accumulation in the East China Sea Continental Shelf Basin: a case study from the Xihu Depression

Jiang

Chen

et al. 2016

Geological Journal

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The oil–gas accumulation process is a tectonic indicator, and the oil–gas trap is generally a result of tectonic movement. In order to explore the law of oil–gas migration and accumulation in the East China Sea Continental Shelf Basin, this paper analyses the dynamic process of hydrocarbon accumulation based on a geological model, taking the Xihu Depression as an example and using the IES PetroMod basin modelling software. Combined with the seismic data and drilling data, the burial history, thermal evolution history and hydrocarbon generation, expulsion and migration history of the Xihu Depression is simulated in this study. The simulation results show that (1) the tectonic framework of the Xihu Depression developed as an inversion structure from an early extensional stage or transtensional faulting stage to a later compressional or transpressional inversion stage; (2) the Pinghu and Huagang formations of the Xihu Depression are still currently at the peak stage of oil–gas generation, and the Xihu Depression is a depression which has abundant hydrocarbon generation and expulsion at a later stage; (3) oil–gas resources vertically migrated to the structural highs from the eastern and western sub‐sags along faults and ultimately accumulated in favourable traps, which developed a migration pattern of interbedded sandstone–fault–sandstone like an upward ‘staircase’. In particular, faults and the potential energy state played an important role in hydrocarbon migration of the Xihu Depression, which has a guiding significance for understanding hydrocarbon migration and accumulation law and reducing the risk in oil–gas exploration in the East China Sea Continental Shelf Basin. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Geological Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation of oil–gas migration and accumulation in the East China Sea Continental Shelf Basin: a case study from the Xihu Depression

Jiang

Chen

et al. 2016

Geological Journal

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“…Construction of 3-D geological models is plagued by the limitations on direct sampling and geophysical measurement (Wellmann et al, 2010;Lindsay et al, 2013). Direct geological observations are sparse because of the difficulty in acquiring them, being often obscured by sedimentary or regolith cover; resolving this issue via drilling is expensive (Anand and Butt, 2010;Salama et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficiency and robustness in Monte Carlo sampling for 3-D geophysical inversions with Obsidian v0.1.2: setting up for success

et al. 2019

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The rigorous quantification of uncertainty in geophysical inversions is a challenging problem. Inversions are often ill-posed and the likelihood surface may be multimodal; properties of any single mode become inadequate uncertainty measures, and sampling methods become inefficient for irregular posteriors or high-dimensional parameter spaces. We explore the influences of different choices made by the practitioner on the efficiency and accuracy of Bayesian geophysical inversion methods that rely on Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling to assess uncertainty, using a multi-sensor inversion of the three-dimensional structure and composition of a region in the Cooper Basin of South Australia as a case study. The inversion is performed using an updated version of the Obsidian distributed inversion software. We find that the posterior for this inversion has complex local covariance structure, hindering the efficiency of adaptive sampling methods that adjust the proposal based on the chain history. Within the context of a parallel-tempered Markov chain Monte Carlo scheme for exploring high-dimensional multi-modal posteriors, a preconditioned Crank-Nicholson proposal outperforms more conventional forms of random walk. Aspects of the problem setup, such as priors on petrophysics or on 3-D geological structure, affect the shape and separation of posterior modes, influencing sampling performance as well as the inversion results. Use of uninformative priors on sensor noise can improve inversion results by enabling optimal weighting among multiple sensors even if noise levels are uncertain. Efficiency could be further increased by using posterior gradient information within proposals, which Obsidian does not currently support, but which could be emulated using posterior surrogates.Copyright statement. TEXT

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“…To fully understand the complex 3D geologic relationships in geothermal fields, 1D and 2D data must be synthesized into 3D geologic maps (e.g., Jachens et al 2001;Phelps et al 2008). Hydrocarbon exploration has long relied on the integration of geological and geophysical datasets in 3D for drilling target selection and resource estimation (Calcagno et al 2008;Houlding 2012;Lindsay et al 2013). Adapting a 3D mapping approach to fault-controlled geothermal systems, as we have done herein, can only be effective if geological characterization is sufficiently detailed to constrain structural and stratigraphic relationships at a scale that is relevant to geothermal processes, i.e., the tens-of-meter scale (e.g., Caine et al 1996Caine et al , 2010Caine and Forster 1999;Fairley et al 2003;Fairley and Hinds 2004;Sanderson and Zhang 2004;Mitchell and Faulkner 2012;Meller and Kohl 2014).…”

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confidence: 99%

Three-dimensional geologic mapping to assess geothermal potential: examples from Nevada and Oregon

et al. 2019

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IntroductionIn this paper, we present a methodology for three-dimensional (3D) analysis of the structural and geologic controls on permeability development and the transmission of fluids in geothermal systems. We present these methods through examples from two geothermal fields, demonstrating the use of these methods in developing data-driven and testable conceptual models of geothermal processes.Faults and interconnected networks of faults and fractures can serve as pathways for upwelling in geothermal fields. This is particularly true in both magmatic and nonmagmatic geothermal systems occupying extensional and transtensional domains in which normal and strike-slip faults serve as fluid conduits (Moeck 2014; Moeck and Beardsmore 2014). The most conductive fault networks typically occur within complex Abstract Geologic structure plays an important role in controlling fluid flow in geothermal systems. In particular, very complex structural settings, consisting of many closely spaced and intersecting faults, host many geothermal systems. To elucidate the key geologic factors that affect fault-controlled geothermal circulation, it is critical to precisely characterize the structural and stratigraphic geometries in these complex settings. Here, we present a methodology and the results of 3D geologic analyses of two geothermal systems in the Basin and Range, USA. This methodology is a quantitative and geologically focused technique that can be used to precisely characterize geothermal areas, in a time when future geothermal growth demands increased exploration precision and efficiency. Surficial and subsurface geologic and geophysical data are synthesized in the construction of detailed 3D geologic maps of geothermal areas. Based on these 3D geologic maps, we examine several geologic attributes that control permeability development and geothermal fluid flow along faults. We use the stress state of faults and the distribution of structural discontinuities (i.e., fault intersections and fault terminations) to identify locations of upflow along faults in these geothermal systems. These results and the methodology presented herein are directly applicable to structurally controlled geothermal fields in the Basin and Range and worldwide. As development focus shifts toward blind geothermal resources, integration of precisely characterized subsurface structural information into exploration methods will be increasingly critical to continued growth in geothermal exploration and development. which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

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Geodiversity: Exploration of 3D geological model space

Cited by 74 publications

References 39 publications

Simulation of oil–gas migration and accumulation in the East China Sea Continental Shelf Basin: a case study from the Xihu Depression

Simulation of oil–gas migration and accumulation in the East China Sea Continental Shelf Basin: a case study from the Xihu Depression

Efficiency and robustness in Monte Carlo sampling for 3-D geophysical inversions with Obsidian v0.1.2: setting up for success

Three-dimensional geologic mapping to assess geothermal potential: examples from Nevada and Oregon

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