Seismic modeling in the analysis of deep-water sandstone termination styles

Abstract

Innovative seismic forward modeling is used to illustrate the sensitivity within seismic data, and its application in the interpretation of onlap and pinch-out of terminating deep-water sandstones, two critical components in deep-water exploration and production. Sandstone quality, net-to-gross estimates, volume calculations, vertical connectivity, and stratigraphic trapping are all dependent on the sandstone extent and their seismic characteristics in these settings. However, seismic resolution is commonly insufficient to resolve the critical reservoir parameters. Seismic modeling of termination styles based on integrated outcrop and subsurface properties allows for depth-and resolution-focused predictive models to be built for improved subsurface analysis. This technique is currently underused as a method to better understand the sensitivity of seismic data to the target lithologies and their geometries. The Grès d'Annot Formation is a well-studied sand-prone deep-water system of Paleogene age, deposited in a bathymetrically complex setting. Six end-member termination styles are discussed, including three sand-prone styles-simple onlap (O s ), draping onlap (O d ), and bed thickening (O t )-and three heterolithic styles-advancing pinch-out (P a ), convergent pinch-out (P c ), and convergent thickening and pinch-out (P ct ). Local thickening close to the system margins is common in both sand-prone and heterolithic terminating strata and plays an important function in the appropriate distribution of sandstone. The outcrops are interpreted as potential (process) analogs for the complex sandstone distribution

Validation of empirical source-to-sink scaling relationships in a continental-scale system: The Gulf of Mexico basin Cenozoic record

“…2 salt structures, which are common in the Gulf of Mexico Cenozoic section. Sand-rich, high-density turbidity flows tend to terminate abruptly, in contrast to dilute, low-density turbidity flows that are less sensitive to bottom topography (Bakke et al, 2013). We acknowledge that, from this perspective, Gulf of Mexico submarine fan measurements are a minimum length and width, due to a rugose bottom topog raphy that influenced sandy fan terminations and a database focused on sand-prone systems.…”

Stratigraphic hierarchy and three‐dimensional evolution of an exhumed submarine slope channel system

“…Outcrop analogues can help to bridge this scale gap and provide data to populate 3D bodies mapped in seismic with stratigraphic and facies information (e.g. Bryant & Flint, 1992;Clark & Pickering, 1996;Campion et al, 2000;Sullivan et al, 2000;McCaffrey & Kneller, 2001;Hodgetts et al, 2004;Bakke et al, 2008Bakke et al, , 2013Hofstra et al, 2017). Most outcrops only afford two-dimensional (2D) constraints of the depositional architecture, which provides only limited information on how architecture and facies vary either laterally (across-strike) or longitudinally (down-dip) (e.g.…”

Quantification of Basin-Floor Fan Pinchouts: Examples From the Karoo Basin, South Africa

“…It is recognized that submarine lobes exhibit diverse geometries, stacking patterns and facies distributions (Twichell et al, 1992;Bouma and Rozman, 2000;Hodgson et al, 2006;Deptuck et al, 2008;Prélat et al, 2009;Groenenberg et al, 2010), including the common occurrence of hybrid beds at lobe fringes (Haughton et al, 2009;Hodgson, 2009;Patacci et al, 2014;Porten et al, 2016;Kane et al, 2017;Pierce et al, 2018). The pinchout of basin-floor sandbodies can be used to better constrain the scale and orientation of seabed topography, and the paleogeographic configuration of basins at the time of deposition (Smith and Joseph, 2004;Bakke et al, 2013;Cobain et al, 2017;Spychala et al, 2017a,b). Interest in the architecture and facies distribution at basin-floor fan fringes, and the characteristics of fan pinchouts, have been driven by a need to improve prediction of pinchouts as stratigraphic trap targets for hydrocarbon reservoirs (Pickering, 1981;Bouma and Rozman, 2000;Etienne et al, 2012;Bakke et al, 2013;Marini et al, 2015;Nagatomo and Archer, 2015;Spychala et al, 2017b,c).…”

“…The pinchout of basin-floor sandbodies can be used to better constrain the scale and orientation of seabed topography, and the paleogeographic configuration of basins at the time of deposition (Smith and Joseph, 2004;Bakke et al, 2013;Cobain et al, 2017;Spychala et al, 2017a,b). Interest in the architecture and facies distribution at basin-floor fan fringes, and the characteristics of fan pinchouts, have been driven by a need to improve prediction of pinchouts as stratigraphic trap targets for hydrocarbon reservoirs (Pickering, 1981;Bouma and Rozman, 2000;Etienne et al, 2012;Bakke et al, 2013;Marini et al, 2015;Nagatomo and Archer, 2015;Spychala et al, 2017b,c). Exhumed frontal and lateral basin-floor fan pinchouts have been characterized in several basins (Pickering, 1981;Rozman, 2000;Etienne et al, 2012;Nagatomo and Archer, 2015;Spychala et al, 2017b,c), but very few outcrop studies are available from (oblique) up-dip fan pinchouts (Amy et al, 2007;Brooks et al, 2018).…”