3D visualization of carbonate reservoirs

Masaferro, Jose Luis; Bourne, Ruth; Jauffred, Jean-Claude

doi:10.1190/1.1542751

Cited by 29 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…Classically, the Natih Formation is attributed to the late Albian -early Turonian (Simmons & Hart 1987;Smith et al 1990;Scott, 1990;Kennedy & Simmons 1991;Philip et al 1995;van Buchem et al 2002;Homewood et al 2008) and corresponds laterally to the Mauddud, Mishrif and ShilaifKhatiyah Formations on the Arabian Peninsula (Burchette & Britton 1985;Burchette 1993;Alsharhan 1995;van Buchem et al 1996van Buchem et al , 2002Terken 1999) and to the Sarvak Formation in Iran (James & Wynd 1965;Alsharhan & Nairn 1988;Sharland et al 2001;Taati 2005;Razin et al 2010). The sedimentology and stratigraphy of this formation have been studied extensively in the Jabal Akhdar, Jabal Madar and in the four Jabals of the Adam Foothills (Simmons & Hart 1987;Smith et al 1990;Philip et al 1995;van Buchem et al 1996van Buchem et al , 2002Immenhauser et al 2000;Schwab et al 2005;Grélaud et al 2006;Homewood et al 2008) and on subsurface data from the south of the Oman Mountains (Terken 1999;Cortis et al 2001;Keating 2001;Masaferro et al 2003;Droste & Van Steenwinkel 2004;Morettini et al 2005;Grélaud et al 2006).…”

Section: Stratigraphic Setting: the Natih Formationmentioning

confidence: 95%

Channelized systems in an inner carbonate platform setting: differentiation between incisions and tidal channels (Natih Formation, Late Cretaceous, Oman)

Grélaud

Razin

Homewood

2010

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The Natih Formation (late Albian-early Turonian, Oman) corresponds to a very broad inner carbonate platform extending over more than 800 km between the Arabian Shield to the south and the Tethys continental margin to the north. Two types of channelized systems have developed recurrently on this inner carbonate platform: † incisions corresponding to strictly erosive drainage systems which formed at the top of the subaerially-exposed platform during significant drops of relative sea level; † tidal channels corresponding to partly erosive but mainly constructive/depositional systems which formed during phases of flooding of the inner platform.The comparative analysis of the basal surface and fill of incisions and tidal channels, based on the study of several outcrops in the Oman Mountains allows the recognition of the similarities and the main differences between these two types of channelized systems which both develop in an inner carbonate platform setting. One of the main criteria of differentiation is the stratigraphic context in which incisions and channels develop. Incisions develop at the top of regressive sequences, whereas the channels analysed here developed during phases of flooding or maximum flooding, during which higher energy processes such as tidal currents developed on the platform.The incision surface is clearly defined, with diagenetic effects such as silicification and dolomitization below, and with the systematic fill of subjacent burrows and cracks by sparitic calcite crystals. The basal erosion surface of channels is often multiple and composite, systematically burrowed, and associated with no significant diagenetic effect.Channels are generally less deep than incisions but their width is very similar. Incisions are longer than channels and present a section that is, on the whole, symmetrical and regular, whereas channels locally have one margin that is steeper and more erosive than the other.Finally, the less diagnostic parameter of differentiation is their fill. Indeed, incisions and channels are similarly filled during phases of flooding of the inner platform. Incisions and channels form significant heterogeneities at the reservoir scale. It is therefore necessary to be able to recognize these two types of channelized systems, in order to predict their geometry, extent and fill type, and the eventual occurrence of associated reservoir bodies in the more distal direction (forced regressive wedges/bioclastic shoals).The inner part of carbonate platform systems is generally a very flat, shallow-water area which is more or less extensive behind the platform margin. The depositional system in this kind of environment is overall an aggradation of very continuous and low-energy muddy lagoonal facies.At the scale of third-order sequences, the stratigraphic record of this depositional system appears therefore very tabular, suggesting 'layer-cake' horizontal correlations of time lines. However, within these third-order sequences, a high level of sedimentary and stratigraphic heterogeneity may occur, ...

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Section: Stratigraphic Setting: the Natih Formationmentioning

confidence: 95%

Channelized systems in an inner carbonate platform setting: differentiation between incisions and tidal channels (Natih Formation, Late Cretaceous, Oman)

Grélaud

Razin

Homewood

2010

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“…The Natih Formation and equivalent stratigraphic units form very prolific hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Middle East. Thus the Natih has been the subject of numerous studies from both outcrop data (Simmons and Hart 1987;Smith et al 1990;Philip et al 1995;van Buchem et al 1996;van Buchem et al 2002;Immenhauser et al 2000;Schwab et al 2005) and subsurface data (Terken 1999;Cortis et al 2001;Keating 2001;Masaferro et al 2003;Droste and Van Steenwinkel 2004).…”

Section: Geologic and Stratigraphic Settingmentioning

confidence: 97%

Development of Incisions on a Periodically Emergent Carbonate Platform (Natih Formation, Late Cretaceous, Oman)

Grélaud¹,

Razin²,

Homewood³

et al. 2006

Journal of Sedimentary Research

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Subaerial exposure of carbonate platforms is generally recorded by karstification and pedogenesis, whereas erosion features such as incisions along emersion surfaces have seldom been observed and studied. However, the recognition of incisions and the characterization of their fill may facilitate definition and hierarchy of sequence boundaries, especially along exposure surfaces that do not otherwise present clear petrographic evidence for emersion. In the Natih Formation (Late Albian-Early Turonian, Oman), two successive incision surfaces are present in the upper part of the first third-order depositional sequence. Seismic interpretation of regional subsurface data has allowed the quantification of progradational geometries within the Natih sequence I carbonate platform and the correlation of incision surfaces with forced regressive prograding wedges on the margins of the intrashelf basin. Detailed geological sections and correlations have been made from three outcrop localities, allowing a precise description of geometries and facies of incision fills. Morphology, orientation, and extent of these incisions have been assessed from detailed seismic interpretation coupled with forward seismic modeling. The integration of outcrop and seismic data sets at the regional and local scales allows the interpretation and discussion of the origin and factors controlling the development of these incisions and a refinement of the stratigraphic model. These two incisions record rapid sea-level variations (500 ky) with a magnitude of approximately 20 and 30 m that occurred during the early Cenomanian. This is probably not a unique case, since for the same time interval, incisions have been observed in siliciclastic systems in western Canada and India and in carbonate systems on the Arabian plate.

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“…Whilst the majority of examples of 3D seismic application in stratigraphic analysis are from siliciclastic settings, an increasing number of examples from carbonate environments are emerging, showing the application of 3D seismic analysis to investigate carbonate platform evolution (Masaferro et al , 2003; Zampetti et al , 2004), to map the detailed structure of carbonate build ups (Elvebakk et al , 2002; Masaferro et al , 2003), and to study the stratigraphic evolution of cool‐water carbonates (Van der Molen et al , 2005). In principle, there should be no limits, other than those of seismic resolution, to the types of depositional systems that can be investigated using 3D seismic reflection surveys, and hence we expect 3D seismic stratigraphy and seismic geomorphology to be major areas of discovery, also for the years ahead.…”

Section: Seismic Stratigraphymentioning

confidence: 99%

3D seismic technology: the geological ‘Hubble’

2005

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The proliferation of three-dimensional (3D) seismic technology is one of the most exciting developments in the Earth Sciences over the past century. 3D re£ection seismic data provide interpreters with the ability to map structures and stratigraphic features in 3D detail to a resolution of a few tens of metres over thousands of square kilometres. It is a geological 'Hubble' , whose resolving power has already yielded some fascinating (and surprising) insights and will continue to provide a major stimulus for research into geological processes and products for many decades to come. Academic and other research institutions have a major role to play in the use of this data by exploiting the enormous volume of geological information contained in 3D seismic surveys.This paper reviews some of the recent advances in basin analysis made using the medium of 3D seismic data, focusing on the ¢elds of structural and sedimentary geology, £uid^rock interactions and igneous geology. It is noted that the increased resolution of the 3D seismic method provided the essential catalyst necessary to stimulate novel observations and discover new geological structures such as mud diapir feeders, km-long gas blow-out pipes, giant pockmarks and sandstone intrusions, and to capture the spatial variability of diagenetic fronts.The UKs ¢rst impact crater was also discovered using 3D seismic data. The potential for future developments in this ¢eld of geophysical interpretation is considerable, and we anticipate that new discoveries will be made in many years to come.

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3D visualization of carbonate reservoirs

Cited by 29 publications

References 0 publications

Channelized systems in an inner carbonate platform setting: differentiation between incisions and tidal channels (Natih Formation, Late Cretaceous, Oman)

Channelized systems in an inner carbonate platform setting: differentiation between incisions and tidal channels (Natih Formation, Late Cretaceous, Oman)

Development of Incisions on a Periodically Emergent Carbonate Platform (Natih Formation, Late Cretaceous, Oman)

3D seismic technology: the geological ‘Hubble’

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