Identification and Prediction of the High Heterogeneous Channel Sand in Southern Turgay Basin
With the development of high quality 3D seismic exploration in Southern Turgay Basin, the exploration targets are being shifted from the structural traps to stratigraphic traps. As for one of the most important reservoir, the identification and prediction of the high heterogeneous channel-sands is the key to enhance drilling success rate and reduce the investment risk. The multi-geophysical methods and integrated studies of geology and geophysics have been applied to determine the distributed area of the channel-sands in Southern Turgay Basin of Kazakhstan. The channel-sands are widely distributed from Upper Jurassic to Cretaceous. The channel-sands in the mature explored Cretaceous strata are meandering or braided river bars. On well-logging, the SP curve of the channel sand presents the block - shape and positive cycle with bell – shape with high porosity and permeability, and lower self-potential, gamma ray and density; Whereas in seismic profiles, channel sands presented the „bright spot‟ with the low frequency, high amplitude and short reflection. No obvious rules of „bright spot‟ can be found in the seismic profiles. The multi-geophysical methods, such as strata slice, 3D visualization and spectral decomposition, etc., have been applied to identify more than 50 pieces of channel-sands with the cutting and overlying each other vertically and horizontally. As for the relatively lower explored Upper Jurassic strata, the channel-sands developed in submerged distributary channel, branching mouth bars of deltaic system or fan deltaic system. On well-logging, channel sand presents the middle porosity and permeability, and lower selfpotential, gamma ray and density; Low-frequency and varied amplitude presents in seismic profiles. The area distribution of the deltaic or fan deltaic can be determined by sequence stratigraphy and the distribution of the channel-sands in different cycles vertically can be identified by chronostratigraphic interpretation in wheeler domain. Several cases suggested that the integration of strata slice, chronostratigraphic interpretation in wheeler domain, 3D visualization and spectral decomposition is an effective method to identify the high heterogeneous channel-sand, which has been confirmed by drilling results.
High-frequency sequence stratigraphy from seismic sedimentology: Applied to Miocene, Vermilion Block 50, Tiger Shoal area, offshore Louisiana
We introduce a seismic-sedimentological approach for mapping high-frequency (fourth-order) sequences and systems tracts using well and three-dimensional seismic data. Key techniques include (1) conditioning seismic data to log lithology by 90 phasing for better well-log integration and (2) imaging and interpreting the sequential, planoform geomorphology of the depositional systems. We recommend a new interpretation procedure that shifts the emphasis of high-frequency sequence-stratigraphic studies from interpreting vertical seismic sections to analyzing more horizontal, high-resolution, seismic-geomorphologic information.This case study shows that stratal slicing in lithology-conditioned seismic data provides sequential seismic imagery of generally contemporaneous depositional systems. This imagery, in turn, serves as a basis for recognizing and mapping high-frequency systems tracts, sequence boundaries, and sequences in a geologic-time domain. In Miocene strata of offshore Louisiana, fourth-order sequences or sequence sets from well data can be seismically mapped at a resolution equivalent to 30 ft (10 m) in thickness from a 30-Hz dominant-frequency seismic data set. The resolution is sufficient for an accurate reconstruction of the high-frequency sequence-stratigraphic framework in the region of seismic coverage outside well control.
Velocity moments in alongshore bottom stress parameterizations
The time-averaged alongshore bottom stress is an important component of nearshore circulation models. In a widely accepted formulation the bottom stress is proportional to , the time average of the product of the instantaneous velocity magnitude |u→| and the instantaneous alongshore velocity component υ. Both mean and fluctuating (owing to random, directionally spread waves) velocities contribute to . Direct estimation of requires a more detailed specification of the velocity field than is usually available, so the term is parameterized. Here direct estimates of based on time series of near-bottom currents observed between the shoreline and 8-m water depth are used to test the accuracy of parameterizations. Common parameterizations that are linear in the mean alongshore current significantly underestimate for moderately strong alongshore currents, resulting in overestimation of a drag coefficient determined by fitting modeled (with a linearized bottom stress) to observed alongshore currents. A parameterization based on a joint-Gaussian velocity field with the observed velocity statistics gives excellent overall agreement with the directly estimated and allows analytic investigation of the statistical properties of the velocity field that govern . Except for the weakest flows, depends strongly on the mean alongshore current and the total velocity variance but depends only weakly on the mean wave angle, wave directional spread, and mean cross-shore current. Several other nonlinear parameterizations of are shown to be more accurate than the linear parameterizations and are adequate for many modeling purposes.