ABSTRACT: Seismic Attributes and the Search for Bow Island Channels in the Lower Cretaceous of Southwest Alberta

COX, JOHN, Mount Royal College, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and WILLIAM A. ASHCROFT and BRIAN P. J. WILLIAMS, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland

The Blood gas field of southwest Alberta is hosted in late Albian, Bow Island Formation sandstones and conglomerates, up to 35 m in thickness. These sediments are interpreted to have been deposited during relative sea level rise as an estuarine valley-fill complex.

A cross-sectional geological model was created showing lateral variations of density and velocity in the Upper Bow Island and immediately overlying formations. A wavelet was created by frequency analysis of available seismic data and convolved with the model to produce a synthetic seismic section.

Reflection strength, phase angle, and instantaneous frequency attributes were calculated for the synthetic section and showed anomalous values where the reservoir rock was thickly developed. Comparison was made with attribute data from a seismic line across the northern end of the field. Anomalies similar to those predicted by the model were visible where well control suggests that greater than 20 m of reservoir rocks are present.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91012©1992 AAPG Annual Meeting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 22-25, 1992 (2009)