Walter W Wornardt¹, Peter R Vail²
(1) MICRO-STRAT INC, Houston, TX
(2) Consultant, Houston, TX

Abstract: Seismic sequence stratigraphy applied to stratigraphic sections in Gulf of Mexico, Egypt, Albania, Black Sea, Vietnam, East China Sea and Aruba

Seismic Sequence Stratigraphy, the integration of high resolution biostratigraphy, detailed paleobathymetry, well-log signatures and seismic reflection profiles, was applied to many different stratigraphic sections in various parts of the world from 1989 to 1999. Detailed biostratigraphic analysis of at least two different groups of fossils and paleobathymetric interpretations were used to construct checklists and species histograms. These data were integrated with the well-log signatures and seismic lines. Maximum flooding surfaces were identified and age dated. Subsequently third order depositional sequences, sequence boundaries and systems tracts were identified on well-logs and seismic lines.

This procedure was applied to the Plio-Pleistocene in 72 wells and eight dip lines from South Addition of South Timbalier to Galveston, offshore Louisiana and Texas. These data were used to complete the first late Miocene to Recent stratigraphic chart in 1990, 1991, 1998. This same type of analysis was applied to the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic in seven wells in the Gulf of Suez, Egypt; the late Miocene to Pleistocene in offshore Albania; the Cretaceous to Pleistocene in the Black Sea; the early Miocene to Pleistocene in the East China Sea and the Tertiary in offshore Aruba. Seismic Sequence Stratigraphic analysis in these areas provided a significant reduction of risk in these exploration programs.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90914©2000 AAPG Annual Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana