PRINGLE, JAMIE K., Heriot-Watt University, Dept. Petroleum, Engineering, Edinburgh, Scotland

ABSTRACT: 3-D Architecture in Turbidite Systems: Integrating Digital Photogrammetry, Outcrop Geology and Geophysical Data in the Ross Formation, County Clare, West Ireland

Outcrop analogues are commonly used to constrain petroleum reservoir heterogeneities at sub-seismic scales. Quantitative geometric data on potential reservoir geobodies can be acquired when 2-D planar outcrops have little rugosity. Measurements taken from outcrops may be influenced by the outcrop shape and orientation, as well as the original geological features. Use of a number of nonparallel outcrop sections allows some information about the third dimension to be obtained, but most studies are at best only 2.5D. The true 3-D geometry is therefore uncertain. Parameters such as channel sinuosity, continuity and connectivity are routinely incorporated into reservoir models, but are poorly constrained by outcrop analogues.

We have shown that digital photogrammetric techniques can be applied to outcrop sections to create high resolution, digital dynamic outcrop models in 3-D. Ortho-rectified images from these, models allow accurate 2-D data to be acquired. In addition, 3-D, geological surfaces can be extracted from the models. To become, fully three dimensional, however, it is necessary to acquire 3-D, volumetric data.

The GIA grant will be used to acquire multiple Ground Penetrating Radar lines, to obtain a 3-D migrated image volume of well exposed turbidites of the Carboniferous Ross Formation at Loop Head, County Clare, Western Ireland. Small-scale heterogeneities in channel and lobe deposits are well exposed, with the geology constrained from previous studies undertaken in this Department. Integration of GPR data into the Digital Outcrop Model results in a Digital Solid Model, from which accurate 3-D, solid geobodies can, be extracted to populate reservoir models.

This abstract is on pages 1871-1872.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90909©2000 AAPG Foundation Grants-in-Aid