Seismic Detection of Stratigraphic and Combination Traps Without Amplitude Expression in Northern Lafourche Parish, Louisiana

Steven H. Brachman
Pogo Producing Company, 5 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2700, Houston, Texas 77046

Lower Miocene Robulus L sands form stratigraphic and combination traps in the Thibodaux-Rousseau-Southwest Lake Boeuf field areas of northern Lafourche Parish, Louisiana. Understanding producing traps and identifying new prospects was accomplished by careful integration of 3D Seismic and subsurface well control. Detailed seismic and attribute analysis were unable to detect producing reservoirs. No correlation was found between seismic character and attributes and the presence or absence of hydrocarbon bearing sands. However, an analysis of subsurface and seismic work revealed that high positive amplitude events correlated well with known calcareous lithologies. Knowledge of where these calcareous units occurred within the stratigraphic framework of the project area and an understanding of the significance of their presence or absence became the key to locating new hydrocarbon traps.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90080©2005 GCAGS 55th Annual Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana