Prediction of Source Rocks Distribution in the Low-Exploration Fields With Seismic Data: A Case Study in Baxian Depression of Bohai Bay Basin, China

Abstract

The low-exploration fields including deep formation, deep water and new-exploration areas are important for petroleum exploration in the future. The prediction of the source rocks distribution is critical for the preliminary evaluation of low-exploration fields. The conventional methods become useless due to limited data in the lower third member of Shahejie Formation in Baxian depression. A synthetic method was put forward to predict the distribution characteristics of source rocks with seismic data, which mainly includes three aspects: (1) the identification of source rocks in the seismic profile by analysis of sequence stratigraphy and system tracts; (2) the assessment of source rock's distribution area by seismic facies analysis; (3) the prediction of source rock's clay content through seismic velocity analysis. The results show that source rocks in studied area mainly developed in transgressive system tract of SQ3 (that is equivalent to the lower third member of Shahejie Formation) and along low-trough belt, significantly in the north of the depression with relatively thicker source rocks.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90217 © 2015 International Conference & Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia, September 13-16, 2015