3-D
Subsalt Imaging Techniques Applied to the Mahogany and
Teak Salt Sills
Davis W. Ratcliff, David J. Weber
Exploring for hydrocarbons below salt has been, and will continue to be, a
high risk/high potential business endeavor. Recent subsalt discoveries have
generated a tremendous interest in subsalt exploration, both in the Gulf of
Mexico as well as in other basins around the world. The geophysical technology
which has played the most significant role in the success of subsalt exploration
is, by far, Depth Imaging. Depth imaging technology (poststack
and prestack) has
allowed explorationists to identify and map structural and stratigraphic
features below salt that trap significant hydrocarbon accumulations.
In this paper, we discuss 3-D
subsalt imaging strategies and technology
applications that can assist the subsalt explorationist in prospect evaluation,
risk assessment, well placement and field development using the Mahogany
and Teak Salt Sills as calibration points. In addition to utilizing a
specific "subsalt" acquisition geometry, the collective processing strategy will
incorporate 2-D time imaging, 2-D
poststack
depth
migration
, 2-D prestack depth
migration
, wide-line profiling,
3-D
time imaging,
3-D
poststack
depth
migration
and "target oriented"
3-D
prestack depth
migration
.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91020©1995 AAPG Annual Convention, Houston, Texas, May 5-8, 1995