New Data Exposes Complexities of Mahogany Salt Deformation

Davis W. Ratcliff and Richard O. Lindsay

Salt tectonics has been studied extensively. However, many of these studies are based upon physical models of gravity (and buoyancy) driven systems with little, if any, direct evidence of internal deformation of the salt body. Today, high quality 3-D prestack depth migrated seismic data (3-D PreSDM) reveals deformations within the salt bodies never seen before. These seismic images are providing new insight into the kinematics of salt deformation.

The risks associated with subsalt exploration are many. None the least of these is the timing of salt movement. Better images from 3-D PreSDM, both cross sections and depth slices, provide superior evidence of salt movement and the geologic timing associated with these movements.

In subsalt exploration, every technological advantage, such as 3-D PreSDM, has the potential of huge impact on subsalt prospect risk assessment.

AAPG Search and Discover Article #91019©1996 AAPG Convention and Exhibition 19-22 May 1996, San Diego, California