ABSTRACT: Use of Gravity Data to Enhance Seismic Depth Migration

WEBER, MARK E., BRIAN S. ANDERSON, and BARRY C. WIGGINS , Fugro-LCT, Inc., Houston, TX

Seismic depth migration continues to be an important, but expensive, tool for reducing exploration risks. Newly acquired high-resolution gravity data provides a low cost method to enhance the seismic depth migration process by providing an independently measured constraint to the seismic velocity model. State-of-the-art commercial software tools enable rapid integration of the gravity and seismic data. In many geologic settings integrated density/velocity modeling yields a more accurate velocity model than can be derived from seismic data alone. A case study is presented to illustrate both the steps employed in the data integration process and the resulting improvement in depth migrated seismic data.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90908©2000 GCAGS, Houston, Texas