3-D Seismic Imaging of the Shelf-Margin of South Marsh Island Though the Use of 3d Seismic Geometric Attributes

Felipe A. Lozano¹ and Kurt J. Marfurt^2
1Geosciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX
²Geosciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

Shelf-margin deltaic systems are the main mechanism for the transport of sediment from the shelf to the slope and deep water environments. High-quality 3D seismic data acquired in front of South Marsh Island along with 3D seismic geometric attributes provides visualization of the different elements present in these depositional systems.

Salt-withdrawal minibasins located at the edge of the shelf are filled by sediment transported by prograding shelf-margin deltas. These shelf-margin deltas produce prograding clinofroms that are easily observed on dip-oriented profiles of the seismic.

Stratal slices through amplitude gradient, spectral component, and coherence volumes illuminate sinuous submarine slope channels at smaller scales than conventional interpretation processes. We postulate that these small channels are direct transport mechanisms to deep water environments which could be used to predict deposition at the base of the slope.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90078©2008 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas