--> ABSTRACT: 3-D Outcrop Modeling: The Oligo-Miocene Carbonate System of the Maiella Mountain - Abruzzo Region, Italy, by Brandano, Marco; Lipparini, Lorenzo; Romi, Alessandro; Campagnoni, Veronica; Tomassetti, Laura; #90135 (2011)

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3-D Outcrop Modeling: The Oligo-Miocene Carbonate System of the Maiella Mountain - Abruzzo Region, Italy

Brandano, Marco 1; Lipparini, Lorenzo 2; Romi, Alessandro 3; Campagnoni, Veronica 2; Tomassetti, Laura 1
(1)Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. (2) Medoilgas Italia S.p.A., Rome, Italy. (3) Schlumberger Information Solutions, Milan, Italy.

The use of outcropping geological analogues is proven to be a robust approach to collect data, ideas and geological understanding, also to integrate and improve the reservoir modelling in the subsurface.

In this respect, Medoilgas Italia, Sapienza University of Rome and Schlumberger are collaborating in a project dedicated to the 3D modeling of outcrops of interest, in particular for Carbonate Oligo-Miocene Ramp deposits.

The aim of this note is to share the results obtained on a first modelling exercise, on the Maiella mountain Oligo-Miocene outcrops, where a well-exposed example of a homoclinal carbonate ramp do allow to study in detail the associated depositional geometries and facies distribution. The Bolognano Formation exposed carbonate succession consists of four main lithostratigraphic units: 1) at the base, cross-bedded bioclastic grainstone to packstone dominated by larger benthic foraminifers, bryozoan fragments & red algae debris; 2) above, bioturbated cross-bedded planktonic wackestone to packstone, unconformably overlaid by 3) cross bedded packstone to grainstone, where the skeletal fraction is dominated by bryozoan, mollusc and echinoid fragments; at the top, a 30 cm thick Heterostegina rich bed is present, passing to the uppermost unit, 4) marly wackstone to floatstone dominated by red algal nodules and bivalves.

Starting from detailed field observation, on facies and geometries, a workflow was defined to create a 3D model at different scales of a specific area, which do includes several outcrops: the final objective was to reconstruct geometrical and facies relationships observed in the outcrops and existing in the subsurface, including a simple 3D fault model. This process consists of combining field spatial data sets, such as geological mapping at different scales, sedimentary logs, well data, etc.., with the goal of locking traditional field observations into a full integrated 3D digital model. As a result, the 3D geometrical framework of the area, for the Bolognano Formation, was obtained, allowing to visualize the vertical and lateral facies variations and to better understand the sedimentary processes effects in controlling it, the geometries of the depositional profile and the stratigraphic evolution. The final model helps moreover in understanding the relationships between facies and the architectural framework at the basin scale and it provides the basis to refine and improve the modelling of subsurface analogue reservoirs.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90135©2011 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Milan, Italy, 23-26 October 2011.