INTEGRATED INTERPRETATION, 3D MAP MIGRATION AND VSP MODELLING PROJECT, NORTHERN U.K. SOUTHERN GAS BASIN¹

Depth conversion in the northern part of the U.K. Southern Gas Basin is complicated by the presence of Zechstein (Permian) salt swells and diapirs. In addition, the post‐Zechstein (post‐Permian) section displays large lateral velocity variations. The primary agents which control the velocity of this stratigraphic section are: (1) depth of burial, (2) lithological variation within individual formations, and (3) the effects of subsequent tectonic inversion. An integrated approach which combines well velocity, seismic velocity and seismic interpretation is required for accurate depth estimation.

In 1988 Mobil and partners drilled an exploratory well in the northern part of the U.K. Southern Gas Basin. This well was located near the crest of a Zechstein salt diapir. Over 2000 m of Zechstein was encountered in the well. The Permian Rotliegendes objective was penetrated at a depth of over 3700 m.

The initial delineation of the objective structure was based on the results of 3D map migration of the seismic time interpretation. Spatially‐variant interval velocity functions were used to depth convert through five of the six mapped horizons. Both well and model‐based seismic interval velocity analysis information was used to construct these functions.

A moving‐source well seismic survey was conducted. The survey was run in two critical directions. In conjunction with presurvey modelling, it was possible to confirm immediately the structural configuration as mapped to a distance of 7 km from the well. Post‐survey 3D map migration and modelling was employed to further refine the structural interpretation. Although the question of stratigraphic anisotropy was considered in the evaluation of the long offset modelling, no evidence was found in the field data to support a significant effect.

Finally, comparisons were made of: curved‐ray versus straight‐ray migration/modelling, midpoint‐depth velocity versus (depth‐dependant instantaneous velocity functions, and Hubral‐ versus Fermat‐based map depth migration algorithms. Significant differences in the results were observed for structural dips exceeding 15^o and/or offsets exceeding 6 km. Map depth migration algorithms which employed both curved rays and spatially‐variant instantaneous velocity functions were found to best approximate the ‘true’ geological velocity field in the study area.