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- Volume 44, Issue 6, 1996
Geophysical Prospecting - Volume 44, Issue 6, 1996
Volume 44, Issue 6, 1996
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A few case histories of subsurface imaging with EMAP as an aid to seismic processing and interpretation1
More LessAbstractThe electromagnetic array profiling (EMAP) exploration method can be combined with a direct one‐dimensional inversion process for conversion to depth to produce a subsurface resistivity cross‐section. This cross‐section may then be interpreted in parallel with a seismic cross‐section to enhance the prediction of rock type and structure. In complex thrust environments and areas of shallow carbonate rocks, the EMAP method is often used to provide additional data either to help the seismic processor and/or to aid the seismic interpretation. In particular, the electromagnetic (EM) data can be used to build an independent seismic velocity file for depth migration.
Three EMAP test areas in the western United States are used to demonstrate such a use of EMAP as an expioration tool. The first shows how a velocity file is estimated from resistivity data for seismic depth migration processing in a complex thrust environment. In the second example, the method is applied in layer‐cake geology with high seismic velocity rocks at the earth's surface. The third example is another complex thrust environment, but in this case the velocity file derived from the resistivity data is used for stacking the seismic data.
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Papua New Guinea MT: looking where seismic is blind1
More LessAbstractHydrocarbon exploration in the Papuan fold belt is made extremely difficult by mountainous terrain, equatorial jungle and thick karstified Miocene limestones at the surface. The high‐velocity karstified limestones at or near the surface often render the seismic technique useless for imaging the subsurface. In such areas magnetotellurics (MT) provides a valuable capability for mapping subsurface structure. The main structural interface which can be mapped with MT, due to the large electrical contrast, is the contact between the resistive Darai limestone and the underlying conductive sediments of the Ieru Formation. In some areas the base of the Darai can be mapped with reasonable accuracy by fitting 1D models to the observed MT data. However, in many cases where 2D and 3D effects are severe, 1D interpretations can yield dramatically incorrect results. Numerical and field data examples are presented which demonstrate the severity of the 1D errors and the improvements in accuracy which can be achieved using a 2D inverse solution.
Two MT lines over adjacent anticlines, both with well control and seismic data, are used to demonstrate the application of 1D and 2D inversions for structural models. In both cases the seismic data provide no aid in the interpretations. The example over the Hides anticline illustrates a situation where 1D inversion of either TE or TM mode provides essentially the same depth to base of Darai as 2D inversion of both TE and TM. Both models provide base Darai depth estimates which are within 10% of that measured in the well. The example over the Angore anticline illustrates the inadequacy of 1D inversion in structurally complex geology complicated by electrical statics. The TE mode fits a 1D Darai thickness of 800 metres while the TM mode fits a 1D Darai thickness of 3500 metres, bracketing the thickness of 2450 metres observed in the well. The final 2D inversion model provides a depth estimate of 2250 metres. Four MT lines along the Angore anticline have been interpreted using 2D inversion. A high degree of correlation exists between lineaments observed on an airborne radar image and zones of low resistivity within the high‐resistivity material interpreted as Darai limestone. These low‐resistivity zones are interpreted as fault zones.
Three‐dimensional modelling has been used to simulate 3D statics in an otherwise 2D earth. These data were used to test the Groom‐Bailey (GB) decomposition for possible benefits in reducing static effects and estimating geoelectric strike in the Papua New Guinea (PNG) field data. It has been found that the GB decomposition can provide improved regional 2D strike estimates in 3D contaminated data. However, in situations such as PNG, where the regional 2D strike is well established and hence can be fixed, the GB decomposition provides apparent resistivities identical to those simply rotated to strike.
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Electromagnetic mapping of electrical conductivity beneath the Columbia basalts1
More LessAbstractSedimentary rocks beneath the Columbia River Basalt Group are recognized as having potential for oil and gas production, but the overlying layered basalts effectively mask seismic reflections from the underlying sediments. Four electromagnetic (EM) methods have been applied on profiles crossing Boylston Ridge, a typical east–west trending anticline of the Yakima Fold Belt, in an attempt to map the resistivity interface between the basalts and the sediments and to map variations in structure and resistivity within the sediments. The EM surveys detected strong variations in resistivity within the basalts, and in particular the continuous magnetotelluric array profiling (EMAP) revealed resistivity lows beneath the surface anticlines. These low resistivity zones probably coincide with fracturing in the core of the anticlines and they appear to correlate well with similar zones of low seismic velocity observed on a nearby seismic profile.
The controlled‐source EM surveys (in‐loop transient, long‐offset transient, and variable‐offset frequency‐domain) were designed in anticipation of relatively uniform high resistivity basalts, and were found to have been seriously distorted by the intrabasalt conductors discovered in the field. In particular, the resistivity sections derived from 1D inversions were found to be inconsistent and misleading. The EMAP survey provided the most information about the subsurface resistivity distribution, and was certainly the most cost‐effective. However, both controlled‐source and EMAP surveys call for accurate 2D or 3D inversion to accommodate the geological objectives of this project.
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Transient electromagnetic vs. seismic prospecting—a correspondence principle1
More LessAbstractA correspondence principle is derived that relates the Green's functions (point‐receiver responses to point‐source excitations) for 2D transient diffusive electro‐magnetic fields with electric field in the vertical plane to 2D seismic waves (in the acoustic approximation) with particle velocity in the vertical plane in arbitrarily inhomogeneous media. The constituent medium parameters in the two cases are related via two global proportionality constants. The kernels in the integral operators that express the diffusion phenomenon in terms of the wave phenomenon are of a smoothing nature. The fact that they are explicitly known can be of importance to the inverse operation. The correspondence principle is the fundamental tool in comparing the spatial resolving powers in the two methods of geophysical prospecting.
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Integrating long‐offset transient electromagnetics (LOTEM) with seismics in an exploration environment1
Authors K.‐M. Strack and K. VozoffAbstractThe applications of electromagnetics have increased in the past two decades because of an improved understanding of the methods, improved service availability, and the increased focus of exploration in the more complex reservoir characterization issues. For electromagnetic methods surface applications for hydrocarbon Exploration and Production are still a special case, while applications in borehole and airborne research and for engineering and environmental objectives are routine.
In the past, electromagnetic techniques, in particular deep transient electromagnetics, made up a completely different discipline in geophysics, although many of the principles are similar to the seismic one. With an understanding of the specific problems related to data processing initially and then acquisition, the inclusion of principles learned from seismics happened almost naturally. Initially, the data processing was very similar to seismic full‐waveform processing. The hardware was also changed to include multichannel acquisition systems, and the field procedures became very similar to seismic surveying. As a consequence, the integration and synergism of the interpretation process is becoming almost automatic.
The long‐offset transient electromagnetic (LOTEM) technique will be summarized from the viewpoint of its similarity to seismics. The complete concept of the method will also be reviewed. An interpretation case history that integrates seismic and LOTEM from a hydrocarbon area in China clearly demonstrates the limitations and benefits of the method.
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Structural mapping in basin‐and‐range‐like geology by electromagnetic methods: a powerful aid to seismic
Authors Pierre‐Yves Galibert, Roger Guerin and Pierre AndrieuxAbstractA case history is presented where electromagnetic (EM) methods were applied as a complement to seismic, for structural mapping in basin‐and‐range‐like geology: 366 five‐component magnetotelluric (MT) soundings were carried out together with 331 transient soundings (TDEM) along seismic lines.
Due to high structural complexity, seismic shows a number of limitations. For the same reasons, MT is highly perturbed and three specific interpretation techniques were comprehensively applied:
1. a classical correction of static effect using TDEM sounding, to determine the high‐frequency nondistorted apparent resistivities and thus the corrected tensor;
2. a so‐called regional correction based upon the same concept as the static effect, to transform distorted resistivity curves due to the horst/graben situation into plausible 1D curves, through the use of nomograms built for 2D H‐polarization situations;
3. a stripping technique which made it possible to map areas where a deep conductive Mesozoic shale was present below carbonates, at a depth of 3 km.
After the best MT interpretation was obtained along each line, it was integrated with seismic and with the results from two boreholes. A crude empirical law relating resistivity and acoustic velocity was established and the MT horizons were plotted on the two‐way traveltime seismic sections.
The final integrated cross‐sections obtained are undoubtedly of greater use to the explorationist than the initial seismic sections alone and two wells were accurately predicted.
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Advances in the combined interpretation of seismics with magnetotellurics1
By Zoltán NagyAbstractFive examples, obtained during exploration for hydrocarbons in the Pannonian Basin of Hungary, are used to show how the interpretation of seismic sections can be usefully complemented by results from MT surveys.
Selection of the most appropriate MT quantities, considered to be proper ‘MT attributes’ for the purpose of visualization as well as recognition of the subsurface structures and the different inversions of MT data is essential for practical integration of seismic and MT surveys.
A new technique providing a semiquantitive MT‐attribute pseudosection for the purpose of visualization of the subsurface structures is proposed. The procedure utilizes derivative functions of the phase of MT impedance for visualization and derives estimated depths from the Bostick transformation of Cagniard apparent resistivities.
On the basis of the MT‐attribute pseudosections, constructed from the phase derivatives and transformed resistivity data, depths are estimated for interfaces between geological formations with significant resistivity contrast. In particular examples, the interface between the Tertiary sediments and the older basement rocks as well as tectonic fracture zones with decreased resistivity can be resolved.
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Volumes & issues
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Volume 72 (2023 - 2024)
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Volume 71 (2022 - 2023)
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Volume 70 (2021 - 2022)
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Volume 69 (2021)
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Volume 68 (2020)
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Volume 67 (2019)
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Volume 66 (2018)
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Volume 65 (2017)
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Volume 64 (2015 - 2016)
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Volume 63 (2015)
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Volume 62 (2014)
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Volume 61 (2013)
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Volume 60 (2012)
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Volume 59 (2011)
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Volume 58 (2010)
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Volume 57 (2009)
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Volume 56 (2008)
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Volume 55 (2007)
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Volume 54 (2006)
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Volume 53 (2005)
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Volume 52 (2004)
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Volume 51 (2003)
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Volume 50 (2002)
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Volume 49 (2001)
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Volume 48 (2000)
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Volume 47 (1999)
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Volume 46 (1998)
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Volume 45 (1997)
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Volume 44 (1996)
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Volume 43 (1995)
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Volume 42 (1994)
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Volume 41 (1993)
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Volume 40 (1992)
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Volume 39 (1991)
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Volume 38 (1990)
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Volume 37 (1989)
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Volume 36 (1988)
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Volume 35 (1987)
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Volume 34 (1986)
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Volume 33 (1985)
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Volume 32 (1984)
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Volume 31 (1983)
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Volume 30 (1982)
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Volume 29 (1981)
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Volume 28 (1980)
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Volume 27 (1979)
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Volume 26 (1978)
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Volume 25 (1977)
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Volume 24 (1976)
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Volume 23 (1975)
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Volume 22 (1974)
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Volume 21 (1973)
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Volume 20 (1972)
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Volume 19 (1971)
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Volume 18 (1970)
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Volume 17 (1969)
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Volume 16 (1968)
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Volume 15 (1967)
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Volume 14 (1966)
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Volume 13 (1965)
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Volume 12 (1964)
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Volume 11 (1963)
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Volume 10 (1962)
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Volume 9 (1961)
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Volume 8 (1960)
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Volume 7 (1959)
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Volume 6 (1958)
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Volume 5 (1957)
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Volume 4 (1956)
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Volume 3 (1955)
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Volume 2 (1954)
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Volume 1 (1953)