The Tools of Subsurface Analysi

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

The Tools of Subsurface Analysis
Facies analysis of subsurface data
depends on tools which delimit of
surfaces and provide clues as to the
sediments they contain:
Well logs
Cores
Seismic
Gravity & magnetics

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Well Logs Versus Seismic
Well logs
Great vertical resolution
Delimit bounding surfaces
Establish lithology of sediments penetrated
Seismic
Great lateral continuity and resolution
Define gross sediment geometry

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

Tools are Keys to Allostratigraphy
& Sequence Stratigraphy
Allostratigraphy : bounding discontinuities
including erosion surfaces, marine flooding
surfaces, tuffs, tempestite, and/or turbidite
boundaries etc. as time markers
Sequence Stratigraphy : higher level
allostratigraphic model which interprets
depositional origin of sedimentary strata as
products of "relative sea level change"

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

The Tools of Subsurface Analysis
Facies analysis of subsurface data
depends on tools which delimit of
surfaces and provide clues as to the
sediments they contain:
Well logs
Seismic

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Well Logs
Delimit of surfaces & identify sediments penetrated
Resistivity Logs
Spontaneous Potential (SP) Logs
Gamma Ray Logs
Neutron Logs
Density Logs
Sonic (acoustic) Logs

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
 Resistivity Logs
The most commonly used logs:

Measures resistance of flow of electric

current
Is function of porosity & pore fluid in rock
Frequently used to identify lithology

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
 Spontaneous Potential (SP) Logs
Next most common log
Measures electrical current in well
Result of salinity differences between
formation water and the borehole mud
Separates bed boundaries of permeable
sands & impermeable shales.

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
 Gamma Ray Logs
Another common log
Records radioactivity of a formation
Shales have high gamma radioactive response
Gamma ray logs infer grain size (and so
subsequently inferred depositional energy)
Gamma ray logs are most commonly used logs
for sequence stratigraphic analysis

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
 GEOL
After 553&Lecture
Harris 3; Subsurface Analysis
Saller 1999
 Neutron Logs
Another common log
Measures porosity of formation
Uses quantity of hydrogen present
Measures lithology when used with Density
Log

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Density Logs
A common log
Measures formations bulk density
Used as a porosity measure
Differentiates lithologies with Neutron Log
Used with Sonic Logs to generate synthetic
seismic traces to match to seismic lines

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Sonic (Acoustic) Logs
Another common log
Measures of speed of sound in formation
Tied to porosity and lithology
Used with Density Logs to generate
Synthetic Seismic traces to match to
Seismic lines

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
The Tools of Subsurface Analysis
Facies analysis of subsurface data
depends on tools which delimit of
surfaces and provide clues as to the
sediments they contain:
Well logs
Seismic

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Seismic
Seismic stratigraphic interpretation
used to:
Define geometries of genetic reflection
packages that envelope seismic sequences
and systems tracts
Identify bounding discontinuities on basis
of reflection termination patterns and
continuity

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Seismic Boundaries
Termination below discontinuity, or
upper sequence boundary :
Toplap termination
Truncation of sediment surface
Often channel bottom
Above a discontinuity defining lower
sequence boundary:
Onlap over surface
Downlap surface

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Seismic Boundaries
Below Boundary - Toplap termination

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Seismic Boundaries
Below Boundary - Truncation of surface

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Seismic Boundaries

Channeled
Surface
Below
Boundary

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Seismic Boundaries
Over Boundary - Onlap onto surface

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Seismic Boundaries
Over Boundary- Downlap onto surface

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
Sequence Stratigraphy
Subdivision & interpretation of sedimentary
record using a framework surfaces seen in
outcrops, well logs, & 2-D and 3-D seismic.
Include:
Surfaces of erosion & non-deposition (sequence
boundaries)
Flooding (trangressive surfaces [TS] &/or maximum
flooding surfaces [mfs]) & high stand condensed
surfaces
This framework used to predict the extent of
sedimentary facies geometry, lithologic
character, grain size, sorting & reservoir
quality GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
Tools Define Bounding Surfaces
These surfaces subdivide sedimentary rock &
provide:-
Relative time framework for sedimentary
succession
Better understanding of inter-relationship of
depositional settings & their lateral correlation

Conceptual models follow that link the

processes that formed the sediments and
enable the prediction of their gross geometries

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Hierarchy of Geometries
Sequence geometries are subdivided and defined by
Maximum Flooding Surfaces (mfs)
Transgressive Surfaces (TS)
Sequence Boundaries (SB)
Define how vertical succession or stacking patterns
of unconfined sheets are arranged
Prograde (step seaward)
Retrograde (step landward)
Aggrade (build vertically)
Sheets and unconfined lobes may contain
Non-amalgamated bodies
Amalgamated, multi-storied bodies
Incised topographic fill of valleys
Unconfined but localized lobes from point & multiple up
dip sources
Unconfined butGEOL
localized build ups (carbonates)
553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
 Hierarchy of Geometries
Sequence geometries are subdivided and defined by
Maximum Flooding Surfaces (mfs)
Transgressive Surfaces (TS)
Sequence Boundaries (SB)
Define how vertical succession or stacking patterns
of unconfined sheets are arranged
Prograde (step seaward)
Retrograde (step landward)
Aggrade (build vertically)
Sheets and unconfined lobes may contain
Non-amalgamated bodies
Amalgamated, multi-storied bodies
Incised topographic fill of valleys
Unconfined but localized lobes from point & multiple up
dip sources
Unconfined butGEOL
localized build ups (carbonates)
553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
 Hierarchy of Geometries
Sequence geometries are subdivided and defined by
Maximum Flooding Surfaces (mfs)
Transgressive Surfaces (TS)
Sequence Boundaries (SB)
Define how vertical succession or stacking patterns
of unconfined sheets are arranged
Prograde (step seaward)
Retrograde (step landward)
Aggrade (build vertically)
Sheets and unconfined lobes may contain
Non-amalgamated bodies
Amalgamated, multi-storied bodies
Incised topographic fill of valleys
Unconfined but localized lobes from point & multiple up
dip sources
Unconfined butGEOL
localized build ups (carbonates)
553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
 Hierarchy of Geometries
Sequence geometries are subdivided and defined by
Maximum Flooding Surfaces (mfs)
Transgressive Surfaces (TS)
Sequence Boundaries (SB)
Define how vertical succession or stacking patterns
of unconfined sheets are arranged
Prograde (step seaward)
Retrograde (step landward)
Aggrade (build vertically)
Sheets and unconfined lobes may contain
Non-amalgamated bodies
Amalgamated, multi-storied bodies
Incised topographic fill of valleys
Unconfined but localized lobes from point & multiple up
dip sources
Unconfined butGEOL
localized build ups (carbonates)
553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
 Hierarchy of Geometries
Sequence geometries are subdivided and defined by
Maximum Flooding Surfaces (mfs)
Transgressive Surfaces (TS)
Sequence Boundaries (SB)
Define how vertical succession or stacking patterns
of unconfined sheets are arranged
Prograde (step seaward)
Retrograde (step landward)
Aggrade (build vertically)
Sheets and unconfined lobes may contain
Non-amalgamated bodies
Amalgamated, multi-storied bodies
Incised topographic fill of valleys
Unconfined but localized lobes from point & multiple up
dip sources
Unconfined butGEOL
localized build ups (carbonates)
553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
Ebb Ooid Delta - UAE

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

Delta Mouth Bar - Kentucky

Note Incised Surface

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

Channel Gulf Coast

Note Incised Surface

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

Flood Deltas & Channels - Kty

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Tidal
Channels
Khor
al
Bazam
-
UAE

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

Tidal, Storm or Tsunami Channel

Note Incised Surface

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

Tsunami Load & Drape - Kty

Note Uniform Thickness of Layer

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

Clastic Sequence Stratigraphic Hierarchies

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Channels & Shelves

e l
n n Sh
h a elf
C
Both have unique processes &
structures that can be used to
identify their setting
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
Tools Enable Sequence Stratigraphic
Analysis
This analysis involves
Subdivision of section into sequences,
parasequences and beds.
Link conceptual models with mix of components
of the individual sequence, parasequence or beds
Use these to explain the depositional setting in
terms of their lithology, grain size, sedimentary
structures, contacts character (gradational,
abrupt) etc

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

 Sequence
Stratigraphic
Analysis

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis

End of the Lecture

Can it be supper
time?
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis
Unconfined Flow - Not in a Channel
Unique Processes
Flow is in all directions
No lateral boundaries, only upper and lower
boundaries
Velocity changes: high to low
Sediment responses
Decrease in grain size: Fining outward (coarse to fine)
Erosional/sharp/gradational contacts
Accretion: Downstream, upstream and vertical
Decrease in sedimentary structures away from source
Geometries
Sheets
Thin in direction of flow

GEOL 553 Lecture 3; Subsurface Analysis