Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/aapg/books/book/1451/chapter-pdf/3839212/9781629812052_frontmatter.

pdf
by guest
 Seismic Stratigraphy -
applications to
hydrocarbon exploration

Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/aapg/books/book/1451/chapter-pdf/3839212/9781629812052_frontmatter.pdf

by guest
Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/aapg/books/book/1451/chapter-pdf/3839212/9781629812052_frontmatter.pdf
by guest
 Memoir 26

Seismic Stratigraphy -
applications to
hydrocarbon exploration

Edited by
CHARLES E. PAYTON

Published by The American Association of Petroleum Geologists

Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.A., 1977

Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/aapg/books/book/1451/chapter-pdf/3839212/9781629812052_frontmatter.pdf

by guest
 Copyright © 1977 by
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Published December 1977

Second Printing, June 1975
Third Printing, January 1979
Fourth Printing, February 1980
Library of Congress Catalog Cord No. 77-91023
ISBN: 0-89181-302-0

The AAPG staff responsible:

Gory D. Howell, Managing Editor
Ronald L. Hart, Project Editor
Solly B. Hunt, Production Coordinator
Regina London, Production
Carol Short, Production
Nancy G. Wise, Production

Printed by Edwards Brothers, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan

Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/aapg/books/book/1451/chapter-pdf/3839212/9781629812052_frontmatter.pdf

by guest
 Contents
Foreword.Charles E. Payton . . . .. . . .. . . . . .. . ... . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Section 1: Fundamentals of Stratigraphic Interpretation of Seismic Doto ........ .

3
Limitations on Resolution of Seismic Reflections and Geologic Detail Derivable from
Them. Robert E. Sheriff..............................................

Aspects of Rock Physics from Laboratory and Log Data that ore Important to Seismic
Interpretation. A. R.Gre gory. ........................................ 15

Section 2: Application of Seismic Reflection Configuration to Stratigraphic

Interpretation. . ......................................... . ......... 47

Seismic Stratigraphy and Global Changes of Sea Level. P. R. Vail , R. M. Mitchum, Jr. ,
R.G. To dd, J. M.Wi dmier , 5. Thompson , Ill , J.B. Sangree , J. N. Bubb ,
W. G. Hatleli d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Port One: Overview. P. R. Vail and R. M.Mitchum, Jr. . ................. 51

Port Two: The Depositional Sequence as a Basic Unit for Stratigraphic Analysis.
R. M. Mitchum , Jr. ,P. R. Vail , and5. Thompson , I l l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . 53

Port Three: Relative Changes of Sea Level from Coastal Onlop. P. R.Vail ,
R. M. Mitchum, Jr.. and5. Thompson, Ill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Port Four: Global Cycles of Relative Changes of Sea Level. P. R. Vail ,

R. M. Mitchum,Jr., and5. Thompson, Ill . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Port Five: Chronostratigraphic Significance of Seismic Reflections. P. R. Vail ,

R. G. To dd,andJ. B. Sangree . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Port Six: Stratigraphic Interpretation of Seismic Reflection Patterns in

Depositional Sequences. R. M. Mitchum, Jr. , P. R. Vail,andJ. B. Sangree . 117

Port Seven: Seismic Stratigraphic Interpretation Procedure. R. M. Mitchum, Jr. ,

and P. R. Vail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Port Eight: Identification of Upper Triassic, Jurassic, and Lower Cretaceous

Seismic Sequences in Gulf of Mexico and Offshore West Africa. R. G. To dd and
R. M. Mitchum, Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Port Nine: Seismic Interpretation of Clastic Depositional Facies. J.B.Sangree

andJ. M. Wi dmier . . . . . . . , .................................... 165

W. G. Ho tl e lid ............................................... 185

Port Ten: Seismic Recognition of Carbonate Buildups. J. N. Bubb , and

Port Eleven: Glossary of Terms Used in Seismic Stratigraphy.

R. M. Mitchum, Jr.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Seismic-Stratigraphic Interpretation of Depositional Systems: Examples from Brazilian

Rift and Pull-Aport Basins. L. F. Brown ,Jr. ,andW. L. Fisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

Seismic Facies and Sedimentology of Terrigenous Pleistocene Deposits in Northwest

and Central Gulf of Mexico. Charles J. Stuart and Charles A. Cau ghey . . . . . . . . . 249
v

Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/aapg/books/book/1451/chapter-pdf/3839212/9781629812052_frontmatter.pdf

by guest
 Denver Basin, Colorado. Robert J. W ieme r an dT.
Stratigraphic and Seismic Evidence for Late Cretaceous Growth Faulting,
L. Davis . . . • . . . . . . . • . . . . . . 277

Application of Amplitude, Frequency, and Other Attributes to Stratigraphic and

Hydrocarbon Determination. M. T. Taner and R. E. Sheriff . ..... . . . . . . . . . .... 301

Seismic Exploration for Stratigraphic Traps. Milton 13. Dobrin.... . . .. . . .. . ..... . 329

Analysis of High Resolution Seismic Data. Herman C. Sieck andGeorge W. Self . . . 353

Section 3: Stratigraphic Models from Seismic Data .......................... 387

Stratigraphic Modeling and Interpretation- Geophysical Principles and Techniques.

NormanS. Nei dell and Elio Po g gia gliolmi ... . .. . . .. . ..... . . .... .. . .. . ... 389

Geologic Considerations for Stratigraphic Modeling and Interpretation.

L. D. Mecl�el, Jr., andA. K. Nath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . . ... . 417

Seismic Stratigraphic Model of Depositional Platform Margin, Eastern Anadarko Basin,

Oklahoma. William R. Galloway, MarshallS. Yancey, andArthur P. Whi p ple.. . . 439

A Case History of Geoseismic Modeling of Basal Morrow-Springer Sandstones,

Watonga-Chickasha Trend: Geary, Oklahoma-T13N, R1OW.
WilliamA. Clement.................. ... .. .. . ............. .... . . . . .. 451

Practical Stratigraphic Modeling and Interpretation. M. W.Schramm, Jr., E. V. De dman,

andJ. P. Lindsey . . ..... . .. . ...... . . . . . . ... . ..... . .. . . . . . . .... ... . . . 477

Index ............................................................. 503

vi

Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/aapg/books/book/1451/chapter-pdf/3839212/9781629812052_frontmatter.pdf

by guest
 Foreword
This Memoir is the result of plans made after
the first Research Symposium on Seismic Stratig­
raphy presented at the 1975 national convention
of the American Association of Petroleum Geolo­
gists. Selected reports from technical meetings
since that time are also included.
Seismic stratigraphy is one of the fastest grow­
ing geoscience disciplines. The basic concepts of
seismic response to thin transitional beds and the
synthesis of seismograms from stratigraphic se­
quences were explained more than 20 years ago,
but routine use of these concepts had to await
modern electronic technology. Likewise, only in
the last few years has the quality of seismic data
been adequate to interpret reservoir conditions
and depositional facies with some accuracy.
The discipline has evolved along two different
paths. One approach seeks to recover stratigraph­
ic information from qualitative analysis of reflec­
tions. Variations in reflection amplitude, continu­
ity, and concordance are used to group regions of
distinctive appearance. These are assigned strati­
graphic meaning by comparison to subsurface in­
formation. The other approach attempts to dupli­
cate a seismogram by numerical modeling. A
reflection coefficient model of the strata thick­
ness, velocity density and absorption is con­
,
structed either from subsurface data or from the
vii
Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/aapg/books/book/1451/chapter-pdf/3839212/9781629812052_frontmatter.pdf
by guest
explorer's imagination. The model is convolved
with a seismic pulse to produce a synthetic seis­
mogram which, in turn, is compared for similarity
to the field record.
The articles in this Memoir are grouped into
three sections. The first describes principles that
both permit and also limit interpretations. The
second section presents sixteen articles that de­
scribe the qualitative approach to stratigraphic in­
terpretations of reflection records, and the final
section presents techniques and examples of
modeling.
Better knowledge of petrophysics and contin­
ued experimentation with processing techniques
will sustain the development of seismic stratigra­
phy. Future advances in data acquisition technol­
ogy, principally improved recovery of high fre­
quency signals, and routine recording of
shear-wave reflections promise to provide even
more accurate stratigraphic interpretations.
Charles E. Payton
Houston, Texas
Special Editor
June 6, 1977
Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/aapg/books/book/1451/chapter-pdf/3839212/9781629812052_frontmatter.pdf
by guest