Use of forward stratigraphic modelling for the detection of sub-seismic scale heterogeneities in shallow marine environments

Abstract

Many stratigraphic features occur at a scale that is at the edge or below vertical seismic resolution. Thus, they cannot be directly observed in the seismic data, while still having an important effect on the fluid flow within the system. The better understanding of these sub-seismic scale features or heterogeneities can help decrease subsurface uncertainty. Here we present a novel method that integrates forward stratigraphic modelling, petrophysics, and geophysics to decipher the seismic imprint of heterogeneities in wave-dominated, shallow marine environments. The proposed three-stepped method starts with defining geology-related input parameters for BarSim, a stratigraphic forward modelling software that produces models that include stratigraphic architecture, grain size distribution, and facies distribution. Then, the geological data is translated, cell by cell, into petrophysical data (density, Vp, and Vs) using emphirical relationships. Finally, the forward seismic modelling is performed by combining a finite difference approach strategy and angle-dependent full wavefield migration to retrieve the angle gathers This method also allows the generation of large amounts of field-independent data suitable for machine learning applications.