Geologic models of subsurface sedimentray volumes

• Main Authors: DAVID C. HOYAL, JOHN C. VAN WAGONER, PAUL A. DUNN, CHRIS J. DONOFRIO, TAO SUN, MAX DEFFENBAUGH, DACHANG LI, DAVID N. AWWILLER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.02.2011
• Subjects: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PHYSICS; TESTING

A method is disclosed for using a three-dimensional seismic image of a subsurface earth volume to construct a geologic model specifying the spatially-varying grain size distribution, porosity, and permeability throughout the volume. The method applies to earth volumes composed of water-lain clastic sedimentary deposits and involves, in one embodiment, (a) identifying the outline forms of geologic bodies in geologic data; (b) using the outline forms of the geologic bodies to determine the spatially-varying grain size distribution within the bodies, guided by assumptions about the nature and behavior of the paleoflow that deposited the bodies; (c) determining rock properties such as, porosity and permeability within the geologic bodies based on grain-size distribution, mineralogy and burial history information.