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Title: Gas hydrate characterization from a 3D seismic dataset in the deepwater eastern Gulf of Mexico

Conference ·
OSTI ID:1434051

Seismic stratigraphic features are delineated using principal component analysis of the band limited data at potential gas hydrate sands, and compared and calibrated with spectral decomposition thickness to constrain thickness in the absence of well control. Layers in the abyssal fan sediments are thinner than can be resolved with 50 Hz seismic and thus comprise composite thin-bed reflections. Amplitude vs frequency analysis are used to indicate gas and gas hydrate reflections. Synthetic seismic wedge models show that with 50Hz seismic data, a 40% saturation of a Plio Pleistocene GoM sand in the hydrate stability zone with no subjacent gas can produce a phase change (negative to positive) with a strong correlation between amplitude and hydrate saturation. The synthetic seismic response is more complicated if the gas hydrate filled sediments overlie gassy sediments. Hydrate (or gas) saturation in thin beds enhances the amplitude response and can be used to estimate saturation. Gas hydrate saturation from rock physics, amplitude, and frequency analysis is compared to saturation derived from inversion at several interpreted gas hydrate accumulations in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Research Organization:
Fugro GeoConsulting
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE), Oil & Natural Gas
DOE Contract Number:
FE0010160
OSTI ID:
1434051
Resource Relation:
Conference: Fiery Ice 2016, Honolulu Hawaii, June 2016
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English