[S03-2] Imaging of heterogeneities in the Earth with seismic scattered waves and ambient noise II

[S03-2-05] 3D Diffraction Imaging of Fault Zones

^○Vladimir Cheverda^{1, 2}, Galina Reshetova^{1, 2, 3}, Maksim Protasov^1,2 (1.Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics, Novosibirsk, Russia, 2.Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia, 3.Institute of Computational Mathematics and Mathemmatical Geophysics, Novosibirsk, Russia)

Presented research focusses on seismic analysis of fault damage zones. The statistical modelused based on using fault facies technique. The statistical ensembles of facies spatial distribution are sampled for different values of model parameters. Seismic forward modeling and imaging is performed for each realization. The comparative statistical analysis of original models and the corresponding seismic images is carried out. Our study allows to estimate the potential ability of using seismic methods to analyze the detailed geological structures of subsurface fault zone.
Characterization of faults is a prerequisite for providing reliable assessments of expected flow patterns and trap-integrity in subsurface reservoirs. Fault characterization in specific reservoirs remains highly challenging, as reflected by the substantial literature addressing data handling and modelling of fault-related parameters aimed at capturing and forecasting the impact of faults on fluid flow. The complexity of fault characterization relates both to the nature of the input data available for description as well as the tools and methods used to process this information into models of actual faults.
Faults can be considered as volumetric entities consisting of deformed host rock generated during the faulting process. The products of this process are closely linked to a wide range of parameters, such as tectonic regime, magnitude of fault displacement and mechanical properties of the host rock.
Direct observational data from any individual fault in a subsurface reservoir is either very scarce (i.e. rare cores and well logs through faults), or offers only limited resolution (i.e. physical constrains to seismic acquisition). Thus, characterization of fault properties in sub-surface reservoirs, apart from seismically resolvable geometric relations, is extensively governed by concepts derived from a combination of theoretical considerations and outcrop and laboratory studies.