4D BASIN RECONSTRUCTION, INTEGRATING QUANTITATIVE BASIN ANALYSIS
APPROACHES AND HIGH-RESOLUTION SEISMIC REFLECTION TECHNIQUES
Sevgi Tigrek (Ph.D. student)
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences
Department of Applied Earth Sciences
Section Applied Geophysics
The main goal of this project is to recognise the processes that are involved in the sedimentary basin
developments by combining advanced seismic data analysis and numerical basin modelling techniques
and to explore to what extent the seismic reflection response resolves the processes underlying basin
(de)formation. To determine the constraints of the basin-seismic imaging and increase the quality of
images are also involved in this study. The research scope is the sedimentary basins in extensional
tectonic regimes.
Introduction
The project “ 4D basin reconstruction” is a joint project between research schools CTG (TU-Delft) and
NSG (VU-Amsterdam). It aims at reconstructing the past from the geological record and falls in the
framework of ISES (Netherlands Institute of Integrated Solid Earth Sciences).
The purpose of the research is to combine advanced seismic data analysis techniques with basin modelling
tools to recognise the processes that are involved in the basin formation and development. This requires an
extensive study of a model that can be represented in terms of its 3D architecture and geomechanical
properties and transformed into time-space dependent seismic parameters. This study aims at developing
such a model to explore to what extent the seismic reflection response resolves the processes underlying
basin (de) formation. The research methods are being applied to the sedimentary basins of the extensional
tectonic settings. The Vøring Basin of the Norwegian continental Shelf is the first case study. Different
sites from Dutch offshore and onshore are also being used to test the research methodology at different
scales. The data from the River Maas seismic survey, which was carried out in Autumn 1999, is being
used as an example for shallow scale application.
Results in 2001
The research activities in 2000 were concentrated on creating a database, which consisted of 2D, 3D
seismic data and petrophysical data. The first two years of the research involved evaluation of the data,
building geological models and specifying the problems in the models. Some of them were already
summarised in the progress report of last year. The research activities in 2001 was concentrated on
improving the quality of geological models, determining the limits of seismic images and looking for the
best modelling approaches to find the relation between the distribution of geomechanical and seismic
reflection parameters on the basin target horizon. A finite element approach to investigate stress
distribution of the basin and a finite difference approach for seismic modelling were already decided in
2000. In 2001 these methods were tested. Different seismic modelling tools were studied and used to find
the optimum one for research targets. Both acoustic and elastic wave modelling were performed to
achieve the research goals. Acoustic modelling was preferred when only the structural character of the
basin had to be highlighted. However the emphasis was given on the modelling based on the elastic wave
equations, which describes both P and S wave propagation and more suitable for stratigraphic modelling.
The lamé constants λ and μ (shear modulus), Young’s Modulus (E), Poisson’s ratio and bulk compression
modulus are the physical parameters that are used to investigate the relation between the stress distribution
of the basin and the seismic response obtained from the basin stratigraphical models. The figures
summarise some of the work done in 2001. Figure 1 is a shallow pseudo-geological section simplified
from the Norwegian continental Margin. The left part of the section was developed by uplift, whereas the
right side represents geometry under subsidence. The target layer includes inhomogeneity in its material
parameters due to varying compaction. Figure 2 displays a snapshot (2000 ms) showing how the pressure
component of the elastic waves is behaving. Last figure shows the meshed section as an input to finite
element modelling to investigate the stress field.
Research plan for 2002
 Completing geomechanical and seismic modelling on pseudo-geological sections.
 Quantification of the relation between the geomechanical and seismic parameters.
 Completing the real data applications (the Norwegian Continental Margin, North Sea).
 Application of research methodology on 3D pseudo-data.
 Documentation of results, writing thesis.
Pressure
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Figure 1: A pseudo-geological section based on the
Norwegian Continental Margin and seismic survey
design for elastic wave modelling.
0.05
Figure 2: Snapshot of pressure component at 2000 ms.
Figure 3: Central part of the model. Meshed for finite
element approaches to determine the stress-field
Presentations in the reporting year
ISES workshop, September 2001, TU-Delft.
Teaching tasks
 Seismic Interpretation practical course (ta3611).
 Seismic interpretation part of the course Field development project
Completed PhD. Courses
 Modelling Techniques, VU-Amsterdam.
 Brittle structural analysis and paleostress reconstructions. Applications to intracontinental
deformation and basin formation in Central Asia, NSG course, VU-Amsterdam.
 2D/3D seismic data management and interpretation, Seismic Micro Technology course, TU-Delft.
Publications
Steeghs, P., I. Overeem, S. Tigrek; (2001) Seismic volume attribute analysis of the Cenozoic succession in
the L08 Block (Southern North sea). Global and Planetary Change.