King Fahd University of Petroleum &Minerals
Earth Sciences Department
Seismic Exploration II (032)
GEOP 415
Fall 2003
Instructor: Dr. Ali M. Al-Ghamdi
Office: 3 – 211
Office Hours: UT 11:00-1:00
Office Phone: 860-2848.
E-mail: alghamdi@kfupm.edu.sa
Class meeting:
SMW 10:00-10:50 AM
Building 5 / Room 203
Grading:
25 % Midterm Exam
30 % Final Exam
20 % Home works
15 % Attendance
05 % Quizzes
05 % Field Trip Report
Outlines
PARTI:
Review of Seismic Reflection

Physical properties of rocks, Seismic velocities and densities.

Elastic module, Seismic types of waves.

Seismic reflection, Reflection coefficients.

Time-depth conversion: (Synthetic seismograms, Check-shot, VSP)

Seismic resolution, Primary and multiples events, CPM method.

Seismic data acquisition of the 2-D and 3-D seismic (Energy
Sources, Detectors,

Seismic data processing (velocity determination, Frequency and
filtering, diffraction and migration.
PARTII:
Basin Architecture

Earth model, and Plate Tectonics Concept.

Isosticy & subsidence.

Salt Tectonics.

Basin Types.
Fore-arc basins
Back-arc basins
Foreland basins
Pull-apart basin

Relationship between basin architecture and associated structures.

Case histories (Seismic examples on basins).
PARTIII:
Seismic Interpretation

Depositional environments.

Sedimentary supply & processes.

Sediments Fairways.

Well log Correlation.

Salt Structures.

Seismic Migration

Fault Types and Interpretation.

Seismic Maps (Time-structure, Isopach, Surface, Time, and Slice Maps)

Seismic Facies Analysis (Clastics vs. Carbonate facies).

Chrono-stratigraphy vs. Litho-stratigraphy

Seismic response of the different structures.

Case histories:
o Arabian Gulf (Carbonate and salt)
o Gulf of Mexico (Depositional environment of clastics and salt).
Two Field Trips:

3-D Seismic Acquisition crew (around Haradh area, Ghawar Field)

3-D Seismic Data Processing (Exploration Building at Saudi Aramco)
References:
Asquith G., 1982, Basic well log analysis for geologists, American Association of
Petroleum Geologists. 216 p.
Bally A. W., 1987, Atlas of seismic stratigraphy, American Association of Petroleum
Geologists studies in geology, 3 volumes.
Jackson M. P., et al. (eds.), 1993, Salt tectonics: A global perspective, American
Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 65, 554 p.
Loucks R. G. and Sarg, J. F. (eds.), 1993, Carbonate sequence stratigraphy, American
Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 57, 545 p.
Payton C. E. (ed.), 1977, Seismic stratigraphy: Applications to hydrocarbon
exploration, American Association of Petroleum Geologists. 516 p.
Scholle P. A. and Spearing D. (eds.), 1982, Sandstone depositional environments,
American Association of Petroleum Geologists. 216 p.
Water K. H., 1987, Reflection seismology: A tool for energy resources exploration, A
Wiley-Interscience Publication, New York, 538 p
Weimer P. and Link, M. H., 1991, Seismic Facies and sedimentary processes of
submarine fans and turbidite systems, Springer-Verlag, New York, 447 p.
Wilgus C. K., et al. (eds.), 1988, Sea-level changes: An integrated approach, Society
of Economic Paleontologist and Mineralogists, Special publication No. 42,
407 p.
And several papers as a handout.