Difference between revisions of "Magnetotellurics case history: rugged carbonate terrain (Highlands of Papua New Guinea)"

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  | part    = Predicting the occurrence of oil and gas traps
 
  | part    = Predicting the occurrence of oil and gas traps
 
  | chapter = Applying magnetotellurics
 
  | chapter = Applying magnetotellurics
  | frompg  = 16-1
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  | frompg  = 16-9
  | topg    = 16-12
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  | topg    = 16-9
 
  | author  = Arnie Ostrander
 
  | author  = Arnie Ostrander
 
  | link    = http://archives.datapages.com/data/specpubs/beaumont/ch16/ch16.htm
 
  | link    = http://archives.datapages.com/data/specpubs/beaumont/ch16/ch16.htm
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  | isbn    = 0-89181-602-X
 
  | isbn    = 0-89181-602-X
 
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The Papuan thrust belt is both an expensive and difficult area in which to acquire seismic data. The area is typified by rugged mountainous terrain, dense equatorial jungle, and thick, heavily karstified limestone. The karstified limestone in some areas is also overlain by heterogeneous volcanics. The few coherent seismic reflectors are lacking in character and continuity, and the data in general are extremely noisy.
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The Papuan [[thrust belt]] is both an expensive and difficult area in which to acquire [[seismic data]]. The area is typified by rugged mountainous terrain, dense equatorial jungle, and thick, heavily [[karst]]ified [[limestone]]. The karstified limestone in some areas is also overlain by heterogeneous [[Wikipedia:Volcanic_rock|volcanics]]. The few coherent seismic reflectors are lacking in character and continuity, and the data in general are extremely noisy.
  
The sedimentary section in this area, however, is an excellent MT target.<ref name=ch16r1>Billings, A., J., Thomas, J., H., 1990, The use and limitations of non-seismic geophysics in the Papuan thrust belt, in Carman, C., J., Carman, Z., eds., Proceedings of the First PNG Petroleum Convention: Port Moresby, New Guinea, p. 51–62.</ref> This sequence observed in MT data is a simple three-layer package. The upper layer is the high-resistivity Darai Limestone, the middle layer is low-resistivity Leru Formation clastics, and the third layer is high-resistivity basement rocks. Therefore, the MT data provide a subsurface map of the base of the Darai and the top of the basement. The addition of an upper high-resistivity volcanic layer in some areas usually does not complicate this interpretation, except that it may not be possible to differentiate the base of the volcanics from the top of the Darai.
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The sedimentary section in this area, however, is an excellent [[Magnetotellurics|magnetotelluric]] (MT) target.<ref name=ch16r1>Billings, A. J., and J. H. Thomas, 1990, The use and limitations of non-seismic geophysics in the Papuan thrust belt, in C. J. Carman, and Z. Carman, eds., Proceedings of the First PNG Petroleum Convention: Port Moresby, New Guinea, p. 51–62.</ref> This sequence observed in MT data is a simple three-layer package. The upper layer is the high-resistivity Darai Limestone, the middle layer is low-resistivity Leru Formation clastics, and the third layer is high-resistivity [[basement]] rocks. Therefore, the MT data provide a subsurface map of the base of the Darai and the top of the basement. The addition of an upper high-resistivity volcanic layer in some areas usually does not complicate this interpretation, except that it may not be possible to differentiate the base of the volcanics from the top of the Darai.
  
 
==Survey results==
 
==Survey results==
More than 2,500 MT sites have been acquired in Papua New Guinea by numerous companies involved in exploration in the region (Mills, personal communication, 1994). BP Exploration (Hoversten, 1992) acquired MT data over both the Angore anticline and the Hides anticline. The interpreted models from these two data sets provide depth estimates of the base of the Darai Limestone to within 10% of the measured depth in the Angore 1 well. In both cases, the seismic data aided the interpretation.
 
  
The figure below shows the 2-D MT model beneath the Angore-1 well and the base of the Darai Limestone as observed in the well.
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[[file:applying-magnetotellurics_fig16-6.png|300px|thumb|{{figure number|1}}2-D MT model beneath the Angore-1 well and the base of the Darai Limestone as observed in the well. Drafted from data in Hoversten.<ref name=Hoversten>Hoversten, G. M., 1996, Papua New Guinea MT: looking where seismic is blind: Geophysical Prospecting, vol. 44, p. 935-961.</ref>]]
  
[[file:applying-magnetotellurics_fig16-6.png|thumb|{{figure number|16-6}}Drafted from data in Hoversten, 1992.]]
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More than 2,500 MT sites have been acquired in Papua New Guinea by numerous companies involved in exploration in the region (Mills, personal communication, 1994). BP Exploration<ref name=Hoversten /> acquired MT data over both the Angore anticline and the Hides anticline. The interpreted models from these two data sets provide depth estimates of the base of the Darai Limestone to within 10% of the measured depth in the Angore 1 well. In both cases, the seismic data aided the interpretation.
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[[:file:applying-magnetotellurics_fig16-6.png|Figure 1]] shows the 2-D MT model beneath the Angore-1 well and the base of the Darai Limestone as observed in the well.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
* [[Overview]]
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* [[Magnetotellurics]]
* [[What is Magnetotellurics (MT)?]]
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* [[Magnetotellurics survey measurements]]
* [[What does an MT survey measure?]]
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* [[Magnetotelluric data acquisition]]
* [[How are MT data acquired?]]
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* [[Magnetotellurics case history: frontier basin analysis (Amazon Basin, Colombia)]]
* [[Case history: frontier basin analysis (Amazon Basin, Colombia)]]
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* [[Magnetotellurics case history: Precambrian overthrust (Northwestern Colorado)]]
* [[Case history: Precambrian overthrust (Northwestern Colorado)]]
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* [[Magnetotellurics case history: volcanic terrain (Columbia River Plateau)]]
* [[Case history: volcanic terrain (Columbia River Plateau)]]
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
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[[Category:Predicting the occurrence of oil and gas traps]]  
 
[[Category:Predicting the occurrence of oil and gas traps]]  
 
[[Category:Applying magnetotellurics]]
 
[[Category:Applying magnetotellurics]]
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[[Category:Treatise Handbook 3]]

Latest revision as of 15:12, 31 January 2022

Exploring for Oil and Gas Traps
Series Treatise in Petroleum Geology
Part Predicting the occurrence of oil and gas traps
Chapter Applying magnetotellurics
Author Arnie Ostrander
Link Web page
Store AAPG Store

The Papuan thrust belt is both an expensive and difficult area in which to acquire seismic data. The area is typified by rugged mountainous terrain, dense equatorial jungle, and thick, heavily karstified limestone. The karstified limestone in some areas is also overlain by heterogeneous volcanics. The few coherent seismic reflectors are lacking in character and continuity, and the data in general are extremely noisy.

The sedimentary section in this area, however, is an excellent magnetotelluric (MT) target.[1] This sequence observed in MT data is a simple three-layer package. The upper layer is the high-resistivity Darai Limestone, the middle layer is low-resistivity Leru Formation clastics, and the third layer is high-resistivity basement rocks. Therefore, the MT data provide a subsurface map of the base of the Darai and the top of the basement. The addition of an upper high-resistivity volcanic layer in some areas usually does not complicate this interpretation, except that it may not be possible to differentiate the base of the volcanics from the top of the Darai.

Survey results[edit]

Figure 1 2-D MT model beneath the Angore-1 well and the base of the Darai Limestone as observed in the well. Drafted from data in Hoversten.[2]

More than 2,500 MT sites have been acquired in Papua New Guinea by numerous companies involved in exploration in the region (Mills, personal communication, 1994). BP Exploration[2] acquired MT data over both the Angore anticline and the Hides anticline. The interpreted models from these two data sets provide depth estimates of the base of the Darai Limestone to within 10% of the measured depth in the Angore 1 well. In both cases, the seismic data aided the interpretation.

Figure 1 shows the 2-D MT model beneath the Angore-1 well and the base of the Darai Limestone as observed in the well.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Billings, A. J., and J. H. Thomas, 1990, The use and limitations of non-seismic geophysics in the Papuan thrust belt, in C. J. Carman, and Z. Carman, eds., Proceedings of the First PNG Petroleum Convention: Port Moresby, New Guinea, p. 51–62.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Hoversten, G. M., 1996, Papua New Guinea MT: looking where seismic is blind: Geophysical Prospecting, vol. 44, p. 935-961.

External links[edit]

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