Multiphysics anomaly map; a new data fusion workflow for geophysical interpretation
Multiphysics anomaly map; a new data fusion workflow for geophysical interpretation
Interpretation (Tulsa) (May 2020) 8 (2): B35-B43
- anomalies
- applications
- Bahia Brazil
- Brazil
- clastic rocks
- density
- electrical anomalies
- electrical methods
- electromagnetic anomalies
- electromagnetic methods
- equations
- geophysical methods
- gravity anomalies
- gravity methods
- interpretation
- inverse problem
- magnetic anomalies
- magnetic methods
- mathematical methods
- offshore
- onshore
- petroleum
- petroleum exploration
- Reconcavo Basin
- resistivity
- sandstone
- sedimentary rocks
- seismic anomalies
- seismic attributes
- seismic methods
- Sergipe-Alagoas Basin
- South America
- spatial distribution
- thickness
- three-dimensional models
When collecting and processing geophysical data for exploration, the same geologic feature can generate a different response for each rock property being targeted. Typically, the units of these responses may differ by several orders of magnitude; therefore, the combination of geophysical data in integrated interpretation is not a straightforward process and cannot be performed by visual inspection only. The multiphysics anomaly map (MAM) that we have developed is a data fusion solution that consists of a spatial representation of the correlation between anomalies detected with different geophysical methods. In the MAM, we mathematically process geophysical data such as seismic attributes, gravity, magnetic, and resistivity before combining them in a single map. In each data set, anomalous regions of interest, which are problem-dependent, are selected by the interpreter. Selected anomalies are highlighted through the use of a logistic function, which is specially designed to clip large magnitudes and rescale the range of values, increasing the discrimination of anomalies. The resulting anomalies, named logistic anomalies, represent regions of large probabilities of target occurrence. This new solution highlights areas where individual interpretations of different geophysical methods correlate, increasing the confidence in the interpretation. We determine the effectiveness of our MAM with application to real data from onshore and offshore Brazil. In the onshore Reconcavo Basin, the MAM allows the interpreter to identify a channel where a drilled well found the largest sandstone thickness on the area. In a second example, from offshore Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, the MAM helps differentiate between a dry and an oil-bearing channel previously outlined in seismic data. Therefore, these outcomes indicate that the MAM is a valid interpretation tool that we believe can be applied to a wide range of geologic problems.