North Sumatra – Mergui Basin Case Study:

Seismic Stratigraphy and Petroleum Play

Concepts
Mohd Razali Che Kob

BASIN STUDIES & PROMOTION

PETROLEUM RESOURCE EXPLORATION

CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11

Program objectives
To continue basin analysis to get a better understanding of big
geological picture
Enhance geological interpretation & prediction –that will translate
into a higher drilling success rate

…Petroleum System of the area

 Exploration Strategy
Basin Analysis

Develop Play Concepts

Define Exploration Play Area

Evaluate Prospects

Identify drillable prospect

Drill Exploration Wells

Definitions
•Petroleum System
-A group of plays within a given geographical area
having a common source rock
•Play
-A geographically and stratigraphically delimited area
where common geological factors exist for petroleum
accumulation
•Prospect
-A potential petroleum trap
-with a mappable reservoir rock volume
Definitions

•Play Fairway
-The area within the basin where the specific geological
attributtes necessary for the existence of a hydrocarbon
accumulation exist
 Play Fairway Concept

Play Fairway is the present day area of potential

reservoir unit, with possibility of having a
complete petroleum system (seal, charge & trap)
 Petroleum System Analysis Flowchart

CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11

 Understanding the Sedimentary facies and basin development
through sequence stratigraphic analysis

Chronostratigraphic diagram is useful way of

showing the relationships between
sedimentary facies in a sequence, and the
overall development of the basin
The 1st. Seismic stragiraphic interpration

Vail et al, 1976

Mesozoic through Tertiary of Offshore Morocco

•Stratal surfaces as geologic time line
•Recognized cyclicity of bundles of strata (called sequences)
•Sequence boundaries are synchronous globally
•Postulated the eustatic sea level as a major controlling factor
•Developed eustatic cycle chart
“Vail Curve” (synonymous with eustacy)
The 1st. Seismic stragiraphic interpration

Mesozoic through Tertiary of Offshore Morocco

Prograding Deltaic-sigmoidal
Prograding Delta Sequence set Basin Floor Fan
Reservoir Migration Kitchen Area
Seismic stratigraphy
 Overview of Seismic Facies &
Geological Model of
North Sumatra – Mergui Basins

CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11

 TUKAR MAP FARINDA

Keutapang:Marine environment
with carbonate influence Keutapang

Baong:Carbonate sub-
environment Baong

19
CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11
Line NSO69-46 NSB-C1

Off-reef/reef-front
Carbonate (reef) Top Keutapang
Talus

Top Baong

Carbonate (reef)
 Line: DMR95-125
W9-C-1

Shelf

Bypass slope
Basinal Shale Turbidite Fan

21
CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11
 Geological Model
Well: Langgun Timur-1 & Singa Besar-1
Line 83-MS-09

Singa Besar-1 Langgun Timur-1

Top Keutapang
Top Baong
 Langgun Timur-1

Top Keutapang

Top Baong Top Keutapang

Top Graben
Fill
Top Baong

Top Graben Fill

Top Tampur
Top Tampur

CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11

 Langgun Timur-1
Line 83-MS-09

marine transgressive packages

Top Keutapang

Top Baong

reef facies
Off-reef facies

Upper Baong-extensively eroded

CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11

 Singa Besar-1

Top Keutapang

Top Tampur

Top Tampur

CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11

 Line 83-MS-09

Singa Besar-1

Submarine channel
Top Keutapang

26
CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11
 NS069-25

0.5 sec

Reef
Top Keutapang
TST

LST
Wedge

Top Baong

27
CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11
 Line 83-MS-02

0.5

coastal wedges

carbonate
Top Keutapang

basement

1.0

28
CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11
Facies Type
•Coastal Wedges-Shallow marine(Shoreface-Deltaic)
•Shelfal Neritic Facies –Carbonate reef, off-reef, shoals
•Outer Neritic – Bathyal: Slope to Basinal Facies (Turbidite fan & Basinal Shale)

Seismic Stratigraphy & Facies

SEISMIC STRATIGRAPHY

•Seismic and Sequence Stratigraphy

•Seismic reflections
•Methodology
•Seismic Facies
•Sequence Definition
•Chronostratigraphic and Global Sea Level Charts
Seismic Stratigraphy to Sequence Stratigraphy
 The Evolution
Seismic The Future
Sedimentology
2000’s

3D Seismic
1980/90’s

Seismic Seismic
Stratigraphy Geomorphology
1970’s 1990’s

Sequence
Stratigraphy
1980’s

Classical geology
1800’s 2D Seismic
Outcrops, 1920’s cores 1960’s
and log

CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11

SEISMIC STRATIGRAPHY vs SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY

Seismic stratigraphy – The study of

stratigraphy and depositional facies as
interpreted from seismic data (Mitchum et al.,
1977)

Sequence stratigraphy – The integrated

interpretation of stratal paterns from seismic,
well and outcrop data together with associated
depositional environments and lithofacies (Vail
& Sangree, 1988)
 •Seismic stratigraphy notes that primary seismic reflectors are time lines and as
such can be used to identify stratal surfaces

•Sequence stratigraphy is the relationship between seismic stratigraphy and sea

level changes

Seismic stratigraphy is merely a packaging exercise..but

sequence stratigraphy that provides meaning
CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11
seismic stratigraphy was concerned with geometries on seismic but sequence
stratigraphy looks at this as well as outcrop and well geology in a predictive model
framework with cause and effect
 Seismic stratigraphy: the classic sequence stratigraphic
discipline…..but, how to use it?

Top lap? Onlap? Downlap? Erosional truncation? Time lines?

Clinoforms? Lithofacies? SB? FS? MFS? Depositional environment?
 SIGNIFICANCE OF SEISMIC REFLECTIONS

• Primary seismic reflection response to

significant impedance (density/velocity) along
the:
1. Stratal Surfaces
2. Unconformity

CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11

 STRATAL SURFACE AND UNCONFORMITIES

Stratal Surface – bedding surface that separate principal strata

-represent non-deposition or change in deposition
-a relatively small time gap
-represent at least some small unit of time common to the surface
over its entire extent
-recognizable only when separating distinctive strata

Unconformity Surface
-Erosion or non-deposition
-large time gap
• Stratal Surface
– bedding contacts which represent relict depositional surfaces rather than arbitrarily defined
litho boundary
– Represent conformable changes in depositional regime (energy, sedimentation rate,
environment) and hence, are relict depositional surfaces (chronostratigraphic surface)

CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11

 UNCONFORMITY
•A surface formed by a period of non-
deposition or erosion
•The time span (hiatus) represented
may be very large
•Unconformities represent the change
from deposition to non-deposition or
erosion – important marker in the
geologic history
TWO BASIC PRECEPTS OF SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY

•Stratal Surface parallel geologic time lines

•Seismic reflection parallel stratal surfaces and therefore
represent geologic time lines within limits of seismic resolution
 Seismic Sequence Analysis

Delineation of fundamental depositional (stratigraphic) unit

called depositional sequences by Vail et al.(1977), which are
bounded by unconformities or equivalent conformities
 Seismic reflection terminology
Defining Sequence boundary
Seismic Boundaries
Lap-out examples
Termination and Lap-out summary
SEISMIC STRATIGRAPHY: A SHORT HISTORY

-Developed by Exxon – Peter Vail (1977, AAPG Mem 26)

-Vail was a geophysicist at Exxon & in 1960’s began to consider
the surfaces on seismic traces
-realised the importance of stratal surfaces as time lines
-recognised the cyclic occurrence of “sequences”
-Observed the synchronousity of sequence boundaries globally &
postulated the controlled of eustatic sea level on the sequence

Vail et al, 1976

Mesozoic through Tertiary of Offshore Morocco

Sea leve change and systems tracts
 Transgressive surface

Sequence boundary
CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11
 Sea-level change
Highstand

Lowstand Transgression
Lowstand Depositional Systems in
The Gulf of Mexico
Transgressive Depositional Systems in
The Gulf of Mexico
Highstand Depositional Systems in
The Gulf of Mexico
Conducting Seismic Sequence Stratigraphic Interpretation
COLOUR CODE CONVENTION
Chronostratigraphy
 SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY
DEPOSITIONAL MODEL
Showing Systems Tracts
EUSTATIC SEA LEVEL

TIME
LSF

TST

SMW
HST
HIGH

(H S T)
LSW

SMW
LOW

(T S T)

DEPTH
SB 1 SB 2 SB1
(H S T) PGC
LSW
SUBSIDENCE

Incised Valley LCC

(L S T) LSF
SHALLOW DEEP A) IN DEPTH

SB 2 SMW

(H S T)

GEOLOGICAL TIME
SUBMARINE HIATUS/NEAR HIATUS
(Sediment starved zone)

(T S T)
Incised Valley PGC
LSW
SUBMARINE NEAR HIATUS
SUBAREAL HIATUS LCC
SB 1 LSF

(H S T)

DISTANCE

B) IN GEOLOGIC TIME
LEGEND
Transgressive System Tract (TST) Shaly Part LSF : Lowstand Fan DLS : Downlap Surface SB 1 : Type 1 Seq. Boundary

Highstand System Tract (HST) Erosional Surface LCC : Levied Channel Complex SMW : Shelf Margin Wedge SB 2 : Type 2 Seq. Boundary
Sandy Part Maximum Flooding Surface (MFS) PGC : Prograding Complex LSW : Lowstand Wedge
Redrawn By OAM
SEISMIC REFLECTION AND TIME STRATIGRAPHY
•A seismic reflection is inferred to represent an
isochronous surface except where the reflection surface
is an unconformity (Vail et al., 1977)
Chronostratigraphic Chart- Summarize the ordering of the
deposition of sediment, enables observation of the extent
of controlling influences (sea levels) which resulted in
deposition, erosion and condensation, or tectonic episodes
such as block faulting
Haq Curve Global sea-level fluctuations
 Seismic reflection terminology
Defining Sequence boundary
 Seismic facies characterization
• External/Internal Configuration
• Stacking Pattern
• 3D Configuration
• Geological Implication

CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11

Seismic facies characterization: 3D Configuration
Seismic facies characterization: Geological Implication
Depositional styles configuration
Characterizing Seismic facies

Lee & Watkins, 1998

 Characterizing Seismic facies

progradational
sigmoidal
Slope front fill

Drape sheet
High amplitude-parallell

Chaotic/hummocky

fan

parallel
Seismic Expression of Depositional Environment
SEISMIC EXPRESSION OF
SYSTEM TRACTS &
DEPOSITIONAL FACIES
Facies Type presences
•Coastal Wedges-Shallow marine(Shoreface-Deltaic)
•Shelfal Neritic Facies –Carbonate reef, off-reef, shoals
•Outer Neritic – Bathyal: Slope to Basinal Facies (Turbidite fan &
Basinal Shale)

Baong Keutapang
SYSTEM TRACTS AND DEPOSITIONAL FACIES

(H S T)

SMW

(T S T) System tracts
SB1

(H S T) PGC

LSW
Incised Valley
LCC

(L S T)
LSF

Depositional facies
LST- Fan systems (Basin Floor and Slope)

(H S T)

SMW

(T S T)
SB1

(H S T) PGC

LSW
Incised Valley LCC

(L S T)
LSF
LST- Fan systems (Basin Floor and Slope)
Slumps and slides
 Slumps and slides

5 Km
MDD99-01
SW NE

Top Miocene

Slumps Late Miocene mfs

Mid Miocene
Debrite

Mid Eocene

Base Debrite

E. Pliocene
 Slumps and slides

NW 5 Km SE
MDD99-10

SLUMPS

Late Miocene mfs

E. Pliocene

Top Miocene

Mid Miocene

Mid Eocene
 What you really want

Submarine Canyons
Large scale erosional
feature(LSEF)
 Nestedslope
Nested slopevalley
valley
channelfills
channel fills&&
amalgamatedchannel
amalgamated channel
cuts
cuts

5.5ma
5.5 masb
sb

10.5ma
10.5 ma
sb
sb
 Inversionaxial
Inversion axialanticline
anticline
structure (approx 20-25km
structure (approx 20-25km
long)with
long) withdeeper
deeperbasement
basement
4.0ma ponded axial turbidites: horsttargets
horst targets
4.0ma ponded axial turbidites:
mainly stacked amalgamated
mainly stacked amalgamated
channel lobe sheet objectives
channel lobe sheet objectives

4.0ma
4.0 masb
sb

5.5ma
5.5 masb
sb

10.5ma
10.5 masb
sb
10.5&&5.5
10.5 5.5ma
masb’s
sb’s
basinfloor
basin floorstrike
strike
turbiditechannels
turbidite channels

Basement
Basement
 2 Km
0.1 sec

Debrite
 3D seismic extract

From Samuel et al (2003)

 10 Km
CM01-69

NW SE

Basement
High

E. Pliocene

Top Miocene

Late Miocene mfs

Mid Miocene

Mid Eocene Thick Miocene

Channel/Fan
Sands
Basement
Canyons
Channel-Levees
Summary

Channel-levee (gull-wing geometry)

Canyon or valley-fills

Tabular sheet (amalgamated-mounded )

Low –moderate amplitudes Pinstripe – homogeneous

(drape/infill)

Parallel-continuous, high amplitude (drape/onlap)

Carbonate Environment
Zeng et al, 2003
Siliciclastics Shelf Environment
Coastal – Deltaic Environment
OCT 20, 05 – CONCEPTS & PRINCIPLES OF SEQUENCE
STRATIGRAPHY
Delta Lobes Switching
 Common Risk Segment Mapping

CCOP Workshop,Chiang Mai, 22-25 Feb 11

 Exploration Strategy
Basin Analysis

Develop Play Concepts

Define Exploration Play Area

Evaluate Prospects

Identify drillable prospect

Drill Exploration Wells

 Play Fairway Concept

Play Fairway is the present day area of potential

reservoir unit, with possibility of having a
complete petroleum system (seal, charge & trap)
Play Fairway Analysis
BUILDING A FAIRWAY RISK MAP

Play Fairway CCRS

Seal CRS

Charge CRS
Reservoir Effectiveness CRS

Reservoir Presence CRS

Gross Depositional Environment (GDE)

Isopach
 Play fairway analysis

Petroleum systems

Reservoir Source/charge Trap/Seal

Source Trap/seal
Isopach
present present

GDE

Reservoir
Present CRS

Reservoir Charge Trap/seal

effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
CRS CRS CRS

Play fairway
composite common
risk segment(ccrs)
 Common Risk Segment Maps (CRS)-1

1- GDE map was generated based on the integration of

structure map, isochron map, well data and paleo-
reconstructions analysis.

2-From GDE map, it is possible to construct a map

highlighting areas of common risk on a specific criteria
such as reservoir, charge and seal.

3-CRS maps are sometimes

called ‘traffic light’ maps and
usually colored red for high
risk, yellow for moderate and
green for low risk.
 Common Risk Segment Maps (CRS)-3

CRS for source and migration were generated based on

modelling analysis Areas with high charge potential coloured
green and areas with low charge potential coloured red.
 Composite Common Risk Segment Maps (CCRS) and
Play Fairway Maps

-To show common risk on individual parameters, the

CRS maps can be overlain and stacked to produce
composite common risk segment maps (CCRS).

-Where two risks of differing colour stack up, the

highest risk is always the one that dominates (i.e a
yellow and red makes red).

-Play fairway maps: Play fairway maps can be

constructed from CCRS maps to show areas or
corridors of low risk for the combined parameters of
reservoir, charge and seal. It provides a geological
tool to constrain the ranking of prospects and leads.
Common Risk Segment Overlay Process
(to get the Composite Risk)
Example
Common Risk Segment Map (CRS)
Common Risk Segment Map (CRS)
Composite Common Risk segment Map (CCRS)
Play Fairway Map