A Low Frequency Passive Seismic ArrayExperiment Over an Oilfield in Abu Dhabi -Implications for Hydrocarbon Detection

摘要

A low frequency passive seismic experiment utilising an array of forty-nine 3-component broadbandseismometers were conducted over an oilfield in the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates(UAE). The experiment was conducted to better understand the characteristics and origins of microtremorsignals (1-10 Hz) which had been reported as occurring exclusively above several hydrocarbon reservoirsin the region.High resolution frequency-wavenumber (f-k) spectral analyses were performed on the recorded array datato determine apparent velocities and azimuths of the wavefronts for the microseism and microtremorevents. The f-k analyses confirmed that the microtremor events have an azimuth pointing towards a majoroil pipe line west of the study area and a motorway east of the study area, indicating that they are probablybeing excited by continuous movement of the oil through the pipeline and by traffic noise. No body waveswith an infinite apparent velocity were observed.