Modern applications of biostratigraphy in exploration and production

摘要

Paleontologists and bio-stratigraphers, using modern quantitative methods, provide critical data and interpretations necessary for state-of-the-art exploration and exploitation. Specifically paleontological data sets can be used to: (1) develop more precise age dates and time correlations; (2) recognize key stratal surfaces and intervals (e.g., maximum flooding surfaces, condensed intervals, unconformities, downlap surfaces, etc.); (3) determine paleoenvironments and bathymetry; and (4) recognize and predict source rocks. Together, these tools can be integrated with geologic and seismic data on workstations to develop better correlations and more accurate stratigraphic interpretations within a sequence stratigraphic context.