Resolving the K-2 salt structure in the Gulf of Mexico

摘要

While potential field techniques have long been applied in regional studies and for mineral exploration, the recently-commercialized full tensor gradiometry (FTG) system possesses the resolution and sensitivity required in detailed mapping for oil and gas exploration, even for deep objectives. Used in combination with prestack depth imaging, this provides a potent mapping capability especially in areas of structural complexity. We illustrate this with a subsalt case study from the Gulf of Mexico where an integrated approach using wave-equation depth imaging and FTG inversion succeeds in resolving the base of salt in an area where Kirchhoff depth imaging alone fails.