Imaging Top of Volcanic Mounds Using Seismic Time- and Depth-Domain Data Processing

Abstract

A seismic survey identified a basalt flow that could consist of cap rock of CO2 storage beneath saline aquifer sediment in the Southern Continental Shelf of Korea. To determine the precise depth of the basalt flow, specific depth-domain data processing of migration velocity analysis (MVA) was applied to the seismic survey data. The accurate depth measurement of a target structure provides crucial information when storing and stabilizing injected CO2 beneath basalt cap rock. Strong reflections of seismic amplitude at the volcanic mounds were adjusted from the time domain to the exact depth domain by the iterated velocity using MVA. The confidence of the updated velocity was verified by the horizontal alignment of seismic events sorted according to their common reflection point (CRP). The depth difference in volcanic mounds before and after MVA application ranged from 32.5 to 60 m along the vertical axis, showing the eruption shape on the strong-amplitude contour map in detail. The eruption shape of the top of volcanic mounds was verified with spatial continuity in 3D geological interpretation. The presented results provide suitable information that can be used to locate drilling sites and to prepare CO2 injection. The geological model obtained from both time- and depth-domain processing can significantly influence the calculation of the storage volume and can be useful for history matching studies.

Keywords

• volcanic mounds
• seismic time and depth processing
• MVA
• CO₂ storage