Sub-basalt imaging improvements west of Hebrides

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J. Fruehn*, M. Sugrue, GX Technology and D. Emsley, Phillips Petroleum

Summary events arrive earlier and are found in the near-vertical and
the wide-angle offset ranges, whereas S-wave events arrive
P- and S-wave (converted phase) sub-basalt arrivals were up to 1 second later and are more easily identified on the
identified at different offset ranges of a long-offset seismic far offsets (Figures 1 and 2). Multiples or residual multiples
line: P-waves at near-vertical offsets (0-6km), and P- and very often mask this arrival on the near-vertical offsets.
S-waves at wide-angle offsets (between 8 and 12.5 km).
Prestack depth migration and detailed depth focusing
analysis applied on these arrivals yielded three different
depth sections, which are discussed and compared in this
paper. The converted phase image shows strong continuous
sub-basalt reflections. The P-wave images are less
continuous, but they constrain the S-wave reflections
locally. The sub-basalt migration velocities are generally
low, indicating (1) inter-fingering with sediment and low-
density volcanics (as found in a borehole to the SE of the
profile) and (2) highly variable basalt composition (fresh,
altered and weathered basalt as found in a borehole to the
NW of the line). Synthetic seismic modeling was used to
investigate the nature of the sub-basalt reflections (intra-
basalt, base basalt, sub-basalt sediment, and multiple).

Introduction

Conventional seismic reflection profiling (surface recorded

near-vertical data) commonly fails to image coherent
sub-basalt reflections, the main problem being high-
amplitude multiples that obscure relatively weak sub-basalt
reflections. Therefore, a variety of large aperture
acquisition geometries were designed to record wide-angle
arrivals from beneath the basalt. At far offsets, beyond the
water-wave cone and the first water-bottom multiple, the
sub-basalt arrivals are less affected by multiples and more
easily identifiable by their amplitude behavior and
traveltime pattern.
Figure 1: Example common depth point (CDP) gather showing the
Standard seismic processing and controlled stacking of arrivals used for migration. White triangle at far offsets delimits
mode converted energy has proven successful in sub-basalt the region that was used for P-wave wide-angle migration.
imaging along a long-offset line that was acquired in 1996
by Phillips Petroleum over Tertiary flood basalt in the Our procedure involves careful traveltime analysis,
Rockall Trough, NW of the Hebrides (Emsley et al., 1998). synthetic modeling and prestack depth migration. The
In this paper, we present new results from migration of this basalt traveltimes (top and base basalt reflection, basalt
dataset. refraction) form a characteristic pattern at intermediate to
far offsets, on which their identification is based (Figure 2).
Method Increasing top basalt amplitudes at the critical distance
(4000 m offset in Figures 1 and 2) mark the onset of
The new element in our approach is migration of P- and turning rays (refraction) that continue toward far offsets as
S-wave arrivals from the same sub-basalt reflectors. We a linear event; intra-basalt and base basalt reflections
thereby achieve three independent depth sections that show approach the basalt refraction asymptotically and
overlapping and complementing structural elements. We eventually merge with it at far offsets (Figure 2). There are
identify the arrivals relevant for migration in different considerable variations along the line in this traveltime
offset ranges and at different traveltimes. The P-wave

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 Sub-basalt imaging west of Hebrides

pattern, which are mainly induced by bathymetric changes continuous, sub-basalt reflections (SB1-SB3). The basalt
and the rough and anticlinal top of the basalt (Figure 3). S-wave migration velocities vary between 1600 m/s and
Synthetic modeling suggests that conversion from p to s 2300 m/s along the line.
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(and from s to p for upward rays) occurs at the acoustically

hard top of the basalt. In Figure 1 this arrival (inset B) is
only visible at far offsets between 6.5 s and 7.5 s two-way
traveltime (TWT) mainly because of the strong multiples at
near offsets. However, Figure 2 shows that even without
multiples the converted wave, base (S), is difficult to
identify because the amplitudes are very low in the near-
vertical range. They start increasing at intermediate offsets.

Figure 2: Synthetic CDP gather showing basalt arrivals; wb=water

bottom, base(S) is the converted phase reflected off the base basalt.

The main contribution to our study however, comes from

the SIRIUS imaging loop, which consists of a Kirchhoff-
type prestack depth migration scheme (PSDM) and depth-
focusing analysis (DFA). The interactiveness of DFA
allows us to assess the effect of velocity changes on the
common reflection point (CRP) gathers in real time. In a
top-to-bottom approach, the optimal migration velocities
are updated iteratively and are closely linked to the imaged
structures (velocity boundaries and imaged horizons are
coincident). Finite difference migration was also tested and
compared with the Kirchhoff results.

Additional constraints on the nature of the sub-basalt

reflections were taken from synthetic modeling that was
mainly used to exclude a number of the most common
multiples that may have been imaged.
Examples
The images shown in Figure 3 result from several iterations
of combined PSDM and DFA. The S-wave image shows a
strong top of the basalt (Figure 3a TB) and three, largely
Figure 3: PSDM of P- and S-wave arrivals; (a) migration with
S-wave velocities, (b) and (c) migration with P-wave velocities.
White dashed line is SB3 from S-wave image.
The near-vertical P-wave image (Figure 3b) shows only
few sub-basalt reflections, most continuously between CDP
1250 and CDP 1750. Here, P- and S-wave images are

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 Sub-basalt imaging west of Hebrides

almost coincident (white dashed line is SB3 from S-wave Planke, S., Alvestad, E., and O. Eldholm, Seismic
image). The velocities range between 3900 m/s and characteristics of basaltic extrusive and intrusive rocks,
4200 m/s. The wide-angle P-wave image (Figure 3c) was The Leading Edge, vol. 18, no. 3, 342-348, 1999.
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calculated from the arrivals beyond the water-wave cone

only (white triangle in Figure 1). The section exhibits
strong sub-basalt reflections between CDP 300 and CDP
1000 (coincident with the S-wave reflection) and, at greater
depth, bright reflections (SB4) from the far offsets of the
gathers.

The migration velocities are generally low compared with

basalt velocities found elsewhere along the North Atlantic
margin e.g., Faeroe-Shetland basalt (Fruehn et al., 1999).
Regional boreholes, however, show that the basalt from the
West Hebrides area consist of various volcanic facies
(tuffs, fresh, altered, weathered basalt, sills), with seismic
velocities ranging between 4000 m/s and 5500 m/s.
Additionally, the volcanic units closer to the continent
show strong inter-fingering with sediment (tuffaceous
siltstone), which lowers the average seismic velocities even
more (3500-4500 m/s). Similarly low velocities were
reported from the Mre basin where flood basalt inter-
fingers with sediment (Planke et al., 1999).

Conclusions

The most continuous sub-basalt image was obtained from

migration with S-wave velocities. The P-wave migrations,
however, can be used to constrain this image by providing
independent evidence of the same reflectors.

Superimposing the sub-basalt horizon SB3, as imaged in

the S-wave migration, on the P-wave sections (dashed line
in Figures 3b and 3c), we observe locally continuous
P-wave reflections at similar depths. The near-vertical
P-wave section (Figure 3b) constrains the S-wave image in
the SE, and the wide-angle P-wave image (Figure 3c) in the
NW. Additionally, the wide-angle migration images a very
deep arrival (SB4), probably reflected off the underlying
Lewisian basement that was drilled in a borehole to the NE
of the profile. The relatively low migration velocities are in
agreement with regional borehole information showing
inhomogeneous basalt composition. Data analysis suggests
SB3 to be the base of the basalt. Synthetic modeling has
helped to exclude a number of multiples, which potentially
could have been migrated.

References

Emsley D., Boswell, P. and P. Davis, Sub-basalt imaging

using long offset reflection seismic data, Extended
abstracts to the 60th EAGE Conference and Technical
Exhibition, 8-12 June 1998, Leipzig, Germany 1998.
Fruehn J., White, R. S., Fliedner, M., Richardson, K. R.,
Cullen, E., Latkiewicz, C., Wayne, K. and J. Smallwood,
Large-aperture seismic: Imaging beneath high-velocity
strata, World Oil, vol. 220, no. 1, 109-113, 1999.

SEG 1999 Expanded Abstracts