Fossil Energy

Research Programs

Industrial Associates

State Lands Program

University Lands Program

 

AREAS OF STUDY

Basin Analysis

Carbonates

Clastics

Fractures

Gas Hydrates

Geophysics

Outcrop

Permian Basin

Reservoir Characterization

Resource Assessment

Salt Tectonics

Structural Geology and Tectonics

 

OTHER PROGRAMS

Geoscience/Environmental

Worldwide Research

 

Geophysics research at the Bureau concentrates on developing multicomponent seismic technology that can be used to better characterize geologic systems. Research effort focuses on design of vector seismic sources, optimization of data-acquisition and data-processing procedures, and unified interpretation of P- and S-wave images. Researchers use 9-component (9-C) seismic data whenever possible as these data allow all seismic wave modes (P, SH, SV, C, fast-S, slow-S) to be used in subsurface imaging. Research involving 3-C and 4-C seismic data is also a key focus area, even though SH and SV modes are not available with these data, as 3-C and 4-C data are acquired by companies more often than are 9-C data.

Current Studies

Imaging Deep Gas Targets with Multicomponent Seismic Data [Project Description]

Assessing Deep-Water Gulf of Mexico Gas-Hydrate Systems with Multicomponent and Multi-frequency Seismic Data [Project Description]

Processing and Interpreting Multicomponent Seismic Data: Gulf of Mexico Seafloor Observatory [Project Description]

Distinguishing Fizz-Gas and Commercial-Gas Reservoirs [Project Description]

Elastic-Wavefield Seismic Stratigraphy: A New Seismic Imaging Technology [Description]

Exploring for Subtle Mission Canyon Stratigraphic Traps with
Elastic-Wavefield Seismic Technology [Description]

Exploration Geophysics Laboratory Industrial Associate Program [Link]

Narrow Azimuth Migration [Project Description]

Differential Azimuth Moveout [Project Description]

Petrophysical Analysis of Multicomponent Seismic Data [Project Description]

Seismic Imaging by Riemannian Wavefield Extrapolation [Project Description]

Devine Test Site [Link]

Completed Studies

Shear Wave Seismic Study: Comparing 9C3D SV and SH Images with 3C3D C-Wave Images [Description]

Imaging Ultra-Deep and Overpressured Gas Prospects [Project Description]

Multicomponent and Multifrequency Seismic for Assessment of Fluid-Gas Expulsion Geology and Gas Hydrate Deposits: Gulf of Mexico [Description]

Combining a New 3-D Seismic S-Wave Propagation Analysis for Remote Fracture Detection with a Robust Subsurface Microfracture-Based Verification Technique [Description]

Characterizing Marine Gas-Hydrate Reservoirs and Determining Mechanical Properties of Marine Gas-Hydrate Strata with Four-Component Ocean-Bottom-Sensor Seismic Data [Description]

Integrating P-Wave and S-Wave Seismic Data to Improve Characterization of Oil Reservoirs [Description]