Modern "nodal", continuously recording areal arrays routinely collect "excess" data which are not needed for the reflection imaging of sedimentary strata that are the primary targets in petroleum exploration. However these normally discarded data can be extremely valuable for addressing a diverse range of geological problems. Of particular interest in this study is information about deep crustal structure that can be extracted from such discarded data. Here we have reprocessed a nodal dataset to obtain true 3D reflection images of intrabasement features beneath the northern Delaware Basin in southeastern New Mexico. The resulting 3D seismic volume details the dramatic basement layering that was first revealed by 1975-77 crustal profiling by the COCORP program. Comparison of the new 3D imagery to COCORP 2D profiles reveals significant features, unrecognizable in 2D, that are important clues to the origin of this layering.
Presentation Date: Thursday, October 20, 2016
Start Time: 11:00:00 AM
Location: 143/149
Presentation Type: ORAL
