Since the late 1980s, the sequence stratigraphic method has become a critical tool for hydrocarbon exploration/development projects in many frontier and mature sedimentary basins. The successful application of this method with high resolution 3D seismic data and well data is particularly important in frontier and deepwater areas, where exploration risk and capital commitment are high. Many international major and national oil companies have been using sequence stratigraphic approach as one of the main interpretation tools for the evaluation of their high impact projects. Applied correctly, this integrated interpretation method is a powerful tool that can be used to unravel the complex stratigraphy of a given basin and to dramatically increase overall understanding of various depositional models for both siliciclastic and carbonate systems.

Reservoir Characterization (RC) using 3-D seismic attributes analysis can provide properties of the oil sand reservoirs, beyond seismic resolution. For example, distributions and temporal bed thicknesses of reservoirs could be characterized by Spectral Decomposition (SD) and additional seismic attributes such as wavelet classification. To extract physical properties of the reservoirs, we applied 3-D seismic attributes analysis to the oil sand reservoirs in McMurray formation, in BlackGold Oilsands Lease, Alberta Canada. Because of high viscosity of the bitumen, Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) technology will be necessarily applied to produce the bitumen in a steam chamber generated by Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD). To optimize the application of SAGD, it is critical to identify the distributions and thicknesses of the channel sand reservoirs and shale barriers in the promising areas. By 3-D seismic attributes analysis, we could understand the expected paleo-channel and characteristics of the reservoirs. However, further seismic analysis (e.g., elastic impedance inversion and AVO inversion) as well as geological interpretations are still required to improve the resolution and quality of RC.

Proper reservoir characterization is an integral part of formation evaluation, reserve estimation and planning of field development. Seismic inversion is a widely employed reservoir characterization tool that provides various rock properties of reservoir intervals. This study presents results of the inversion studies including Geostatistical Inversion carried out on the gas fields, offshore Myanmar. Higher resolution and multiple models can be produced by Geostatistical Inversion using input data such as pre-stack seismic data, well logs, petrophysical relationships and geological inferences for example reservoir shape and lateral extent. Detailed reservoir characterization was required for the development plan of gas fields, and the Geostatistical Inversion studies served as a basis for integrated geological modeling and development well planning.

Selection of good mineralized area is a combination of the integration of all the available geo-scientific (i.e., geological, geochemical, and geophysical) information, extrapolation of likely features from known mineralized terrenes and the ability to be predictive. The time-space relationships of the hydrothermal deposits in the East Asia are closely related to the changing plate motions. Also, two distinctive hydrothermal systems during Mesozoic occurred in Korea: the Jurassic/Early Cretaceous deep-level ones during the Daebo orogeny and the Late Cretaceous/Tertiary shallow geothermal ones during the Bulguksa event. Both the Mesozoic geothermal system and the mineralization document a close spatial and temporal relationship with syn- to post-tectonic magmatism. The Jurassic mineral deposits were formed at the relatively high temperature and deep-crustal level from the mineralizing fluids characterized by the relatively homogeneous and similar ranges of ${\delta}^{18}O$ values, suggesting that ore-forming fluids were principally derived from spatially associated Jurassic granitoid and related pegmatite. Most of the Jurassic auriferous deposits (ca. 165-145 Ma) show fluid characteristics typical of an orogenic-type gold deposits, and were probably generated in a compressional to transpressional regime caused by an orthogonal to oblique convergence of the Izanagi Plate into the East Asian continental margin. On the other hand, Late Cretaceous ferroalloy, base-metal and precious-metal deposits in the Taebaeksan, Okcheon and Gyeongsang basins occurred as vein, replacement, breccia-pipe, porphyry-style and skarn deposits. Diverse mineralization styles represent a spatial and temporal distinction between the proximal environment of sub-volcanic activity and the distal to transitional condition derived from volcanic environments. However, Cu (-Au) or Fe-Mo-W deposits are proximal to a magmatic source, whereas polymetallic or precious-metal deposits are more distal to transitional. Strike-slip faults and caldera-related fractures together with sub-volcanic activity are associated with major faults reactivated by a northward (oblique) to northwestward (orthogonal) convergence, and have played an important role in the formation of the Cretaceous Au-Ag lode deposits (ca. 110-45 Ma) under a continental arc setting. The temporal and spatial distinctions between the two typical Mesozoic deposit styles in Korea reflect a different thermal episodes (i.e., late orogenic and post-orogenic) and ore-forming fluids related to different depths of emplacement of magma (i.e., plutonic and sub-volcanic) due to regional changes in tectonic settings.

The high resolution seismic data processing essentially requires the latest data processing technology with a system which enables to calculate the large volume of input/output and computing of data. Nowadays, there is a high foreign dependency on the data processing and QC. In this research, The test processing had been carried out to deduce the best suited software by evaluating functionality, usability and user environment. And several attempts are made to select the most appropriated specification of hardware in order to maximize the software efficiency. The results showed that more numbers of multiple and noise were eliminated in existing prestack time migration sections, which effectively enhanced the resolution.

Geophysical survey for unconformity-type uranium deposit applied to this study area in Athabaska Basin, Canada were carried out airborne TEM and magnetic, resistivity-induced polarization (DC-IP), puser seismic reflection and well-logging method. The results of airborne survey interpreted the lithological boundary, geological structures, and conductors. Also, these results decided to main targets for ground DC-IP survey. The Low resistivity and the high chargeability slices of 3D modeling interpreted from DC-IP survey response for conductors related to hydrothermal alteration zones and fault-controlled graphitic zones occurring at the unconformity-type uranium deposit, and they confirmed by diamond drilling. Seismic results interpreted to lake bottom surface, alluvium layer and intra-sandstone faults. We suggest the resonable field data acquisition of DC-IP method on the land or the lake in Athabaska Basin.

3-dimensional modeling methods have been used in the every step of resource development; Exploration, reserve estimation, mine feasibility study, mine design and mine production. This report shows seven cases for which 3-dimensional modeling is used in resource development. Six projects deal with resource esimation, mine feasibility study and production. And another deals with mine rehabilitation. These cases show that 3-dimensional modeling method is beneficial to understand the real state of ore deposit and complex underground structures. Moreover, 3-dimensional modeling is the most efficient method for mine planning and management in the every step of resource development.

In order to invest in overseas mineral projects, it is necessary to have a ability of technical and financial evaluation. Reserve estimation is the most important for mineral appraisal. Geostatistical evaluation of tonnage and grade promises more accurate reserve estimation than traditional methods such as polygon, inverse distance method and so on even if it has some uncertainty. Selection of a mining method and a mineral processing is also important because capex and opcosts of a mineral project is due to the selection. Mineral project is usually evaluated financially using NPV and IRR which are calculated through DCF(Discount Cash Flow). Uncertainty of a mineral project is analyzed statistically using sensitivity analysis and montecarlo simulation.