• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.148-154
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• 2006

The effect of small-scale near surface inhomogeneity on Rayleigh wave propagation and dispersion has been investigated in this study using two-dimensional FEM elastic modeling. Various inhomogeneity models with a variety of geometrical shape and embedment depth which exist in homogeneous half-space and two-layered media are considered. Results show that any near surface inhomogeneity greater than one wavelength in terms of minimum wavelength of Rayleigh wave shows dispersion characteristics. Such dispersion effect become stronger as the dimensions of the inhomogeneity increase. The effect of horizontal dimension is more dominant factor governing the dispersion characteristics than vertical dimension. However, the dispersion effect can not be identifiable in seismogram if the horizontal dimension is not wide enough. Nonetheless, even in this case, the existence of inhomogeneity can be inferred by the reflection or transmission event of Rayleigh wave. The results can be expected to provide insights on the behavior of Rayleigh wave which may be helpful for designating field work or new processing scheme to detect near surface inhomogeneity by surface wave method.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.7-17
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• 2005

The determination of seismic velocities in refractors for near-surface seismic refraction investigations is an ill-posed problem. Small variations in the computed time parameters can result in quite large lateral variations in the derived velocities, which are often artefacts of the inversion algorithms. Such artefacts are usually not recognized or corrected with forward modelling. Therefore, if detailed refractor models are sought with model based inversion, then detailed starting models are required. The usual source of artefacts in seismic velocities is irregular refractors. Under most circumstances, the variable migration of the generalized reciprocal method (GRM) is able to accommodate irregular interfaces and generate detailed starting models of the refractor. However, where the very-near-surface environment of the Earth is also irregular, the efficacy of the GRM is reduced, and weathering corrections can be necessary. Standard methods for correcting for surface irregularities are usually not practical where the very-near-surface irregularities are of limited lateral extent. In such circumstances, the GRM smoothing statics method (SSM) is a simple and robust approach, which can facilitate more-accurate estimates of refractor velocities. The GRM SSM generates a smoothing 'statics' correction by subtracting an average of the time-depths computed with a range of XY values from the time-depths computed with a zero XY value (where the XY value is the separation between the receivers used to compute the time-depth). The time-depths to the deeper target refractors do not vary greatly with varying XY values, and therefore an average is much the same as the optimum value. However, the time-depths for the very-near-surface irregularities migrate laterally with increasing XY values and they are substantially reduced with the averaging process. As a result, the time-depth profile averaged over a range of XY values is effectively corrected for the near-surface irregularities. In addition, the time-depths computed with a Bero XY value are the sum of both the near-surface effects and the time-depths to the target refractor. Therefore, their subtraction generates an approximate 'statics' correction, which in turn, is subtracted from the traveltimes The GRM SSM is essentially a smoothing procedure, rather than a deterministic weathering correction approach, and it is most effective with near-surface irregularities of quite limited lateral extent. Model and case studies demonstrate that the GRM SSM substantially improves the reliability in determining detailed seismic velocities in irregular refractors.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2003

Multi-channel seismic survey, which has been mainly employed in oil prospecting, is carried out as a high resolution shallow marine seismic exploration. Fault drop as small as 1 m can be resolved by employing high-resolution seismic survey. Similar to the effect of shallow inhomogenities in the land seismic data, due to occurrence of swell quite often higher than 1 m, shallow marine seismic data tend to be severely degraded. Suppression of such a swell effect is critical in processing of steps of marine seismic shallow high-resolution data. Compared to the moving average depth method, a newly developed method using cross-correlation technique is found out to be very effective in increasing the resolution of the shallow reflection events by accuratly elucidating the depth of sea bottom.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.113-126
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• 1997

Electrical resistivity methods of dipole - dipole array profiling and Schiumberger array sounding were tested on a segment of the Woraksan granitic batholith for the research into the imaging of irregular attitudes of fracture zones in the crystaaline rock in terms of processing and interpretation schemes. By the dipole - dipole array method, inhomogeneities such as small scale of fracture zones were properly delineated down at some depth even within hard rock environment. Fracture zones were interpreted to be at the boundaries between the high amplitude zone and very low amplitude zone in the resistivity plot and they were also successfully outlined in two - dimensional layer and pseudo - three - dimensional volume constructed by the incorporation of vertical sounding data. The surface location of the fracture zones was correlated by the zero - crossing point in the VLF(very low frequency) electromagnetic data. Pseudo - three - dimensional attitudes of fracture zones were efficiently illuminated by optimum projection angle. The mean of bulk resistivity for the Woraksan granite and the near fracture zones is estimated to be approximately of 4,000 ohm - m which is much higher than the value of 700 ohm - m for the Rwachunri limesilicate environment. This difference is due to both the rock type, i.e., biotite granite vs limesilicate, and the occurrence of secondary openings of fold and fault associated with the intrusion of granite. In this study statistical analyses on the resistivity color plot were performed in terms of three representative statistical moments, i.e., standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis. The fracture zones in the standard deviation plot were characterized by the higher value, compared to the value of homogeneous portion. The upper boundary of the high resistivity zone was also successfully delineated in the skewness and kurtosis plots.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.555-566
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• 2008

Hydrogeochemical study in Samseung area (Boeun, Chungbuk) and waterrock interaction experiment using rock samples from the area were performed to elucidate the fluoride source in groundwater and explaining geochemical behavior of fluoride ion. Fluoride concentration of public water supply mostly using groundwater in Boeun area was significantly higher in South Korea. The maximum fluoride concentration of the study area was 3.9 mg/L, and 23% of samples exceeded the Korean Drinking Water Standard of fluoride (1.5 mg/L). The average concentration of fluoride was 1.0 mg/L and median was 0.5 mg/L. Because of high skewness (1.3), median value is more appropriate to represent fluoride level of this area. The relationships between fluoride ion and geochemical parameters ($Na^+$, $HCO_3$, pH, etc.) indicated that the degree of waterrock interaction was not significant. However, high fluoride samples were observed in $NaHCO_3$ type on Piper's diagram. The negative relationship between fluoride and $NO_3$ ion which might originate from surface contaminants was obvious. These results indicate that fluoride ion in groundwater is geogenic origin. The source of fluoride was proved by waterrock interaction batch test. Fluoride concentration increased up to 1.2 mg/L after 96 hours of reaction between water and biotite granite. However, the relationship between well depth and fluoride ion, and groundwater age and fluoride ion was not clear. This indicates that fluoride ion is not correlated with degree of waterrock interaction in this area but local heterogeneity of fluoriderich minerals in granite terrain. High fluoride concentration in Boeun area seems to be correlated with distribution of permeable structures in hard rocks such as lineaments and faults of this area. This entails that the deep bedrock groundwater discharges through the permeable structures and mixed with shallow groundwater.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2008

As conventional oil and gas reservoirs become depleted, interests for oil sands has rapidly increased in the last decade. Oil sands are mixture of bitumen, water, and host sediments of sand and clay. Most oil sand is unconsolidated sand that is held together by bitumen. Bitumen has hydrocarbon in situ viscosity of >10,000 centipoises (cP) at reservoir condition and has API gravity between $8-14^{\circ}$. The largest oil sand deposits are in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. The reverves are approximated at 1.7 trillion barrels of initial oil-in-place and 173 billion barrels of remaining established reserves. Alberta has a number of oil sands deposits which are grouped into three oil sand development areas - the Athabasca, Cold Lake, and Peace River, with the largest current bitumen production from Athabasca. Principal oil sands deposits consist of the McMurray Fm and Wabiskaw Mbr in Athabasca area, the Gething and Bluesky formations in Peace River area, and relatively thin multi-reservoir deposits of McMurray, Clearwater, and Grand Rapid formations in Cold Lake area. The reservoir sediments were deposited in the foreland basin (Western Canada Sedimentary Basin) formed by collision between the Pacific and North America plates and the subsequent thrusting movements in the Mesozoic. The deposits are underlain by basement rocks of Paleozoic carbonates with highly variable topography. The oil sands deposits were formed during the Early Cretaceous transgression which occurred along the Cretaceous Interior Seaway in North America. The oil-sands-hosting McMurray and Wabiskaw deposits in the Athabasca area consist of the lower fluvial and the upper estuarine-offshore sediments, reflecting the broad and overall transgression. The deposits are characterized by facies heterogeneity of channelized reservoir sands and non-reservoir muds. Main reservoir bodies of the McMurray Formation are fluvial and estuarine channel-point bar complexes which are interbedded with fine-grained deposits formed in floodplain, tidal flat, and estuarine bay. The Wabiskaw deposits (basal member of the Clearwater Formation) commonly comprise sheet-shaped offshore muds and sands, but occasionally show deep-incision into the McMurray deposits, forming channelized reservoir sand bodies of oil sands. In Canada, bitumen of oil sands deposits is produced by surface mining or in-situ thermal recovery processes. Bitumen sands recovered by surface mining are changed into synthetic crude oil through extraction and upgrading processes. On the other hand, bitumen produced by in-situ thermal recovery is transported to refinery only through bitumen blending process. The in-situ thermal recovery technology is represented by Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage and Cyclic Steam Stimulation. These technologies are based on steam injection into bitumen sand reservoirs for increase in reservoir in-situ temperature and in bitumen mobility. In oil sands reservoirs, efficiency for steam propagation is controlled mainly by reservoir geology. Accordingly, understanding of geological factors and characteristics of oil sands reservoir deposits is prerequisite for well-designed development planning and effective bitumen production. As significant geological factors and characteristics in oil sands reservoir deposits, this study suggests (1) pay of bitumen sands and connectivity, (2) bitumen content and saturation, (3) geologic structure, (4) distribution of mud baffles and plugs, (5) thickness and lateral continuity of mud interbeds, (6) distribution of water-saturated sands, (7) distribution of gas-saturated sands, (8) direction of lateral accretion of point bar, (9) distribution of diagenetic layers and nodules, and (10) texture and fabric change within reservoir sand body.