Caprock and depth of ceiling impact on gravity signal strength from salt diapirs

0583304 - GFÚ 2024 AT eng C - Conference Paper (international conference)
Mrlina, Jan - Beránek, Roman
Caprock and depth of ceiling impact on gravity signal strength from salt diapirs.
84th EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition. Vienna: EAGE Publications BV, 2023.
[EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition /84./. Vienna (AT), 05.06.2023-08.06.2023]
Institutional support: RVO:67985530
Keywords : salt diapir * caprock * density modeling * gravity survey
OECD category: Physical geography
https://www.earthdoc.org/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.202310974

With respect to difficulties seismic and magnetotellurics may have in accurate definition of exact salt diapir geometry, and also with respect to the fact that not much has been done on caprock impact on the gravity signal, we performed various simulations and calculations to investigate such exploration targets. Very significant favorable condition is the high contrast of rock density between salt and basin sedimentary formations, especially carbonates. We defined approximate bulk density of typical caprock
formation based on its usual composition. We modelled by forward and inverse procedures the gravity signal of salt diapirs with caprock of variable thickness to demonstrate to which extent the salt diapir negative gravity anomaly may be reduced by the impact of caprock formation. Significant contribution to the delineation of salt diapirs
themselves, as well as diapirs hidden under caprock, came from the application of horizontal gravity gradients. It was also proved by calculating gravity effect of a laboratory analogue models of salt deformation and extrusion. It was shown that gravity is still valuable, and cheap, tool for the salt structures investigation within exploration projects.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0351300