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An application of rock physics modeling to quantify the seismic response of gas hydrate-bearing sediments in Makran accretionary prism, offshore, Pakistan

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An Erratum to this article was published on 23 November 2016

Abstract

Naturally occurring gas hydrates are potential future energy source. A significant amount of gas hydrates is interpreted through seismic reflection data in the form of bottom simulating reflector (BSR) present in the sediments of the convergent continental margin of Pakistan. However, the seismic character of these hydratebearing unconsolidated sediments is not properly investigated. Since no direct measurements are available for quantitative estimation of gas hydrate and free gas in these sediments, therefore detailed knowledge of seismic velocities is essential. Seismic velocities of the gas hydrate-bearing sediments in the study area are estimated by using the effective medium theory and the fluid substitution modeling. The results show that the presence of gas hydrates increases the stiffness of the unconsolidated sediments; whereas the presence of free gas decreases the stiffness of these sediments. It is noted that seismic velocities and density of hydrate-bearing sediments are highly affected by saturation and distribution pattern of gas hydrates. The hydrate-bearing sediments seem to be characterized not only by high P-wave velocity (about 2800 m/s) but also by anomalously low S-wave velocity (about 850 m/s). As pure gas-hydrates have much higher seismic velocities than those of host sediments, presence of gas-hydrate increases the seismic velocities, whereas free-gas below the hydrate-bearing sediments decreases the velocities. Seismic reflection from the BSR exhibits a wide range of amplitude variation with offset characteristics, which depend upon the saturation and distribution of hydrates above and free gas below the BSR. We have also demonstrated that some attributes like acoustic and shear impedances, and AVO can be used as important proxies to detect gas hydrate saturation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geophysics and information Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083, Beijing, China

    Muhammed Irfan Ehsan & Liu Xue Wei

  2. Institute of Geology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan

    Nisar Ahmed, Perveiz Khalid & Mustansar Naeem

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  1. Muhammed Irfan Ehsan
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  2. Nisar Ahmed
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  3. Perveiz Khalid
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  4. Liu Xue Wei
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  5. Mustansar Naeem
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Correspondence to Muhammed Irfan Ehsan.

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An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12303-016-0032-y.

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Ehsan, M.I., Ahmed, N., Khalid, P. et al. An application of rock physics modeling to quantify the seismic response of gas hydrate-bearing sediments in Makran accretionary prism, offshore, Pakistan. Geosci J 20, 321–330 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-015-0044-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-015-0044-z

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