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This study integrates sequence stratigraphy of the Late Permian Toolachee Formation in the non-marine intracratonic Permian-Triassic Cooper Basin, Australia with 3-D seismic attribute analysis to predict the extent of depositional environments identified on wireline and well core data. The low resolution seismic data (tuning thickness 23 - 31 m) comprised of six seismic horizons allowed the successful testing of sequence stratigraphic interpretations of the productive Toolachee Formation that were based on wireline data. The analysis of 29 well logs and three 20 m core intervals resulted in the identification of eleven parasequences that comprise the building blocks of an overall transitional systems tract, characterised by a gradual increase in accommodation. The parasequences reflect cyclic transitions between braided and meandering fluvial systems as a result of fluctuations in sediment flux, possibly driven by Milankovitch climatic-forcing. The seismic horizon attribute maps image mostly the meandering fluvial bodies within the upper parts of the parasequences, but some maps image the lower amalgamated sand sheets and show no channel structures. Categorisation of the fluvial bodies in the overbank successions reflects a gradual decrease in sinuosity, channel width, and channel belt width up-section, supporting the overall increase in accommodation up-section. Similar acoustic impedance values for shales and sands do not suggest successful seismic forward modelling between the two lithologies. Geological interpretations suggest most imaged channel fill to be made up predominantly of fine sediments, as channel avulsion and abandonment is common and increases with time. Seismic forward modelling resulted in the interpretation of carbonaceous shale as a possible channel fill, supporting the geological interpretations. The three major identified fluvial styles; braided, meanders, and distributaries are potential targets for future exploration. Extensive sand sheets deposited from braided fluvial systems require structural traps for closure. Meandering and anastomosing channel systems represent excellent stratigraphic traps, such as the basal sands/gravels of laterally accreted point bars.

The use of seismic methods in hard rock environments in Western Australia for mineral exploration is a new and burgeoning technology. Traditionally, mineral exploration has relied upon potential field methods and surface prospecting to reveal shallow targets for economic exploitation. These methods have been and will continue to be effective but lack lateral and depth resolution needed to image deeper mineral deposits for targeted mining. With global need for minerals, and gold in particular, increasing in demand, and with shallower targets harder to find, new methods to uncover deeper mineral reserves are needed. Seismic reflection imaging, hard rock borehole data analysis, seismic inversion and seismic attribute analysis all give the spatial and volumetric exploration techniques the mineral industry can use to reveal high value deeper mineral targets. / In 2002, two high resolution seismic lines, the East Victory and Intrepid, were acquired along with sonic logging, to assess the feasibility of seismic imaging and rock characterisation at the St. Ives gold camp in Western Australia. An innovative research project was undertaken combining seismic processing, rock characterization, reflection calibration, seismic inversion and seismic attribute analysis to show that volumetric predictions of rock type and gold-content may be viable in hard rock environments. Accurate seismic imaging and reflection identification proved to be challenging but achievable task in the all-out hard rock environment of the Yilgarn craton. Accurate results were confounded by crocked seismic line acquisition, low signal-to-noise ratio, regolith distortions, small elastic property variations in the rock, and a limited volume of sonic logging. Each of these challenges, however, did have a systematic solution which allowed for accurate results to be achieved. / Seismic imaging was successfully completed on both the East Victory and Intrepid data sets revealing complex structures in the Earth as shallow as 100 metres to as deep as 3000 metres. The successful imaging required homogenization of the regolith to eliminate regolith travel-time distortions and accurate constant velocity analysis for reflection focusing using migration. Verification of the high amplitude reflections within each image was achieved through integration of surface geological and underground mine data as well as calibration with log derived synthetic seismograms. The most accurate imaging results were ultimately achieved on the East Victory line which had good signal-to-noise ratio and close-to-straight data acquisition direction compared to the more crooked Intrepid seismic line. / The sonic logs from both the East Victory and Intrepid seismic lines were comprehensively analysed by re-sampling and separating the data based on rock type, structure type, alteration type, and Au assay. Cross plotting of the log data revealed statistically accurate separation between harder and softer rocks, as well as sheared and un-sheared rock, were possible based solely on compressional-wave, shear-wave, density, acoustic and elastic impedance. These results were used successfully to derive empirical relationships between seismic attributes and geology. Calibrations of the logs and seismic data provided proof that reflections, especially high-amplitude reflections, correlated well with certain rock properties as expected from the sonic data, including high gold content sheared zones. The correlation value, however, varied with signal-to-noise ratio and crookedness of the seismic line. Subsequent numerical modelling confirmed that separating soft from hard rocks can be based on both general reflectivity pattern and impedance contrasts. / Indeed impedance inversions on the calibrated seismic and sonic data produced reliable volumetric separations between harder rocks (basalt and dolerite) and softer rock (intermediate intrusive, mafic, and volcaniclastic). Acoustic impedance inversions produced the most statistically valid volumetric predictions with the simultaneous use of acoustic and elastic inversions producing stable separation of softer and harder rocks zones. Similarly, Lambda-Mu-Rho inversions showed good separations between softer and harder rock zones. With high gold content rock associated more with “softer” hard rocks and sheared zones, these volumetric inversion provide valuable information for targeted mining. The geostatistical method applied to attribute analysis, however, was highly ambiguous due to low correlations and thus produced overly generalized predictions. Overall reliability of the seismic inversion results were based on quality and quantity of sonic data leaving the East Victory data set, again with superior results as compared to the Intrepid data set. / In general, detailed processing and analysis of the 2D seismic data and the study of the relationship between the recorded wave-field and rock properties measured from borehole logs, core samples and open cut mining, revealed that positive correlations can be developed between the two. The results of rigorous research show that rock characterization using seismic methodology will greatly benefit the mineral industry.

Using flake dimensions and attributes commonly agreed are associated with site use, occupation age, and occupation duration, it was argued that relative estimations of site function and occupation age could be determined using debitage. This is particularly beneficial for assemblages that have little to no diagnostics that could provide a general cultural period for one or more occupations at a site. The results of this study suggest that, although certain attributes are generally associated with lithic production stage, relative age, and duration indicators, they were not all applicable within this study. The methods employed were relatively successful; however, reducing the number of classes, removing of a dimension, and more sites that meet the definition of lithic scatter is needed. Furthermore, testing occupation duration using the number of breaks on a flake is not possible unless it is proven a single occupation site.

Sur l’île de Majorque (Espagne), l’exploitation en continue de la nappe aquifère a favoriséla formation d’un biseau salé et l’épuisement de la ressource en eau potable. En 2002, un projet nommé ALIANCE, financé par l’Union européenne, a été lancé pour permettre une meilleure caractérisation des réservoirs. L’objectif est de concevoir un plan de gestion durable des ressources en eau dans les zones côtières aquifères sujets aux problèmes d’intrusion d’eau salée. Dans cet optique, un site expérimental près de la ville de Campos (Majorque) a été créé, avec la mise en place de plusieurs puits au sein d’un milieu karstique carbonaté. Des études pétrophysiques sur des échantillons ont été réalisées ainsi que différentes prospections géophysiques dans la zone saturée (tomographie puits à puits). Ce type d’études est utile pour déterminer certaines propriétés réservoirs telles que la porosité, mais sont limitées à la zone saturée au voisinage des puits. Ainsi, une étude sismique 3D haute résolution a été réalisée pour localiser les principaux réflecteurs, leurs répartitions sur la zone et imager les hétérogénéités du réservoir dans la zone non saturée. L’acquisition et le traitement de données sismiques lors de prospection de subsurface est une tâche difficile en raison de plusieurs facteurs, notamment logistique et technique. Cependant, cette acquisition 3D haute résolution a été optimisée pour imager une structure peu profonde, à savoir une centaine de mètres. Différentes stratégies de traitement de données ont été appliquées pour éliminer de manière efficace le bruit sur les données, et une technique de calcul de correction statique, basée sur l’inversion des temps de premières arrivées, a été mise au point. Différents attributs sismiques ont été extraits et utilisés pour la caratérisation du réservoir. La propagation des ondes sismiques est limitée par la nature des roches carbonatées et la création d’ondes de Rayleigh. Un obstacle majeur rencontré lors du traitement des données sismiques a été la présence d’ondes de Rayleigh de fortes amplitudes, d’une part due à l’utilisation d’une source en surface et d’autre part en raison des hétérogénéités de petite tailles. Un "mute" de ces ondes de surface a été réalisé avant d’imager la structure profonde. De multiples problèmes d’interférences sont également dus aux nombreuses hétérogénéités, à l’atténuation rapide du contenu hautes-fréquences des signaux et au contraste d’impédance avec les couches sous-jacentes. L’interprétation finale nous amène à observer que le réflecteur principal est très irrégulier sur une zone d’étude de petite taille à l’échelle d’un réservoir. L’analyse de différents attributs sismiques révèle clairement des structures et hétérogénéités typiques des systèmes karstiques. / Continuous water extraction and intrusion of salt water in the coastal aquifer of the islandof Mallorca (Spain) is depleting the fresh water aquifers. In 2002 a project named ALIANCE,funded by European Union, was initiated for better reservoir characterization and to devisethe sustainable management plan of the water resources in coastal aquifers suffering from salt water intrusion. For this purpose an experimental site near the Campos town on the island of Mallorca (Spain) was developed. Several wells on the site were drilled and cored. Extensive studies are carried out to characterize the reservoir by studying the well cores. Different geophysical tomographic studies are also carried out for these drilled wells in the saturated zone. Laboratory study of cores, petrophysical studies and several tomographic studies were helpful to construct the reservoir porosity system and other reservoir properties. But these all studies are restricted to saturated zone and in the vicinity of the wells. High resolution 3D seismic survey is carried out on this site to locate the different characteristic reflectors, their spatial presence over the area and reservoir heterogeneity in the unsaturated zone. Seismic data acquisition and processing for the shallow surveys is a difficult task due to number of factors including logistic and technical. Nonetheless high resolution 3D seismic survey is acquired with optimized parameters to image the required zone. Different data processing strategies are applied to get a noise free high resolution image. A technique for static correction calculation based on the delay time inversion is developed.Energy penetration in the subsurface was hampered due to carbonate rock nature and forced generation of Rayleigh waves. The processing of the seismic data was difficult due to overwhelming high amplitude Rayleigh waves that are generated partly due to use of the surface source and partly due to the small scale heterogeneities. Rayleigh wave muting is performed to obtain the meaningful image. Due to heterogeneities, attenuation of high frequency content of the signals and impedance contrast of the underlying layers result in interference. Different seismic attributes are extracted and used for reservoir characterization. From the interpretation of data it is evident that even for this small area the shape of the main reflector varies considerably in the area. Seismic attributes reveal karsts and other structural heterogeneities in the area.