Interpreting fault-related gas leakage

Mohammed Alarfaj, Donald C. Lawton

Faults in extensional regimes can act as gas migration pathways when in contact with a hydrocarbon source. The gas presence associated with the leaking faults may be detected in seismic surveys. The seismic response of waves traveling through low velocity intervals within the leakage zone shows incoherent reflections characterized by vertical chaotic patterns. Seismic attributes such as semblance and curvature assist in detecting these unique characteristics. Multi-attributes could be used together to highlight the locations of the leaking faults.