Title: An environmentally-friendly integrated seismic imaging for coal exploration in the Miocene Soma Basin, Western Turkey

Authors: Ruhi Saatçılar; Sedat İnan; Ali Cankurtaranlar; Fırat Duygun; Emin Demirbağ; Semih Ergintav; Murat Yılmaz; Ali Rıza Toygar; Ayhan Kösebalaban; M. Namık Yalçın

Addresses: Department of Geophysics Engineering, Esentepe Campus, Engineering Faculty, Sakarya University, 54187 Serdivan, Sakarya, Turkey ' Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi ARAMCO), EXPEC Advanced Research Centre, P.O. Box 5074, 31311 Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ' TÜBİTAK, Marmara Research Centre, Earth and Marine Sciences Institute, Gebze, Kocaeli, 41470, Turkey ' TÜBİTAK, Marmara Research Centre, Earth and Marine Sciences Institute, Gebze, Kocaeli, 41470, Turkey ' Department of Geophysics Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, 34381, Istanbul, Turkey ' Department of Geodesy, Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, Bogazici University, Çengelköy, 34684 Istanbul, Turkey ' Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), Exploration Group, SöğütözüMahallesi, 82.cadde, 08600, Ankara, Turkey ' Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), Exploration Group, SöğütözüMahallesi, 82.cadde, 08600, Ankara, Turkey ' Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKI), Hipodrom Cad. No:12, Yenimahalle, 06330 Ankara, Turkey ' Department of Geological Engineering, Istanbul University, Avcilar Campus, 34320, Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract: Seismic reflection data from target depths of several hundred metres have been acquired and processed as an aid for lignite exploration in the Miocene Soma Basin, western Turkey. An environmentally-friendly approach was followed by acquiring the data with mini-vibroseisseismic source along crooked lines, using available mountain/forest and village roads; quality control tests were conducted to determine optimal field parameters that would yield dataset with best signal-to-noise (SN) ratio prior to real data acquisition; and stratigraphic interfaces giving rise to reflection events in the seismic data were identified from the vertical seismic profiling (VSP). Stacked seismic sections were successfully correlated with geological cross-sections drawn based on available borehole data. Thus, it is shown that decreasing time and the cost for coal exploration is possible by utilising surface and VSP. Environment friendly approach of the seismic method applied in this study is also beneficial in regard to environmental concerns. [Received June 1, 2013; Accepted: November 25, 2013]

Keywords: environmentally-friendly coal exploration; surface seismic reflection; crooked lines; vertical seismic profiling; VSP; Soma; Turkey; lignite exploration; quality control; stratigraphic interfaces; borehole data.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2014.062171

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2014 Vol.7 No.4, pp.399 - 414

Received: 04 Jun 2013
Accepted: 25 Nov 2013

Published online: 05 Jul 2014 *

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