Optimum and robust 3D facies interpolation strategies in a heterogeneous coal zone (Tertiary As Pontes basin, NW Spain)

Coal exploration and mining in extensively drilled and sampled coal zones can benefit from 3D statistical facies interpolation. Starting from closely spaced core descriptions, and using interpolation methods, a 3D optimum and robust facies distribution model was obtained for a thick, heterogeneous c...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Falivene Aldea, Oriol, Cabrera, Lluís, Sáez, Alberto
Formato: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2007
País:España
Recursos:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2445/102004
Acesso em linha:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/102004
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Fàcies (Geologia)
Carbó
Visualització tridimensional
Serralada Cantàbrica
Facies (Geology)
Coal
Three-dimensional display systems
Cantabrian Mountains
Descrição
Resumo:Coal exploration and mining in extensively drilled and sampled coal zones can benefit from 3D statistical facies interpolation. Starting from closely spaced core descriptions, and using interpolation methods, a 3D optimum and robust facies distribution model was obtained for a thick, heterogeneous coal zone deposited in the non-marine As Pontes basin (Oligocene-Early Miocene, NW Spain). Several grid layering styles, interpolation methods (truncated inverse squared distance weighting, truncated kriging, truncated kriging with an areal trend, indicator inverse squared distance weighting, indicator kriging, and indicator kriging with an areal trend) and searching conditions were compared. Facies interpolation strategies were evaluated using visual comparison and cross validation. Moreover, robustness of the resultant facies distribution with respect to variations in interpolation method input parameters was verified by taking into account several scenarios of uncertainty. The resultant 3D facies reconstruction improves the understanding of the distribution and geometry of the coal facies. Furthermore, since some coal quality properties (e.g. calorific value or sulphur percentage) display a good statistical correspondence with facies, predicting the distribution of these properties using the reconstructed facies distribution as a template proved to be a powerful approach, yielding more accurate and realistic reconstructions of these properties in the coal zone.