The use of well log data in the creation of 3D geological maps

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) graphic representations of geographic environments have become commonplace in a range of elds. These representations are often an attempt to represent both geographic forms, as well as the relationships that exist between them. In contrast to other elds, the use of 3D geological models in the visualisation of the subsurface environment is relatively new. Additionally, these 3D geological models are traditionally created through the painstaking process of manual development methods. As such, the models developed are unable to fully utilise the wealth of geological data that is collected during subsurface exploration. Therefore, the objective of this research was to create a 3D geological prototype that allowed for the visualisation of underground resource reservoirs in a faster, easier and more aesthetically appealing manner. To achieve the objectives of this research, the problem was tackled holistically by considering both the theoretical and practical components of the research. Some theoretical components that were considered are: well log wireline log data composition, the information that can be extracted from each well log component, geological data interpolation as well as geological visualisation. Utilisation of the theoretical component of this research facilitated the development of a programme that modelled and visualised sub-surface environments. The programme applied the information from numerous well log datasets and interpolated the various geological layers that could be found within a region.