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Regional seismic profile constructed from 12 individual seismic lines. a shows the regional seismic profile with a variable density display. Note that approximately the first 45 km of the profile was acquired using a vibroseis source, while the remaining part of the profile was collected using a mini-sosie source. As a result the frequency content of the data changes significantly along the line. The location of the profile is shown in the small map in the lower right hand corner of the image. b shows a preliminary interpretation of the regional seismic line shown in a)
Source publication
Archives across the world contain vast amounts of old or “vintage” seismic reflection data, which are largely inaccessible for geo-scientific research, due to the out-dated media on which they are stored. Despite the age of these data, they often have great potential to be of use in modern day research. It is often the case that seismic reflection...
Citations
... A vertical shift was applied to seismic lines to adopt a consistent reference datum. Some ViDEPI lines were converted to SEG-Y using the MATLAB code "WIGGLE2SEGY" (Buttinelli et al., 2022;Sopher, 2018). The main characteristics of the seismic reflection lines are summarized in Supporting Information S1 (Table S1), which also contains some examples of un-interpreted seismic commercial profiles ( Figures S2-S4 in Supporting Information S1). ...
We present the first 3D crustal model of the epicentral region of the 1980, Mw 6.9, normal‐faulting Irpinia earthquake (southern Italy) determined by jointly interpreting the CROP‐04 deep seismic profile, a grid of commercial seismic lines, deep exploration wells, and a high‐resolution Local Earthquake Tomography. Despite numerous seismotectonic surveys and source studies of the background seismicity recorded by dense networks, a complete 3D geological model of the mid‐upper crust was still lacking in the region. The architecture of the Neogene fold‐and‐thrust belt is also debated, with competing thin‐ and thick‐skinned tectonic interpretations. We use the 3D geological model derived from subsurface exploration data to interpret the upper crustal tomographic velocities in terms of rock physical properties, while Vp and Vp/Vs anomalies provide inferences on the deep structural setting down to 12 km depth. We find that a thick‐skinned deformation style allows explaining the geometry of Pliocene fold‐and‐thrust systems deforming the Apulian carbonates but also deeper Permo‐Triassic metasediments and the Paleozoic crystalline femic basement. Inherited compressional structures and lithological heterogeneities control background seismicity occurring at two crustal levels. Fluid‐driven shallow seismicity (<4–6 km) concentrates in a high‐Vp/Vs wedge of fractured, brine‐saturated Mesozoic stiff rocks delimited by the 1980 earthquake faults. Deep seismicity (9–14 km) clusters instead within the low‐Vp/Vs crystalline basement underneath the Apulian carbonate ramp‐anticlines. Commercial seismic data allow us to identify the Irpinia Fault, the main fault ruptured by the 1980 earthquake, reinforcing its previous interpretations as an immature structure with subtle geological and geophysical evidence.
... In this contribution, we present a reconstruction from the western to eastern sectors of the southern Tuscany offshore based on a new interpretation of a public data set of raster seismic reflection profiles available from the ViDEPI database (Visibilità dei Dati afferenti all'attività di Esplorazione Petrolifera in Italia, https://www.videpi.com/videpi/videpi. asp) vectorized with the WIGGLES2SEGY code (Sopher, 2018) and appropriately tuned with the approach described in Buttinelli et al. (2022). The reinterpretation of these reprocessed vintage seismic lines and the CROP M12A profile allowed us to highlight the sedimentary and structural features at depth and to explore better the relationship Fig. 1. ...
... The dataset used in this study belongs to the VIDEPI database (htt ps://www.videpi.com/videpi/sismica/zone.asp?zona=ZE). The image versions of the seismic profiles have been processed with the WIG-GLES2SEGY code (Sopher, 2018) appropriately tuned with the approach described in Buttinelli et al. (2022) for such a sector of Italy to obtain vectorized digital SEG -Y. The SEG-Y profiles were also processed via deconvolution and AGC filtering within the OpenDTect environment to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio further. ...
... videpi/sismica/dettaglio.asp?codice=E-128Line E-130 ( Figure SM1C): https://www.videpi.com/videpi/sismica/dettaglio.asp?codice=E-130 Mimosa-1 and Martina-1 well stratigraphy available on the ViDEPI dataset: (https://www.videpi.com/videpi/pozzi/dettaglio.asp?cod=3689, https:// www.videpi.com/videpi/pozzi/dettaglio.asp?cod=3524, The vectorization code used to manipulate the original raster seismic data is publicly available following the requests reported in Sopher, 2018. ...
... The seismic profiles from the ViDEPI database were converted from raster to SEG-Y format to enhance their integration and interpretation. We adopted the Wiggle2segy code (Sopher, 2018) recently tested and calibrated on this same dataset (Buttinelli et al., 2022). We applied an Automatic Gain Control scaling of the amplitude to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the SEG-Ys. ...
Plain Language Summary
The Northern Apennines chain is characterized by thrust faults running from the Po Plain to the Adriatic Sea on the northeastern side of peninsular Italy. These thrusts are buried below ≈2,000 m cover of Plio‐Pleistocene deposits. Controversies arose about these thrust faults' activity and earthquake potential based on their hidden geological signature and the scanty seismicity that could be associated with them. The earthquake (magnitude 5.5) that occurred on 9 November 2022, offshore Pesaro revived this argument. In this work, we analyze the geological structure of the crustal volume affected by the seismic sequence, exploiting seismic reflection profiles and well‐log data to identify the earthquake causative fault. Our results demonstrate that the earthquake ruptured a well‐known fault of the Northern Apennines' buried thrust front, supporting that it is indeed active and seismogenic. The size and architecture of this thrust front suggest that it could generate even larger earthquakes (Mw > 6.5). This type of geological study is instrumental to understanding the geometry of earthquake faults, particularly in offshore areas, because they constitute reliable inputs for earthquake hazard models and, when done promptly after an earthquake, provide key elements for other studies on the seismic source and the unfolding of the ongoing seismic sequence.
... To obtain digital data from public raster underground datasets for the necessities of the geo-research community, the SISMOLAB-3D adopted a program called WIGGLE2SEGY for the vectorization of raster seismic reflection profiles into standard SEG-Y format. WIGGLE2SEGY is a MATLAB-based tool developed by Sopher [2018]. ...
... The approach adopted in WIGGLE2SEGY includes various input parameters and vectorization modes. The reader should refer to Sopher [2018] for details about the conceptual procedure adopted in WIGGLE2SEGY. ...
... In this contribution, we presented and discussed the application of the WIGGLE2SEGY vectorization code [Sopher, 2018] to four case studies within different geodynamic contexts of the Italian territory. The code allows transforming seismic profiles from raster format into digital SEG-Y. ...
In recent decades, geological modeling has significantly evolved, relying on the growing potential of hardware and software to manage and integrate vast datasets of 2D-3D geophysical underground data. Therefore, digitization and integration with other forms of data can often improve understanding of geological systems, even when using so-called vintage or historical data. Seismic reflection data have been extensively acquired mainly for hydrocarbon exploration since the 60s generating large volumes of data. Typically, these data have been for private commercial use and are relatively unavailable for research. However, with time, large volumes of vintage seismic reflection data in many countries worldwide are now becoming publicly available through time-based de-classification schemes. Such data have a great potential for modern-day geo-research, unleashing opportunities to improve geological understanding through re-interpretation with modern methods. However, a downside of these vintage data is that they are often only available in analog (paper, raster) format. The vectorization of these data then constitutes an essential step for unlocking their research potential. In 2018 INGV established the SISMOLAB-3D infrastructure, which is mainly devoted to analyzing digital subsurface data, such as seismic reflection profiles and well-logs, to build 2D-3D geological models, principally for seismotectonics, seismic hazard assessment, and geo-resources applications. In this contribution, we discuss the robustness of the WIGGLE2SEGY code, firstly published by Sopher in 2018, focusing on examples from different tectonic and geodynamic contexts within Italian territory. We applied the SEG-Y conversion method to onshore and offshore raster seismic profiles related to ceased exploration permits, comparing the results with other published archives of SEG-Y data obtained from the conversion of vintage data. Such an approach results in digital SEG-Y files with unprecedented quality and detail. The system- atic application of this method will allow the construction of a comprehensive dataset of digital SEG-Y seismic profiles across Italy, thereby expanding and sharing the INGV SISMOLAB-3D port- folio with the scientific community to foster innovative and advanced scientific analysis.
... The raster images were converted (vectorized) to SEGY format for obtaining a set of seismic lines on which modern seismic interpretation software can be used. The Matlab script WIGGLE2SEGY (Sopher, 2016;Sopher, 2017) was used to convert the tiff images to SEGY format. ...
... Here reflections associated with the top and base of the Ordovician and the O d interval can clearly be correlated across the section. As part of on-going efforts to digitize and interpret the OPAB seismic reflection data from Gotland (Sopher 2017;Levendal et al. 2019), it is clear some systematic differences in the seismic response exist across the island. For example, the reflection from the base of the Ordovician is typically more pronounced in the northwest parts of Gotland where the Faludden Sandstone is thin or missing. ...
The geophysical characteristics of the carbonate-dominated Ordovician succession is described using wire-line logging data from exploration wells located within the Swedish part of the Baltic Basin, both offshore and from the island of Gotland. The petrophysical properties and log-motifs are compared and correlated with the lithology of cores from the Hamra-10, Skåls-1 and Grötlingbo-1 wells on southern Gotland. The 80–125-m-thick Ordovician succession is divided into five log stratigraphic units Oa–Oe, which are correlated throughout the study area. The proposed log stratigraphy and wire-line log characteristics are evaluated and compared with the established Ordovician stratigraphy from the adjacent areas of Öland, Östergötland and South Estonia. The newly established log stratigraphy is also linked to the existing seismic stratigraphic framework for the study area and exemplified with a selection of interpreted seismic type sections from Gotland and the south Baltic Sea. The presented characterization, division and correlation provide a basis for understanding the lateral and vertical variation of the petrophysical properties, which are essential in assessing the sealing capacity of the Ordovician succession, in conjunction with storage of CO2 in the underlying Cambrian sandstone reservoir.
... The data for the characterization work come from an extensive database containing data collected between 1970 and 1990 by the Swedish oil prospecting company (OPAB) (Sopher and Juhlin 2013;Sopher 2017). The OPAB data set contains well reports and geophysical well logs from over 300 wells located primarily on Gotland, but also offshore. ...
... Initially, the majority of the seismic reflection data from Gotland were only available as scanned images (TIFF files) of the final stacked data, which made the data difficult to fully utilize and interpret. Therefore, it was necessary to convert these data to SEGY format (vectorize) before they could be imported into modern seismic interpretation software (Sopher 2017). Similarly, much of the geophysical well log data was digitized by hand, so that the data could be plotted and used to calculate synthetic seismograms. ...
Wind energy is an important field of development for the island of Gotland, Sweden, especially since the island has set targets
to generate 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. Due to the variability of wind conditions, energy storage
will be an important technology to facilitate the continued development of wind energy on Gotland and ensure a stable and
secure supply of electricity. In this study, the feasibility of utilizing the Middle Cambrian Faludden sandstone reservoir on
Gotland for Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) is assessed. Firstly, a characterization of the sandstone beneath Gotland
is presented, which includes detailed maps of reservoir thickness and top reservoir structure. Analysis of this information
shows that the properties of the Faludden sandstone and associated cap rock appear favorable for the application of CAES.
Seven structural closures are identified below the eastern and southern parts of Gotland, which could potentially be utilized
for CAES. Scoping estimates of the energy storage capacity and flow rate for these closures within the Faludden sandstone
show that industrial scale CAES could be possible on Gotland.
... The data for the characterization work come from an extensive database containing data collected between 1970 and 1990 by the Swedish oil prospecting company (OPAB) (Sopher and Juhlin 2013;Sopher 2017). The OPAB data set contains well reports and geophysical well logs from over 300 wells located primarily on Gotland, but also offshore. ...
... Initially, the majority of the seismic reflection data from Gotland were only available as scanned images (TIFF files) of the final stacked data, which made the data difficult to fully utilize and interpret. Therefore, it was necessary to convert these data to SEGY format (vectorize) before they could be imported into modern seismic interpretation software (Sopher 2017). Similarly, much of the geophysical well log data was digitized by hand, so that the data could be plotted and used to calculate synthetic seismograms. ...
Wind energy is an important field of development for the island of Gotland, Sweden, especially since the island has set targets to generate 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. Due to the variability of wind conditions, energy storage will be an important technology to facilitate the continued development of wind energy on Gotland and ensure a stable and secure supply of electricity. In this study, the feasibility of utilizing the Middle Cambrian Faludden sandstone reservoir on Gotland for Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) is assessed. Firstly, a characterization of the sandstone beneath Gotland is presented, which includes detailed maps of reservoir thickness and top reservoir structure. Analysis of this information shows that the properties of the Faludden sandstone and associated cap rock appear favorable for the application of CAES. Seven structural closures are identified below the eastern and southern parts of Gotland, which could potentially be utilized for CAES. Scoping estimates of the energy storage capacity and flow rate for these closures within the Faludden sandstone show that industrial scale CAES could be possible on Gotland.
... Therefore, these images had to be converted (vectorised) to SEGY format. The MATLAB script WIGGLE2SEGY (Sopher, 2017) was used to convert the TIFF images of the seismic data to SEGY format. After the vectorisation, the output SEGY data could be imported into modern seismic interpretation software. ...
The Swedish island of Gotland is located within the Baltic Basin. During the Late Ordovician the region around Gotland was part of a shallow epicratonic basin in the southern subtropics. In these warm-water environments algae flourished, diverse reefs developed close to the coastline and further outboard carbonate mounds developed. These mounds formed rigid high relief structures surrounded by fine-grained siliciclastics and marls and can be detected on seismic images as isolated concave upwards features. The sedimentary succession beneath Gotland was intensely investigated in the 1970s and 1980s for its hydrocarbon potential, and subsequently, oil was commercially produced from reservoirs within Ordovician mounds. In 1981, a 3D seismic survey was conducted by Horizon Exploration Ltd. over the Fardume mound on northern Gotland. To date no results from these 3D data have been published in scientific literature. The region of Gotland aims to produce 100% of its energy from renewable sources and currently the majority of Gotland's energy is provided by wind turbines. Due to the intermittent nature of wind power, one solution to regulate the supply of electricity from wind energy is Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES). In this study, we convert the 3D seismic survey acquired over the Fardume mound from scanned TIFF images to SEGY format. These data are then utilized together with well data to gain a better knowledge of the geological structure of the mound and to examine its reservoir characteristics and potential for CAES. To date, carbonate mounds on Gotland have mainly been reported in the scientific literature using well data. This 3D seismic survey, therefore, provides a rare opportunity to better characterize and investigate the structure of one of the carbonate mounds on Gotland.
... Vintage multichannel seismic reflection (MCS) profiles are data acquired and processed in the past that are not easy to integrate or conform to current practices (Sopher, 2018;Schaming et al 2017;Diviacco et al 2015). Such data are mostly stored in paper or PDF formats that are not possible to be read by modern processing and interpretation software. ...
Vintage geophysical data represent a huge heritage for the whole scientific community (Sopher, 2018; Schaming et al., 2017; Diviacco et al., 2015) because, despite the antiquated acquisition methods and processing tools, they are generally characterized by high penetration and wide regional extension. Nowadays such large‐scale projects are in fact very difficult to take place, considering environmental, geopolitical, and funding issues. In addition, reprocessing vintage seismic profiles using up‐to‐date software and tools, it is now possible to further increase their original signal‐to‐noise ratio. Italian offshore areas have been widely investigated by a dense network of multichannel seismic reflection profiles, acquired by the Italian Authorities in the years 1960, 1970, and 1980 of the last century in the perspective of mineral prospecting. This asset of data has been recovered, reprocessed, and made accessible within a demanding project undertaken by Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS). The present work aims at describing the data recovery and reprocessing methodologies applied to enhance the quality of these vintage multichannel‐seismic reflection profiles, and at detailing how to access this huge dataset, that have been made compliant with the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and available through the OGS‐SNAP data management web portal.
Open Practices
This article has earned an Open Data badge for making publicly available the digitally‐shareable data necessary to reproduce the reported results. The data is available at https://doi.org/10.6092/SNAP.cbbba251c17b55c737836768c8737589. Learn more about the Open Practices badges from the Center for Open Science: https://osf.io/tvyxz/wiki.
