Seistec Seismic Profiles: A Tool to Differentiate Gas Signatures

The presence of gas is a common feature in many seismic sections. However, the origin of the gas is often difficult to determine. Recently acquired very high resolution seismic profiles using an IKB Seistec boomer provide useful insight to the understanding of the gas origins in a range of environmental settings including sea lochs and coastal lagoons. The gas features are described both from a qualitative point of view through their acoustic facies, and quantitatively through the associated seismic signal (polarisation, amplitude). Acoustic facies include acoustic turbidity, gas “curtains” and “blankets” as well as “white fringes” and “black shadows”. All the features encountered have been related to specific gas nature generated by different sources (organic matter degradation in paleo-valley infillings, waste material effluent).