High-resolution, large-scale seismic imaging of halokinetic-induced structures for geological carbon storage: results from East Jutland, Denmark

We present here the results of a > 250 km 2D seismic survey conducted in Denmark with the use of a dual-element recording system. The survey, consisting of fourteen seismic profiles with high resolution in both spatial and temporal dimensions, was designed to image a 400 km2 subsurface dome that was caused by salt uplift and contains sandstones and mudstones that serve as, respectively, the reservoir and trapping mechanisms for the geological carbon storage. 

With state-of-the-art processing, velocity modelling, and horizon analysis, our study showcases the criticality of using high-resolution seismic data for imaging target layers for carbon storage, and their structural controls. In particular, the reservoir sandstones were imaged with an average thickness of 240 m, exhibiting strong lateral continuity, as well as the overlying primary and secondary seals in the area. Faults identified near the centre of the dome structure may provide migration paths for the stored gas to escape the target rocks and pose a risk to the long-term stability of carbon storage. In addition to the reservoir-seal system, the underlying salt structures were also well imaged as well as several onlapping features, providing a good basis for further studies into the evolution of the system’s tectonics.