GEOPHYSIC

Seismic Reflection Methods for

Coal Investigation
By Mr. Khamvanh Phengnaone, Adviser: Dr. Rungroj Arjwech
Department of Geotechnology, Faculty of Technology, Khon Kaen University

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Outline
1 Introduction
2 Methodology
3 Application
4 Conclusion
5 Reference

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Background

Introduct
ion

Definition and
Important

Fig.2 Seismic survey

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Fig.2 Marine seismic survey

3

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Methodol
ogy

Fig.1 Seismic data acquisition

Fig.3 Seismic data interpretation

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Fig.2 Seismic data processing

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Applicati
on
Advance in seismic reflection profiling for US
coal exploration

b
Figure 1a is a seismic section obtained using
a linear sweep, figure 1b the same interval
was made with a nonlinear sweep and figure c
Conoco prototype vibrator being used as a
high-frequency source in coal exploration

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Figure
1

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Applicati
on

Figure 2. is a seismic section from a high-resolution

Figure 3. Lithologic cross-

survey conducted to evaluate seam continuity between

boreholes.

section of the two

boreholes in Figure 2.

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Applicati
on

Figure 4. Seismic section showing shallow coal-seam reflection interrupted by

multiple faults.

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Applicati
on

Figure 5. Schematic diagram of

interactive workstation
environment in coal mining.
Data types are on the left and
typical applications on the
right.

Figure 6. Synthetic seismogram

generated from available
geophysical logs.

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Applicati
on
Shallow VSP work in the U.S.
Appalachian coal basin

BH13
BH13

BH12
BH12

BH11
BH11

Fig.1 Study area

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Fig.2 Lithologic
cross-section of
borehole 12.

FIG. 3. Synthetic seismogram

generated from sonic and density logs.

Depth
(m)

Tim
e

Applicati
on
Depth
(m)

Tim
e

GEOPHYSIC

Synthetic
seismogram

VSP
seismogram
FIG. 4. VSP data after
bandpress filter and
automatic gain control
were
applied.
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FIG. 5. Processed VSP

data (a) and resultant VSP
seismogram (b)

FIG. 6 Comparison of
synthetic seismogram and
VSP seismogram

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Applicati
on

FIG. 7. The VSP seismogram is correlated to the CDP seismic section at the
BH-12 location.
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Applicati
on
Application of a high-resolution seismic
investigati-on in
a Greek coal mine.

FIG. 2.
1. Seismic
Geological
map
of Domen-iko
basin,
FIG.
data
generated
by (a) coal
EWG-II
showing the wei-ght
location drop,
of the(b)
seismic
lines
accelerating
buffalo
gun,and
and (c)
boreholes.
sledgehammer.
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Parameter

Value

Seismic source

Bison EWG-II acceleratin-g

weight drop (main part),
buffalo gun

Recording system

Bison Jupiter seismograph

Sample rate

0.5 ms

Record length

750 ms

Number of channels

96

Receiver

Single, 60-Hz geophone

Spread type

Split spread

Maximum fold

48

Geophone interval

3m

Source interval

5m

Low-cut analog filter

50Hz

High-cut analog filter

825Hz

Recording format

SEG2

Table 1. Data acquisition parameters.

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Applicati
on

FIG. 3. Seismic section of part of seismic line

2 plotted using variable density.

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FIG. 4. Expanded interpreted portion of the section

marked in Figure 3.
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Applicati
on

FIG. 5. Part of the processed section of line 3 with (a)

elevation statics only and
FIG. 5. Part of the processed section of line 3 (b)
refraction statics and time-variant filtering.
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Applicati
on

FIG. 7. (b) 2-D inverted

model. Vertical scale is
FIG. 7.
6. (a)
(a) Observed
Unmigrated
and
(b)
migrated
FIG.
data
between
CDP 202500 for line
in
meters
1portions of line l.
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Applicati
on

FIG. 8. Simplified
structural/geologic model
used to create synthetic
traces with the finitedifferences method.
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Applicati
on

FIG. 9. (a) Synthetic traces generated from the model depicted in

Figure 8. The section was created assuming 1251 sources at the
surface
all acting
simultaneously.
The complete
2-D
FIG. 0.5mapart,
9 (b) Section
(a) with
finite-difference
time migration
wavefield is considered, including
all multiples and conversions
applied.
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existing
in the model.

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Applicati
on

FIG. 10. Interpreted sections of (a) line

1, (b) line 2, and (c) line 3.

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- Coherent reflections can be interpreted

across the stacked sections.
- Variations in amplitude and frequency
of the coal reflection could indicate
changes in bed thickness or lithologies.
- The basement is also clearly depicted
apart from a small section between CDPs
800 and 950 in line 2.
- the reflector of the bedrock can be
attributed to the presence of a major fault
that appears at the surface as the
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riverbed.

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Applicati
on

(a)
FIG. 11. (a) A 3-D model of the Domeniko
coal basin. (b) The same model without the
overburden. (c) The same model without
the formations above the second coal seam.
The distance in the grid is in meters.

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Conclusi
on
The seismic reflection survey method has been

successful in many projects in coal area, such as

- Coal exploration on shallow and deep
- Imaging of structure in the subsurface of the
coal mine area. And the seismic reflection data
can be used to combine with core data.
- Coal investigation with 2D-3D modelling.

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Referenc
e

Gochioco, L. M. (1991). Advances in seismic reflection

profiling for US coal exploration. The Leading Edge,
10(12), 2429.
Gochioco, L. M. (1998). Shallow VSP work in the U.S. Appalachian coal
basin. GEOPHYSICS, 63 (3), 795799.
Tselentis, G. Aki., & Paraskevopoulos, P. (2002). Application
of a highres olution seismic investigation in a Greek
coal
mine. GEOPHYSICS, 67 (1), 5059.
Wold Coal Institute, The coal resource, https://
www.worldcoal.org/sites/
default/files/coal_resource_overview_of_coal_report
%2803_06_ 2009%29.pdf, Retrieved December 12, 2015

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Thank you for

attention

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