Emperor Energy Ltd’s (ASX:EMP) analysis of multi-client 3D seismic data of its wholly-owned Judith Gas Field offshore Victoria, acquired from global seismic company CGG in mid-2020, has significantly increased data quality and resolution.
The increased quality has allowed Emperor’s geologists and geophysicists to build an updated and more accurate structural interpretation of the Judith Gas Field.
Emperor has noted a dramatic improvement in data resolution across the entire gas field except for relatively small areas at the top of the structure close to the major Rosedale Fault where the combination of steep dips and fault shadow effects still leaves these high areas with some reduction in seismic resolution.
The new data provides a significant step forward to define the Judith Gas Field and contributes significantly to the de-risking of the proposed Judith-2 Well.
Emperor believes the quality of the data and output from its’ analysis fully justifies the expenditure incurred to access the data.
Validates previous interpretation
The company’s structural interpretation of the Judith Gas Field carried out using new 3D seismic data validates previous interpretation.
The company has also finished the initial phase of technical work to complete a revised analysis of the Judith structure to develop new structural mapping and a 3-dimensional view of each gas-bearing reservoir sand penetrated by the Judith-1 Discovery Well.
AVO analysis of Judith Gas Sand 2 and 3
Amplitude Versus Offset (AVO) analysis, which allows comparison in the variations of fluid properties present in the porous space of the target gas sands, and modelling gas indicator shows strong responses through the Judith Gas Sand 2 and Judith Gas Sand 3.
These gas sands have net pay thicknesses of 45 metres and 85 metres respectively with a non-gas bearing interval between them of 72 metres.
In both cases, the AVO analysis shows strong AVO Gas Indication across the Judith structure both within and outside the VicP/47 Permit area, including at Kipper-1 to the southeast where gas was recovered during drilling.
The company has AVO response tied back to and correlated with historic Judith 1 and Kipper 1 Well data.
Emperor has witnessed a strong AVO Gas response over at least 500 metres of vertical relief in the Judith structure, similarly AVO Gas indicator shows a strong response in the interpreted Longtom 200 Gas sand below the total depth of the Judith 1 well.
This adds considerable support to the Prospective Resource estimates previously published for the Judith Gas field.
AVO analysis of Longtom 200 Gas Sand
The interpreted Longtom 200 Gas Sand and other Longtom sands are beneath the total depth of the Judith-1 well and have not been previously intersected in the Judith Structure however their presence is clearly visible on the new seismic data.
They are seen as providing significant exploration upside for the planned Judith-2 Well that is designed to intersect the Longtom 200 Gas Sand at a depth of approximately 3000 metres.
Notably, the strong AVO response extends from the southern boundary of the permit area up-dip and across the structural closure beyond the planned Judith-2 well.
The strong AVO gas response is evident over more than 500 metres of vertical relief, similar to the Judith Gas Sands 2 and 3.
Further mapping and AVO to be carried out
The preliminary structural interpretation and AVO analysis to date concentrated on the evaluation of Judith Gas Sand 2, Judith Gas Sand 3 and the Longtom 200 Gas Sand.
Further analysis is to be carried out on the Judith Gas Sand 1, Judith Gas Sand 4, various additional Longtom sands and the extension of the Kipper Gas Sands into the Vic/P47 Permit area.
The extent of AVO response indicates the nature of the multiple stacked gas targets that exist within the Judith Gas field.