Geoscience Visual Presentation G07: Elastic FWI imaging to support North West Shelf carbon storage

Geoscience Visual Presentation G07 Carbon storage initiatives are advancing in the Barrow Sub-Basin, following the award of extensive greenhouse gas (GHG) acreage in the 2023 GHG Storage Release. Target formations for saline aquifer storage are expected within the Barrow Group – a deltaic to turbiditic siliciclastic sequence deposited from the Valanginian to Tithonian. Basin-scale characterisation has identified this interval as a promising CO2 storage candidate due to its minimal structural deformation, thick and well-connected high-quality reservoirs, and its position beneath the proven Muderong Shale seal. To support site selection and CO2 plume modelling, a seismic reimaging program was undertaken using modern imaging technologies to enhance subsurface resolution from legacy seismic data. Shallow water depths and near-surface fast carbonate bodies present imaging challenges for conventional streamer data, including complex ray paths and elastic effects. To overcome these limitations, elastic full-waveform inversion (EFWI) and FWI Impedance Imaging were applied to legacy datasets across the Barrow Sub-Basin. This case study demonstrates the value of EFWI-driven imaging in addressing elastic effects that acoustic modelling cannot resolve. The enhanced datasets significantly improve image resolution within the Barrow Group, enabling detailed mapping of internal stratigraphic architecture. These insights are critical for refining CO2 storage strategies in the region. To access the Visual Presentation click on 'Supplementary data' below. To read the full paper click here