The impact of 3D seismic data on the understanding of compaction, fluid flow and diagenesis in sedimentary basins

Three-dimensional seismic reflection surveying is one of the most exciting technology-driven developments in the Earth Sciences over the past century. Three-dimensional seismic data present the geoscience community with an extraordinary ability to map structures and stratigraphic features in 3D detail to a resolution of a few metres over thousands of square kilometres. This resolving power has been a major factor in the recent recognition of a number of previously unsuspected phenomena in sedimentary basins and has led to some significant insights in basin analysis. This paper reviews some of the recent advances in basin analysis made using the medium of 3D seismic data, focusing on the broad field of fluid-rock interactions in sedimentary basins. Several recently discovered phenomena are reviewed, including polygonal fault systems and large-scale fluid flow pipes. Three-dimensional seismic data have also been invaluable in documenting the spatial variability of diagenetic fronts. The potential for future developments in this field of geophysical interpretation is considerable, and a number of potential areas for future research are highlighted.