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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2024/2025

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Geosciences : Earth Science

Undergraduate Course: Geophysical Investigation of Earth Resources (EASC10116)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Geosciences CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course focuses on geophysical methods that are used for investigating the subsurface of the earth for resources such as minerals, water and hydrocarbons, and for observing fluids or gases injected into the subsurface for storage such as CO2 or methane. Physical properties of the resources that contrast with the background properties determine the particular geophysical method that should be used to detect and evaluate them.
Course description The emphasis of the course is on high resolution extraction of physical properties from geophysical data.

Syllabus:
Introduction to geophysical exploration for resources.
Determination of seismic velocities.
Revision of linear algebra.
Survey design methods.
Removal of multiple reflections in seismic data processing.
Geophysical time lapse methods.
Anisotropy in the Earth.
Seismic interferometry.
Zoeppritz equations.
Principles of seismic reflection interpretation and well ties.
Microseismics.
Controlled source electromagnetic methods (CSEM).
Airborne magnetic exploration.


The course includes practicals on seismic data processing using SEG-Y seismic data and seismic-industry software.
5 practicals (3 hours each) and 5 tutorials (3 hours each) are held on alternate weeks.
Students complete the practical work in their own time and are required to write a report on the data processing of not more than 4,000 words.


Semester 1

Week Lecture Topic

1 No lectures

2 Introduction to geophysical exploration for resources (AZ).

3 No lectures. Students are doing Geophysics International Fieldwork.

4 Review of linear algebra (AC)

5 Survey design methods (AC)

5 Determination of seismic velocities (AZ)

7 Removal of multiple reflections in seismic data processing (AZ)

8 Geophysical time-lapse methods (AC)

9 Seismic interferometry (AC)

10 Principles of Seismic reflection interpretation and well ties (AZ)

11 Revision

Semester 2

Week Lecture Topic

1 Microseismics (AZ)

2 Anisotropy in the earth (AC)

3 Zoeppritz equations (AC)

4. Controlled source electromagnetics for subsurface fluid detection (AZ)

5. Airborne magnetic exploration (AZ)

6. Revision
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Geophysical Measurement and Modelling (EASC10110)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesApproval of CO
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Understand the fit of geophysical methods to objectives concerning earth resources.
  2. Process seismic data using seismic-industry software.
  3. Write a seismic processing report.
  4. Read, understand and use professional literature.
  5. Appreciate the need for complementary techniques, including CSEM and microseismics.
Reading List
Young, R.A, 2004, A lab manual of seismic reflection processing: EAGE Publications b.v, Houten, The Netherlands

Luk Ikelle and Lasse Amundsen, "Introduction to Petroleum Seismology", 2005, Society of Exploration Geophysicists
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills 1) Ability to process seismic data using seismic-industry software
2) Ability to write a seismic processing report
3) Ability to read, understand and use professional literature.
KeywordsEarth resources,geophysics
Contacts
Course organiserProf Anton Ziolkowski
Tel: (0131 6)50 8511
Email: anton.ziolkowski@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr Johan De Klerk
Tel: (0131 6)50 7010
Email: johan.deklerk@ed.ac.uk
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