Thermal conductivity mapping from rock physics guided seismic inversion

A system for modeling basin geology in a subsurface region, the system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
• receiving seismic data representing acoustic signals that are reflected from regions of the subsurface region;
• receiving thermal data representing temperature values that are mapped to locations in the subsurface region;
• accessing a rock physics transform (RPT) that relates thermal conductivity in rock to subsurface formations;
• determining, by applying the RPT to the thermal data and the seismic data, a relationship between the seismic data and the temperature values for each of the locations in the subsurface region;
• generating, based on the relationship for each of the locations, a three-dimensional (3D) map of thermal conductivity in the subsurface region;
• wherein determining the relationship and generating the 3D map comprises:
• performing a seismic inversion on the seismic data;
• and
• generating, based on the seismic inversion, values for one or more elastic properties of the subsurface region, wherein the relationship between the seismic data and the temperature values of the thermal data for each of the locations in the subsurface region comprises a relationship between the thermal conductivity of the subsurface region and the one or more elastic properties
• determining, based on the seismic inversion, an acoustic impedance across the subsurface region;
• generating a RPT based on relating the acoustic impedance to thermal conductivity in the subsurface region;
• and
• based on the RPT, propagate thermal conductivity values through the subsurface region to form the 3D map of thermal conductivity;
• and
• based on the 3D map of thermal conductivity, identifying at least one area comprising source rock having a threshold maturity, the threshold maturity being indicative of potential hydrocarbons in the subsurface region.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions for modeling basin geology in a subsurface region, the instructions, when executed by at least one processor, being configured to cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving seismic data representing acoustic signals that are reflected from regions of the subsurface region;
• receiving thermal data representing temperature values that are mapped to locations in the subsurface region;
• accessing a rock physics transform (RPT) that relates thermal conductivity in rock to subsurface formations;
• determining, by applying the RPT to the thermal data and the seismic data, a relationship between the seismic data and the temperature values for each of the locations in the subsurface region;
• generating, based on the relationship for each of the locations, a three-dimensional (3D) map of thermal conductivity in the subsurface region;
• wherein determining the relationship and generating the 3D map comprises:
• performing a seismic inversion on the seismic data;
• and
• generating, based on the seismic inversion, values for one or more elastic properties of the subsurface region, wherein the relationship between the seismic data and the temperature values of the thermal data for each of the locations in the subsurface region comprises a relationship between the thermal conductivity of the subsurface region and the one or more elastic properties
• determining, based on the seismic inversion, an acoustic impedance across the subsurface region;
• generating a RPT based on relating the acoustic impedance to thermal conductivity in the subsurface region;
• and
• based on the RPT, propagate thermal conductivity values through the subsurface region to form the 3D map of thermal conductivity;
• and
• based on the 3D map of thermal conductivity, identifying at least one area comprising source rock having a threshold maturity, the threshold maturity being indicative of potential hydrocarbons in the subsurface region.