Selecting the Optimum Method for Length and Area Balancing of 3D Seismic Interpretation of Two Oilfields at the Eastern Khuzestan

A powerful and independent test for the validity of a structural interpretation is the restoration of the structure to the shape it had before deformation. Such construction is a key in understanding of regional tectonics and plays a vital role in exploration industry. Exploration for oil and gas, in particular, requires the best possible control on underground structures to locate exploration and production wells. A map or cross section can usually be restored by methods based on more than one kinematic model, however, different methods will produce somewhat different restored geometries. It follows that any given restoration methods does not necessarily represent the exact pre-deformational geometry. The internal consistency of the restoration by any relevant technique validates the interpretation. The optimum method can be investigated through qualitative and quantitative testing techniques. The main aim is to select an optimum method for length and area balancing of the two oilfields in the east of Khuzestan. In this study, three line-length, vertical simple shear, and flexural slip methods are compared quantitatively with 3D seismic data of the two oilfields in the Eastern Khuzestan, and finally the flexural slip method is recommended as the optimum method.