Preliminary results from investigations of seismic and petrophysical properties of Faroes basalts in the SeiFaBa project

The development of methods of seismic imaging beneath basalts is still hindered by a lack of knowledge about the elastic properties of basaltic sequences and the degree of three-dimensional heterogeneity. The SeiFaBa project (2002–2005) is funded by the Sindri Group as part of the programmes for licensees within the Faroese area and will attempt to address these issues. The Glyvursnes-1 well was drilled by SeiFaBa through the Upper Basalt Formation outside Tórshavn in 2002. A full core and numerous wireline logs were acquired from the 700m deep well. During the same operations, the existing 660m deep Vestmanna-1 well drilled mainly into the Middle Basalt Formation was reamed and logged. The two wells are central to a number of closely co-ordinated experiments, which are all targeted at creating models for seismic wave propagation through a succession of basalt by combining detailed analysis at core, log and seismic scales. Data from these two wells, in combination with the data for the Lopra-1 well drilled into the Lower Basalt Formation, will give new stratigraphic and petrophysical control of the Lower, Middle and Upper Basalt formations on the Faroes. The seismic programme was initiated in 2002 and the main acquisition was carried out during 2003. The well site at Glyvursnes gives optimal conditions for combining VSP, offset-VSP and surface seismic experiments both onshore and offshore and the seismic effects of a nearby near-vertical shear zone can be studied in detail. Preliminary analysis of log data from the Lopra-1 well suggests that the acoustic properties of these basalt flows are mainly controlled by porosity of a stiff matrix filled with clay minerals and water. Further studies will allow for explanations of the sonic response of basalt in terms of physical and compositional properties and a better understanding of the seismic signatures of flood basalt successions.