Predict parent depositional environments

The Characterize environments dashboard includes integrated tools for predicting possible parent depositional environments.

These predictions identify potential regional depositional settings based on available data and are meant to highlight the depositional uncertainty that should be accounted for in subsurface modeling. Where applicable, use additional observations to refine the list of possible environments.

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A parent depositional environment refers to an Element Complex assemblage (ECA) unit from the WAVE Process and Architecture Classification. It describes a type of depositional system at a regional scale, linked to a specific depositional process (e.g., Wf-ECA)

How does it work?

Possible parent depositional environments (ECA) can be predicted after a local environment (EC) has been identified, as there are a limited number of valid parent–child relationships between units at the two depositional scales. For example, a tide-dominated child EC unit cannot be linked to a parent ECA unit that is not associated with tidal processes.

Practical uses

Consider different regional depositional scenarios that may have produced the observed local subsurface architecture in existing wells.

Make better predictions about potential compartmentalization and heterogeneity issues that may be associated with different types of regional depositional architecture.

Make more informed decisions about inter-well architecture by considering different depositional scenarios.

Predict near-field architectures that may exist beyond area penetrated by wells

How to view regional parent environment predictions

1. Make sure that at least one Element complex (EC) is shown as a filter result or has been user-selected.

2. Locate the two buttons next to the 'Parent environments (ECA)' label in the top menu of the EC categories section.

   

3. Select the All possible button to view all ECA categories that could be parent environments for the currently active EC categories. Use the ECA categories in the pop-up window for predictions of all possible parent depositional environments. Predictions in this case are made separately for each active EC category.

   

4. Select the Shared button to view only the ECA categories that are parent to all currently selected EC categories. Use this list to assess whether all current interpretations could belong to the same parent environment. This prediction type is useful for evaluating whether interpreted intervals in different wells may belong to the same regional depositional system, potentially indicating changes in depositional environments or errors in interpretation.