The Journal of the Geological Society of Japan
Online ISSN : 1349-9963
Print ISSN : 0016-7630
ISSN-L : 0016-7630
Volume 119, Issue 8
Displaying 1-13 of 13 articles from this issue
SPECIAL ISSUE Recent progress on the three-dimensional geological modeling
Review
  • Katsumi Kimura, Shinji Masumoto, Osamu Takano, Tatsuya Nemoto
    2013 Volume 119 Issue 8 Pages 509-514
    Published: August 15, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: November 22, 2013
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Three-dimensional geological modeling is a priority area in many advanced countries because of its usefulness in applied research, and recent research and development in this field has focused on urban engineering, earthquake disaster prevention, and petroleum exploration. This article summarizes key points related to three-dimensional modeling, including: (1) the current state of information infrastructure; (2) the basic concept of surface models, voxel models, and the geostatistical modeling technique; and (3) research trends in the fields of geological surveying, engineering works, earthquake disaster prevention, and petroleum exploration/development.
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Note
  • Ryoichi Kouda
    2013 Volume 119 Issue 8 Pages 515-518
    Published: August 15, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: November 22, 2013
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    International standards are promoted by recent international cooperation for three dimensional subsurface geology based on the international framework of ISO 19113 through 19119 with XML format. GeoSciML is the geology version of GML by OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) that contributes some accessible international three dimensional subsurface database. Accessible three dimensional information can accelerate the development of tools of three dimensional geological modeling which needs standards. Such tools of three dimensional geology are divided into the solid and voxel modelers. We have sophisticated commercial based tools of three dimensional modeling, though we hope the newly development of FOSS(Free and Opne Source system) based tools like as SGeMS for three dimensional geostatistics that allows further development additionally with the time and uncertainty dimensions.
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Review
  • Shinji Masumoto, Kiyoji Shiono, Tatsuya Nemoto, Susumu Nonogaki
    2013 Volume 119 Issue 8 Pages 519-526
    Published: August 15, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: November 22, 2013
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The spatial distribution and the relation of geological units based on the three dimensional (3-D) model inferred from various geologic data are expressed in a general geological map. There are many difficulties to be solved regarding the information of the geologic map, such as the problems of objectivity, reproducibility, renewability, extensibility, compatibility, flexibility and versatility. For the effective utilization of geologic information, it is necessary to construct a 3-D geologic model that can provide better understanding and high reliability. The basic elements of a 3-D geologic model are essential for the construction of the model, and are composed of the observed data, the inferred information, the logical model, boundary surfaces and the construction method including the method of surface estimation. The logical model of geologic structure using discrete mathematics is one of the mathematical models used for geologic modeling. The logical model of geologic structure is represented by the logical relations between geologic units and boundary surfaces, and can be derived theoretically from the geologic history. These problems of geologic map utilization can be solved by the disclosure of geologic information about both the 3-D geologic model and its basic elements.
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  • Tatsuya Nemoto, Shinji Masumoto, Kiyoji Shiono, Susumu Nonogaki
    2013 Volume 119 Issue 8 Pages 527-536
    Published: August 15, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: November 22, 2013
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The logical model of geologic structure is one type of mathematical model used for three dimensional geologic modeling. A 3-D geologic model is composed of a logical relation between geologic units and boundary surfaces (logical model of geologic structure) and gridded surfaces (DEM). If the logical model and gridded surfaces are given, we can define a geologic function that assigns a geologic unit to every point in the 3-D space Ω. At present, 3-D geologic models are able to be constructed and visualized, and several software and web systems for 3-D geologic modeling have been developed based on the geologic function. However, not all geological phenomena are currently able to be expressed, and some problems remain. For practical use, it is necessary to formulate more geologic principles and develop algorithms for the purpose of modeling.
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Articles
  • Katsumi Kimura, Yuki Hanashima, Yoshiro Ishihara, Shoichi Nishiyama
    2013 Volume 119 Issue 8 Pages 537-553
    Published: August 15, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: November 22, 2013
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The article presents a 3D analysis method by interpolating borehole data to improve the precision of the surface model of the base of the latest Pleistocene to Holocene incised-valley fill, called the Chuseki-so in Japan. The study area is located in the northeastern part of the metropolis, where the northern Tokyo and the southern Nakagawa lowlands meet and are surrounded by adjacent uplands. A borehole database for this area was used for analysis.
    The procedure to construct the surface model involves the following steps : (1) generate primary point data of (a) the basal horizon of the Chuseki-so using borehole data, (b) a 3D boundary line between the alluvial lowland and the adjacent Pleistocene upland areas, and (c) the adjacent upland area using a digital elevation model at a 5-m grid resolution; (2) add secondary point data to adjust the geomorphic form of both the valley branches and boundary lines between terraces and cliffs buried by the Chuseki-so; (3) generate point data of each buried river terrace and abrasion platform, and finally; (4) construct the surface model by spatially interpolating the point data generated in steps 1–3.
    It is necessary to consider the geologic and geomorphic formation process and evolution of this area so as to improve the form of the surface model of the base of the Chuseki-so and to better understand the geomorphic features of the incised-valley.
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  • Yoshiro Ishihara, Yuki Miyazaki, Chikako Eto, Shiori Fukuoka, Katsumi ...
    2013 Volume 119 Issue 8 Pages 554-566
    Published: August 15, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: November 22, 2013
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    “Chuseki-so” are deposits that formed after the last glacial maximum and are distributed under alluvial plains. The detailed distribution and stratigraphy of these Chuseki-so deposits have been revealed mainly by borehole surveys. Borehole databases created from soil surveys on plains in the study of Chuseki-so and the examination of sedimentary cores reveal the latest Pleistocene to Holocene subsurface geology. Although three-dimensional geological models of these shallow subsurface geological distributions have been constructed using the borehole databases for several alluvial plains, most such models are surface models and have problems handling subsurface aspects such as the identification of stratigraphic boundaries. In this study, we constructed “voxel-based” three-dimensional geological models using a borehole database for the Tokyo Bay area. The shallow subsurface geology of the Tokyo Bay area consists of the buried topography of the Pliocene Edogawa and Tokyo formations created by the last glacial maximum, and thick incised-valley fills. The borehole database is composed of various soil parameters in addition to lithology and the N-value, a standard penetration test of logs. We constructed two types of models: a lithologic model based on grain size analysis and an N-value model. The three-dimensional models agree well with previous studies of sedimentary facies distributions and buried topography, and show the spatial distributions of subsurface shallow-marine deposits under the Tokyo Bay area.
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Review
  • Osamu Takano, Takashi Tsuji
    2013 Volume 119 Issue 8 Pages 567-579
    Published: August 15, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: November 22, 2013
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    This paper attempts to introduce the outline, basic concept and methodology of three-dimensional (3D) geologic modeling in the petroleum industry, especially focusing on 3D reservoir modeling.
    Since obtaining precise subsurface geologic model is crucial for successful petroleum exploration and development in the petroleum industry, multi-scale modeling methods, including geochemical basin burial history modeling, geologic structure modeling, stratigraphic modeling and reservoir modeling, are requisitely applied to simulate complex geologic features and processes. 3D reservoir modeling aims for reservoir-scale rock body modeling, in which multidisciplinary approaches based on sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy, seismic geomorphology, exploration geophysics and geostatistics are applied. The methodology of 3D reservoir modeling comprises two major steps: geologic framework modeling and geostatistical property modeling. The first step, geologic framework modeling, commonly utilizes the sequence stratigraphic concept to construct a stratigraphic framework, and uses recently advanced techniques of seismic geomorphology on 3D seismic survey data to provide useful information on paleo-depositional topography and reservoir distributions. The second step, geostatistical property modeling, aims to quantify the geologic uncertainty, and simulates a 3D quantitative property model within the prepared geologic framework model. The geostatistical property modeling starts with the integration of data on seismic attributes and well-log petrophysics, and subsequently executes geologically constrained geostatistical stochastic simulations to obtain 3D property distributions with conditioning at the data points. Recent efforts in geostatistical property modeling focus on integrating geology and sedimentology with the geostatistical stochastic simulation methods, and on developing various new methodologies such as multi-point, surface-based and depositional process model-based geostatistical modeling, to obtain realistic and precise modeling results. In addition to the development of new methodologies, the selection of appropriate modeling workflows and procedures is crucial for successful modeling, in consideration of the purpose of the modeling, depositional system of the target, and data condition in density, quality and distribution.
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Articles
  • Takashi Tsuji, Kinya Okada, Gyuhwan Jo, Arata Katoh, Koji Kashihara, K ...
    2013 Volume 119 Issue 8 Pages 580-592
    Published: August 15, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: November 22, 2013
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Geologic concepts are essential for building geologic models for the exploration and development of oil and gas reservoirs. It is, however, difficult to deliver geologic concepts into geologic models with traditional stochastic modeling when the geologic concepts featured have complex morphologies. Multiple-point geostatistics, regarded as one of the best ways to overcome this difficulty, are now being put into practical use. In multiple-point geostatistics, geologic concepts are captured as multiple-point patterns through training images. However, multiple-point geostatistics has not been used for building geologic models featuring complex morphology.
    Therefore, we applied multiple-point geostatistics to the reproduction of a complex-shaped reference model that is a close replica of dendritic, incised valleys. Pseudo-wells and three-dimensional seismic data based on the reference model were prepared, and training images were created by using process modeling to simulate the development of incised valley geomorphology.
    As a result, the geologic model built using multiple-point geostatistics properly reproduced the complex morphology of the reference model. Data of various scales and resolutions were able to be integrated with the model. Therefore, the study shows that a multiple-point geostatistical approach is effective for modeling reservoirs composed of complex-shaped incised-valley-filling deposits.
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