An attempt to find favorable uranium-bearing sand bodies by reconstructed wave impedance inversion using natural gamma curve

This paper is the result of mineral exploration engineering.

Objective During the exploration of sandstone-type uranium deposits, the seismic exploration and traditional wave impedance inversion can effectively distinguish sandstone and mudstone, whereas the small difference of wave impedance cannot distinguish whether the sandstone contains uranium.

Methods In order to find favorable uranium-bearing sand bodies, this paper attempts to reconstruct wave impedance by combining acoustic curve with natural gamma curve, which is most sensitive to uranium ore bodies, so as to improve the inversion ability to uranium-bearing reservoir stratum. This work can make up for the defect that the traditional impedance inversion has no significant geophysical difference of uranium-bearing sand bodies and barren sand bodies.

Results It has been verified by several drilling cases, and this method effectively enhances the describing ability of rock properties with wave impedance inversion. It also effectively reduces the scope of prospecting and improves the ore finding rate of drilling verification.

Conclusions Reconstructed wave impedance inversion using natural gamma curve is worthy to be popularized in the exploration of sandstone-type uranium deposits by using petroleum data.