The Eastern Mediterranean Messinian salt-depth imaging and velocity analysis considerations

Newly acquired 3D seismic datasets over the Eastern Mediterranean Basin are used to image the massive Messinian salt body. Accurate imaging of this salt body is critical to the precise definition of the prospective pre-salt geological section. The availability of recent well logs, which are the only ones to date to have penetrated the entire Messinian salt sequence, enables a clear definition of the highly deformed clastic units within the salt. This study shows that these highly reflective clay units cause a significant reduction in the overall seismic velocity of the salt. It also demonstrates why 3D pre-stack depth migration, including a tomographical velocity update inside the salt body, is recommended as the preferred imaging technique.