A Deterministic Evaluation of eismic Fidelity using Velocity Modeling ...

Chapter 2
Geology of Vinton Dome
2.1 Introduction
Vinton Dome is a large faulted salt diapiric structure located in southwestern Louisiana
on the Upper Continental Margin of the Gulf of Mexico Basin. Strongly influencing the
character of this structure, and the region, is tectonics, differential depositional history,
salt deformation and fault development. With over one hundred years of drilling, and
subsequent subsurface exploration, a large volume of information is available to resolve
the geological setting that has influenced the creation of and unique character of the
Vinton Dome area.
Salt bed deformation has produced a large part of the structural fabric of the northern gulf
margin (Martin, 1976). The occurrence and movement of salt resulted in the formation of
numerous syndepositional and post-depositional swells and diapiric structures
(Humphris, 1978) that are of great economic importance to petroleum exploration in the
region. Different mechanisms for salt movement have been proposed (Nelson, 1991) that
impact sediment deposition and structural dynamics.
Deposition of clastic sediments is also fundamental to understanding the geology. High
porosity sands with high permeabilities, like those that exist in the Vinton Dome area, are
especially interesting because they can be prolific petroleum reservoirs. Deposition of
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