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Analysis of anisotropic velocities in a core sample and AVOA from a fractured vuggy carbonate reservoir

Hall, Stephen LU ; Kendall, R. R. ; Kendall, J. M. and Sondergeld, C. (2001) 6. p.257-269
Abstract
We investigate the effects of fracture- and inclusion-induced seismic anisotropy in a carbonate reservoir rock and the resulting influence this anisotropy may have on surface seismic data. Whole-core velocity measurements made on a carbonate sample from the Gulf of Mexico show evidence of elastic anisotropy. Constraints on the style of this anisotropy are obtained from comparisons with effective medium modeling. The core exhibits monoclinic symmetry, which is interpreted as being caused by the combined effects of vertically-aligned drilling-induced fractures and oriented ellipsoidal vugs inclined at an of angle roughly 60degrees to the vertical. The in situ anisotropy is believed to be orthorhombic, as there is evidence of natural... (More)
We investigate the effects of fracture- and inclusion-induced seismic anisotropy in a carbonate reservoir rock and the resulting influence this anisotropy may have on surface seismic data. Whole-core velocity measurements made on a carbonate sample from the Gulf of Mexico show evidence of elastic anisotropy. Constraints on the style of this anisotropy are obtained from comparisons with effective medium modeling. The core exhibits monoclinic symmetry, which is interpreted as being caused by the combined effects of vertically-aligned drilling-induced fractures and oriented ellipsoidal vugs inclined at an of angle roughly 60degrees to the vertical. The in situ anisotropy is believed to be orthorhombic, as there is evidence of natural fractures oriented orthogonally to the vugs. Surface seismic modeling is used to investigate amplitude variations with offset and azimuth (AVOA) effects due to such anisotropy. Our model is somewhat hypothetical, but consistent with velocities from the reservoir logs and the inferred in situ anisotropy. Our results suggest that for this model, P-wave AVOA will show significant azimuthal variation only at far offsets (near critical reflections). In fact, the onset of critical reflections will be dependent on the orientation of the seismic line with respect to the fracture direction. Shear modes will be more sensitive to fracture orientation at near offsets. In addition, we find that the P-P and P-S AVOA are sensitive to the presence of aligned vuggy porosity and so could provide a tool for identifying highly productive zones where fractures connect vugs. (Less)
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author
; ; and
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Anisotropy 2000: Fractures, Converted Waves and Case Studies : proceedings of the Ninth International Workshop on Seismic Anisotropy (9IWSA)
editor
Gangi, Antony F and Ikelle, Luc
volume
6
pages
257 - 269
publisher
Tulsa, Okla. : Society of Exploration Geophysicists
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
758ad34f-6c85-4282-83f6-248e8aea9957 (old id 2441093)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:30:23
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:59:09
@inproceedings{758ad34f-6c85-4282-83f6-248e8aea9957,
  abstract     = {{We investigate the effects of fracture- and inclusion-induced seismic anisotropy in a carbonate reservoir rock and the resulting influence this anisotropy may have on surface seismic data. Whole-core velocity measurements made on a carbonate sample from the Gulf of Mexico show evidence of elastic anisotropy. Constraints on the style of this anisotropy are obtained from comparisons with effective medium modeling. The core exhibits monoclinic symmetry, which is interpreted as being caused by the combined effects of vertically-aligned drilling-induced fractures and oriented ellipsoidal vugs inclined at an of angle roughly 60degrees to the vertical. The in situ anisotropy is believed to be orthorhombic, as there is evidence of natural fractures oriented orthogonally to the vugs. Surface seismic modeling is used to investigate amplitude variations with offset and azimuth (AVOA) effects due to such anisotropy. Our model is somewhat hypothetical, but consistent with velocities from the reservoir logs and the inferred in situ anisotropy. Our results suggest that for this model, P-wave AVOA will show significant azimuthal variation only at far offsets (near critical reflections). In fact, the onset of critical reflections will be dependent on the orientation of the seismic line with respect to the fracture direction. Shear modes will be more sensitive to fracture orientation at near offsets. In addition, we find that the P-P and P-S AVOA are sensitive to the presence of aligned vuggy porosity and so could provide a tool for identifying highly productive zones where fractures connect vugs.}},
  author       = {{Hall, Stephen and Kendall, R. R. and Kendall, J. M. and Sondergeld, C.}},
  booktitle    = {{Anisotropy 2000: Fractures, Converted Waves and Case Studies : proceedings of the Ninth International Workshop on Seismic Anisotropy (9IWSA)}},
  editor       = {{Gangi, Antony F and Ikelle, Luc}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{257--269}},
  publisher    = {{Tulsa, Okla. : Society of Exploration Geophysicists}},
  title        = {{Analysis of anisotropic velocities in a core sample and AVOA from a fractured vuggy carbonate reservoir}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}