The 3D shear experiment over the Natih field in Oman: the effect of fracture-filling fluids on shear propagation

This is the final paper in a series on the 3D multicomponent seismic experiment in Oman. In this experiment a 3D data set was acquired using three-component geophones and with three source orientations. The data set will subsequently be referred to as the Natih 9C3D data set. We present, for the first time, evidence demonstrating that shear waves are sensitive to fluid type in fractured media. Two observations are examined from the Natih 9C3D data where regions of gas are characterized by slow shear-wave velocities. One is that the shear-wave splitting map of the Natih reservoir exhibits much larger splitting values over the gas cap on the reservoir. This increase in splitting results from a decrease in the slow shear-wave velocity which senses both the fractures and the fracture-filling fluid. Using a new effective-medium model, it was possible to generate a splitting map for the reservoir that is corrected for this fluid effect. Secondly, an anomaly was encountered on the shear-wave data directly above the reservoir. The thick Fiqa shale overburden exhibits a low shear-wave velocity anomaly that is accompanied by higher shear reflectivity and lower frequency content. No such effects are evident in the conventional P-wave data. This feature is interpreted as a gas chimney above the reservoir, a conclusion supported by both effective-medium modelling and the geology.
With this new effective-medium model, we show that introduction of gas into vertically fractured rock appears to decrease the velocity of shear waves (S2), polarized perpendicular to the fracture orientation, whilst leaving the vertical compressional-wave velocity largely unaffected. This conclusion has direct implications for seismic methods in exploration, appraisal and development of fractured reservoirs and suggests that here we should be utilizing S-wave data, as well as the conventional P-wave data, as a direct hydrocarbon indicator.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF ELASTIC-WAVE PROPAGATION IN A COLUMNAR-JOINTED ROCK MASS*

Results are presented of a series of cross-hole acoustic measurements made between four horizontal boreholes drilled from a near-surface underground opening situated in a basaltic rock mass. The objectives of the program were to assess the extent of blast damage around the opening, and to evaluate the rock mass characteristics and their spatial variation around the opening. The acoustic velocity and attenuation data are indicative of an anisotropic, jointed rock mass, with a greater intensity of jointing along travel paths in the horizontal than the vertical direction. Low acoustic P- and S-velocities are indicative of blast damage and of zones of intense jointing or fracturing. In this case blast damage extends to approximately 1.5 m from the face. Attenuation data appear to be less sensitive in distinguishing between the blast-damaged zone and intense vertical jointing and fracturing in the virgin rock mass. Taken together with field data, laboratory measurements of P- and S-wave velocities on intact core samples suggest that the rock mass is probably water saturated.     

地震各向异性流体检测技术在胜利油田垦71井区的应用(英文)

根据Chapman理论模型,在各向异性介质(如HTI介质)中,当入射角在0-45。范围内,慢横波会发生较大的衰减和频散,且对流体粘度敏感,而P波和快横波则比较小。对于沿裂隙法向传播的慢横波,其振幅受流体影响很大。因此,在P波响应对流体不敏感的情况下,可利用慢横波来获得裂隙型油气藏的流体信息。本文分析了胜利油田垦71地区三维三分量地震数据,检测出的慢横波振幅和旅行时异常与该区的测井资料十分吻合。分析结果还发现,与含油区相比,含水区会产生更高的横波分裂。在含水区,慢横波振幅会产生明显变化,而在含油区则几乎没有变化。     

基于地震横波分裂理论的火成岩裂缝检测

定向地下裂缝是低渗透率油气藏油气的储集空间和运移通道,对油气的开采有着重要的意义.本文基于横波分裂理论,提出了比值法叠后快、慢横波分离方法,通过分离后的快、慢横波的振幅差异和时间延迟可求取地下介质的裂缝走向方位和密度以及各向异性系数.该方法被应用到松辽盆地某气田对火成岩储层裂缝走向方位和密度进行了检测,检测结果与区域应力场和实钻数据具有较好的一致性.     

POROSITY AND PORE STRUCTURE FROM ACOUSTIC WELL LOGGING DATA1

Wyllie's time-average equation and subsequent refinements have been used for over 20 years to estimate the porosity of reservoir rocks from compressional (P)-wave velocity (or its reciprocal, transit time) recorded on a sonic log. This model, while simple, needs to be more convincingly explained in theory and improved in practice, particularly by making use of shear (S)-wave velocity. One of the most important, although often ignored, factors affecting elastic velocities in a rock is pore structure, which is also a controlling factor for transport properties of a rock. Now that S-wave information can be obtained from the sonic log, it may be used with P-waves to provide a better understanding of pore structure. A new acoustic velocities-to-porosity transform based on an elastic velocity model developed by Kuster and Toksöz is proposed. Employing an approximation to an equivalent pore aspect ratio spectrum, pore structure for reservoir rocks is taken into account, in addition to total pore volume. Equidimensional pores are approximated by spheres and rounded spheroids, while grain boundary pores and flat pores are approximated by low aspect ratio cracks. An equivalent pore aspect ratio spectrum is characterized by a power function which is determined by compressional-and shear-wave velocities, as well as by matrix and inclusion properties. As a result of this more sophisticated elastic model of porous rocks and a stricter theory of elastic wave propagation, the new method leads to a more satisfactory interpretation and fuller use of seismic and sonic log data. Calculations using the new transform on data for sedimentary rocks, obtained from published literature and laboratory measurements, are presented and compared at atmospheric pressure with those estimated from the time-average equation. Results demonstrate that, to compensate for additional complexity, the new method provides more detailed information on pore volume and pore structure of reservoir rocks. Examples are presented using a realistic self-consistent averaging scheme to consider interactions between pores, and the possibility of extending the method to complex lithologies and shaly rocks is discussed.     

The Effect of Varying Damage History in Crystalline Rocks on the P- and S-Wave Velocity under Hydrostatic Confining Pressure

Cracks play a very important role in many geotechnical issues and in a number of processes in the Earth’s crust. Elastic waves can be used as a remote sensing tool for determining crack density. The effect of varying crack density in crystalline rock on the P- and S-wave velocity and dynamic elastic properties under confining pressure has been quantified. The evolution of P- and S-wave velocity were monitored as a suite of dry Westerly granite samples were taken to 60, 70, 80 and 90 % of the unconfined uniaxial strength of the sample. The damaged samples were then subjected to hydrostatic confining pressure from 2 MPa to 200 MPa to quantify the effect of varying crack density on the P- and S-wave velocity and elastic properties under confining pressure. The opening and propagation of microcracks predominantly parallel to the loading direction during uniaxial loading caused a 0.5 and 6.3 % decrease in the P- and S-wave velocity, respectively. During hydrostatic loading, microcracks are closed at 130 MPa confining pressure. At lower pressures the amount of crack damage in the samples has a small but measureable effect. We observed a systematic 6 and 4 % reduction in P- and S-wave velocity, respectively, due to an increase in the fracture density at 2 MPa confining pressure. The overall reduction in the P- and S-wave velocity decreased to 2 and 1 %, respectively, at 50 MPa. The elastic wave velocities of samples that have a greater amount of microcrack damage are more sensitive to pressure. Effective medium modelling was used to invert elastic wave velocities and infer crack density evolution. Comparing the crack density results with experimental data on Westerly granite samples shows that the effective medium modelling used gave interpretable and reasonable results. Changes in crack density can be interpreted as closure or opening of cracks and crack growth.     

Fluid‐dependent shear‐wave splitting in fractured media

Azimuthal anisotropy in rocks can result from the presence of one or more sets of partially aligned fractures with orientations determined by the stress history of the rock. A shear wave propagating in an azimuthally anisotropic medium splits into two components with different polarizations if the source polarization is not aligned with the principal axes of the medium. For vertical propagation of shear waves in a horizontally layered medium containing vertical fractures, the shear‐wave splitting depends on the shear compliance of the fractures, but is independent of their normal compliance. If the fractures are not perfectly vertical, the shear‐wave splitting also depends on the normal compliance of the fractures. The normal compliance of a fluid‐filled fracture decreases with increasing fluid bulk modulus. For dipping fractures, this results in a decrease in shear‐wave splitting and an increase in shear‐wave velocity with increasing fluid bulk modulus. The sensitivity of the shear‐wave splitting to fluid bulk modulus depends on the interconnectivity of the fracture network, the permeability of the background medium and on whether the fracture is fully or partially saturated.     

横向各向同性地层中随钻声波测井模式波分析

针对横向各向同性地层随钻声波测井模型,通过模式分析的方法,考察了快速地层和慢速地层井孔内随钻单极子、偶极子和四极子声源激发的斯通利波、弯曲波和螺旋波的相速度频散和激发强度特征,计算了这些模式波对于地层弹性常数的灵敏度,并与电缆测井中的情况进行了比较.结果表明:随钻斯通利波在低频时对地层弹性常数中c₆₆的灵敏度较电缆测井中有了很大提高,可用于反演地层水平向横波速度;随钻偶极子最低阶弯曲波在低频时不能用于直接获取地层横波信息,但在慢速地层中频率较高(例如6 kHz)时却可以间接得到地层垂直向横波速度;随钻四极子螺旋波的特征与电缆测井中的类似,可用于获取地层垂直向横波速度.     

STATIC CORRECTIONS FOR SHEAR WAVE SECTIONS*

The computation of static corrections requires information about subsurface velocities. This information can be obtained by different methods: surface wave analysis, short refraction lines, downhole times, uphole times and first arrivals from seismograms. For pure shear waves generated by SH sources the analysis of first arrivals from seismograms combined, if necessary, with short refraction lines has proved to be most accurate and economic. A comparison of first-arrival plots from P- and S-wave surveys of the same line measured in areas of unconsolidated sediments in northern Germany illustrates the characteristic differences between the two velocity models. P-waves show a marked velocity increase at the water table from about 600 to 1800 m/s. S-wave velocities of the same strata increase gradually from about 100 to 400 m/s. As a consequence, S-wave models are vertically and laterally more complex and, in general, show no significant velocity increase at a defined boundary as P-wave models do. Therefore, other suitable correction levels with specific velocities must be chosen. A comparison of “tgd-corrections” (correction time between geophone position and datum level) for P- and S-waves in areas of unconsolidated sediments shows that their ratio is different from the P-/S-velocity ratio for the respective correction level because of the greater depth of the S-wave refractor. Therefore, P- and S-waves are influenced by different near-surface anomalies, and time corrections calculated for both wave types are largely independent.     

Inversion of Scholte wave dispersion and waveform modeling for shallow structure of the Ninetyeast Ridge

The construction of S-wave velocity models of marine sediments down to hundreds of meters below the seafloor is important in a number of disciplines. One of the most significant trends in marine geophysics is to use interface waves to estimate shallow shear velocities which play an important role in determining the shallow crustal structure. In marine settings, the waves trapped near the fluid–solid interface are called Scholte waves, and this is the subject of the study. In 1998, there were experiments on the Ninetyeast Ridge (Central Indian Ocean) to study the shallow seismic structure at the drilled site. The data were acquired by both ocean bottom seismometer and ocean bottom hydrophone. A new type of seafloor implosion sources has been used in this experiment, which successfully excited fast and high frequency (>500 Hz) body waves and slow, intermediate frequency (<20 Hz) Scholte waves. The fundamental and first higher mode Scholte waves have both been excited by the implosion source. Here, the Scholte waves are investigated with a full waveform modeling and a group velocity inversion approach. Shear wave velocities for the uppermost layers of the region are inferred and results from the different methods are compared. We find that the full waveform modeling is important to understand the intrinsic attenuation of the Scholte waves between 1 and 20 Hz. The modeling shows that the S-wave velocity varies from 195 to 350 m/s in the first 16 m of the uppermost layer. Depths levels of high S-wave impedance contrasts compare well to the layer depth derived from a P-wave analysis as well as from drilling data. As expected, the P- to S-wave velocity ratio is very high in the uppermost 16 m of the seafloor and the Poisson ratio is nearly 0.5. Depth levels of high S-wave impedance contrasts are comparable to the layer depth derived from drilling data.     

基于气体包裹体模型的低孔低渗储层声波速度研究

随着石油勘探工业的持续发展和技术水平的日益提高,低孔低渗油气藏已成为我国油气勘探开发的重要领域之一,但是该类油气藏的储层岩石物理关系复杂,对其评价也相对较难。本文针对中深层气藏低孔低渗储层评价存在的困难,采用修正的White气体包裹体模型开展岩石物理研究。首先对气体包裹体模型进行分析,得到纵横波速度的计算公式,进而理论计算并分析纵横波速度与孔隙度、饱和度、压力及温度参数的变化关系,最后结合岩心实验对理论计算结果进行了验证。研究结果表明基于气体包裹体模型的理论计算结果与实测数据吻合较好,可以较好地为低孔低渗复杂储层声波速度测量及解释提供技术支持。      

六种不同变质程度煤的纵横波速度特征及其与密度的关系

对采自不同地区和煤矿的六种不同变质程度煤样进行常温常压条件下的超声测量.测量发现:煤的纵波与横波速度均与密度存在良好的线性正相关关系,且沿煤层走向、倾向和垂直煤层层理方向的纵横波速度逐渐降低;走向、倾向和垂向上的纵波速度与同一方向的横波速度也存在良好的线性正相关性;六种煤样三个方向间的速度各向异性一般都大于10%.通过与经典经验公式—Gardner与Castagna公式理论换算值的对比发现:由于煤层的软岩特征,理论换算煤的纵波速度、横波速度与实验室实测值之间存在较大误差.因此,在煤田地震勘探中应使用根据煤的岩石物理测试而形成的关系式.     

Effects of pore fluid pressure on the seismic response of a fractured carbonate reservoir

An effective medium model for the stress-dependent seismic properties of fractured reservoirs is developed here on the basis of a combination of a general theory of viscoelastic waves in rock-like composites with recently published formulae for deformation of communicating and interacting cavities (interconnected pores/cracks and fractures at finite concentration) under drained loading. The inclusion-based model operates with spheroidal cavities at two different length scales; namely, the microscopic scale of the pores and (grain-boundary) cracks, and the mesoscopic scale of the fractures (controlling the flow of fluid). The different cavity types can in principle have any orientation and aspect ratio, but the microscopic pores/cracks and mesoscopic fractures were here assumed to be randomly and vertically oriented, respectively. By using three different aspect ratios for the relatively round pores (representing the stiff part of the pore space) and a distribution of aspect ratios for the relatively flat cracks (representing the compliant part of the pore space), we obtained a good fit between theoretical predictions and ultrasonic laboratory measurements on an unfractured rock sample under dry conditions. By using a single aspect ratio for the mesoscopic fractures, we arrived at a higher-order microstructural model of fractured porous media which represents a generalization of the first-order model developed by Chapman et al. (2002,2003). The effect of cavity size was here modelled under the assumption that the characteristic time for wave-induced (squirt) flow at the scale of a particular cavity (pore/crack vs. fracture) is proportional with the relevant scale-size. In the modelling, we investigate the effect of a decreasing pore pressure with constant confining pressure (fixed depth), and hence, increasing effective pressure. The analysis shows that the attenuation-peak due to the mesoscopic fractures in the reservoir will move downward in frequency as the effective pressure increases. In the range of seismic frequencies, our modelling indicates that the P-wave velocities may change by more than 20% perpendicular to the fractures and close to 10% parallel to the fractures. In comparison, the vertical S-wave velocities change by only about 5% for both polarization directions (perpendicular and parallel to the fractures) when the effective pressure increases from 0 to 15 MPa. This change is mainly due to the overall change in porosity with pressure. The weak pressure dependence is a consequence of the fact that the S waves will only sense if the fractures are open or not, and since all the fractures have the same aspect ratio, they will close at the same effective pressure (which is outside the analysed interval). Approximate reflection coefficients were computed for a model consisting of the fractured reservoir embedded as a layer in an isotropic shale and analysed with respect to variations in Amplitude Versus Offset and aZimuth (AVOZ) properties at seismic frequencies for increasing effective pressure. For the P-P reflections at the top of the reservoir, it is found that there is a significant dependence on effective pressure, but that the variations with azimuth and offset are small. The lack of azimuthal dependence may be explained from the approximate reflection coefficient formula as a result of cancellation of terms related to the S-wave velocity and the Thomson’s anisotropy parameter δ. For the P-S reflection, the azimuthal dependence is larger, but the pressure dependence is weaker (due to a single aspect ratio for the fractures). Finally, using the effective stiffness tensor for the fractured reservoir model with a visco-elastic finite-difference code, synthetic seismograms and hodograms were computed. From the seismograms, attenuation changes in the P wave reflected at the bottom of the reservoir can be observed as the effective pressure increases. S waves are not much affected by the fractures with respect to attenuation, but azimuthal dependence is stronger than for P waves, and S-wave splitting in the bottom reservoir P-S reflection is clearly seen both in the seismograms and hodograms. From the hodograms, some variation in the P-S reflection with effective pressure can also be observed.     

Relationship between P- and S-wave velocities and geological properties of near-surface sediments of the continental slope of the Barents Sea

Seismic velocities ( V _p and V _s) of compressional (P-) and shear (S-) waves are important parameters for the characterization of marine sediments with respect to their sedimentological and geotechnical properties. P- and S-wave velocity data of near-surface marine sediments (upper 9 m) of the continental slope of the Barents Sea are analysed and correlated to sedimentological and geotechnical properties. The results show that the S-wave velocity is much more sensitive to changes in lithology and mechanical properties than the P-wave velocity, which is characterized by a narrow range of values. The correlation coefficients between S-wave velocity and silt and clay content, wet bulk density, porosity, water content and shear strength are higher than 0.5 while the correlation coefficients of P-wave velocity and the same parameters are always lower than 0.4. Although the relationship between V _s and clay content has been widely described, the data show that V _s is better correlated with silt content than with clay content for the sediments of the area investigated. However, they show different trends. While V _s increases with increasing clay content, it decreases with increasing silt content.     

VERTICAL SEISMIC PROFILING—SEPARATION OF P- AND S-WAVES*

In vertical seismic profile's (VSP's) shot with a large source offset, rays from shot to receiver can have large angles of incidence. Shear waves generated by the source and by conversions at interfaces are likely to be recorded by both the vertical and the horizontal geophones. Varying angles of incidence may give strong variations in the recorded amplitudes. Separation of P- and SV-waves and recovery of their full amplitudes are important for proper processing and interpretation of the data. A P-S separation filter for three-component offset VSP data is presented which performs this operation. The separation filter is applied in the k-f domain and needs an estimate of the P- and S-velocities along the borehole as input. Implementation and stability aspects of the filter are considered. The filter was tested on an 1800 m offset VSP and appeared to be robust. Large velocity variations along the borehole could be handled and results were superior to those obtained by velocity filtering.     

HOW DO SHEAR WAVE EVENTS AFFECT NORMAL P-WAVE RECORDS?*

It has been known since the beginning of reflection seismics that several disturbing events seen in seismic records are caused by waves with S-wave velocities instead of P-wave velocity. When using dynamite and recording with vertical geophones these events are primarily caused by converted waves. On the basis of known P- and S-wave velocities in a certain area a theoretical seismogram is calculated, displaying traveltime as well as energy relation for different wave configurations. By comparison with seismograms recorded in the same area it can be shown that converted wave events can be clearly recognized. These events can be described theoretically. Thus, either more effective computer programs can be applied to eliminate these disturbing events, or these events can be evaluated to get additional information about specific strata.     

Sensitivity of time-lapse seismic to reservoir stress path

The change in reservoir pore pressure due to the production of hydrocarbons leads to anisotropic changes in the stress field acting on the reservoir. Reservoir stress path is defined as the ratio of the change in effective horizontal stress to the change in effective vertical stress from the initial reservoir conditions, and strongly influences the depletion‐induced compaction behaviour of the reservoir. Seismic velocities in sandstones vary with stress due to the presence of stress‐sensitive regions within the rock, such as grain boundaries, microcracks, fractures, etc. Since the response of any microcracks and grain boundaries to a change in stress depends on their orientation relative to the principal stress axes, elastic‐wave velocities are sensitive to reservoir stress path. The vertical P‐ and S‐wave velocities, the small‐offset P‐ and SV‐wave normal‐moveout (NMO) velocities, and the P‐wave amplitude‐versus‐offset (AVO) are sensitive to different combinations of vertical and horizontal stress. The relationships between these quantities and the change in stress can be calibrated using a repeat seismic, sonic log, checkshot or vertical seismic profile (VSP) at the location of a well at which the change in reservoir pressure has been measured. Alternatively, the variation of velocity with azimuth and distance from the borehole, obtained by dipole radial profiling, can be used. Having calibrated these relationships, the theory allows the reservoir stress path to be monitored using time‐lapse seismic by combining changes in the vertical P‐wave impedance, changes in the P‐wave NMO and AVO behaviour, and changes in the S‐wave impedance.     

Characterization of dipping fractures in a transverselyisotropic background

Although it is believed that natural fracture sets predominantly have near‐vertical orientation, oblique stresses and some other mechanisms may tilt fractures away from the vertical. Here, we examine an effective medium produced by a single system of obliquely dipping rotationally invariant fractures embedded in a transversely isotropic with a vertical symmetry axis (VTI) background rock. This model is monoclinic with a vertical symmetry plane that coincides with the dip plane of the fractures. Multicomponent seismic data acquired over such a medium possess several distinct features that make it possible to estimate the fracture orientation. For example, the vertically propagating fast shear wave (and the fast converted PS‐wave) is typically polarized in the direction of the fracture strike. The normal‐moveout (NMO) ellipses of horizontal reflection events are co‐orientated with the dip and strike directions of the fractures, which provides an independent estimate of the fracture azimuth. However, the polarization vector of the slow shear wave at vertical incidence does not lie in the horizontal plane – an unusual phenomenon that can be used to evaluate fracture dip. Also, for oblique fractures the shear‐wave splitting coefficient at vertical incidence becomes dependent on fracture infill (saturation). A complete medium‐characterization procedure includes estimating the fracture compliances and orientation (dip and azimuth), as well as the Thomsen parameters of the VTI background. We demonstrate that both the fracture and background parameters can be obtained from multicomponent wide‐azimuth data using the vertical velocities and NMO ellipses of PP‐waves and two split SS‐waves (or the traveltimes of PS‐waves) reflected from horizontal interfaces. Numerical tests corroborate the accuracy and stability of the inversion algorithm based on the exact expressions for the vertical and NMO velocities.     

Seismic Rheological Model and Reflection Coefficients of the Brittle–Ductile Transition

It is well established that the upper—cooler—part of the crust is brittle, while deeper zones present ductile behaviour. In some cases, this brittle–ductile transition is a single seismic reflector with an associated reflection coefficient. We first develop a stress–strain relation including the effects of crust anisotropy, seismic attenuation and ductility in which deformation takes place by shear plastic flow. Viscoelastic anisotropy is based on the eigenstrain model and the Zener and Burgers mechanical models are used to model the effects of seismic attenuation, velocity dispersion, and steady-state creep flow, respectively. The stiffness components of the brittle and ductile media depend on stress and temperature through the shear viscosity, which is obtained by the Arrhenius equation and the octahedral stress criterion. The P- and S-wave velocities decrease as depth and temperature increase due to the geothermal gradient, an effect which is more pronounced for shear waves. We then obtain the reflection and transmission coefficients of a single brittle–ductile interface and of a ductile thin layer. The PP scattering coefficient has a Brewster angle (a sign change) in both cases, and there is substantial PS conversion at intermediate angles. The PP coefficient is sensitive to the layer thickness, unlike the SS coefficient. Thick layers have a well-defined Brewster angle and show higher reflection amplitudes. Finally, we compute synthetic seismograms in a homogeneous medium as a function of temperature.