A COMPARISON OF LABORATORY AND FIELD MEASUREMENTS OF P-WAVE ANISOTROPY1

P-wave velocity anisotropy determined from a cross-hole survey at the Imperial College borehole test site compares favourably with that measured in the laboratory on core from the holes. The holes penetrate a layered sequence of sandstones, shales and carbonates of the Namurian Upper Limestone Group. The Laboratory measurements of the vertical and horizontal velocities of core samples indicate that the shales exhibit P-wave anisotropies of over 20% but that the sandstones and limestones are only slightly anisotropic. These discrete measurements have been used in combination with wireline data to produce a log of P-wave anisotropy. Including the anisotropic information vastly improves the match between observed and synthetic traveltimes from the cross-hole data set. This implies that there is little frequency dependence of intrinsic P-wave anisotropy. Inversion of the cross-hole traveltimes highlights the need for good angular coverage in order to resolve the anisotropy parameters. The observed P-wave anisotropy of the field data is due to the combined effect of sedimentary layering and the intrinsic anisotropy of the rocks. The intrinsic anisotropy is found to be the dominant factor.     

Comparison of stress-dependent geophysical,hydraulic and mechanical properties of synthetic and natural sandstones for reservoir characterization and monitoring studies

Synthetic rock samples can offer advantages over natural rock samples when used for laboratory rock physical properties studies, provided their success as natural analogues is well understood. The ability of synthetic rocks to mimic the natural stress dependency of elastic wave, electrical and fluid transport properties is of primary interest. Hence, we compare a consistent set of laboratory multi-physics measurements obtained on four quartz sandstone samples (porosity range 20–25%) comprising two synthetic and two natural (Berea and Corvio) samples, the latter used extensively as standards in rock physics research. We measured simultaneously ultrasonic (P- and S-wave) velocity and attenuation, electrical resistivity, permeability and axial and radial strains over a wide range of differential pressure (confining stress 15–50 MPa; pore pressure 5–10 MPa) on the four brine saturated samples. Despite some obvious physical discrepancies caused by the synthetic manufacturing process, such as silica cementation and anisotropy, the results show only small differences in stress dependency between the synthetic and natural sandstones for all measured parameters. Stress dependency analysis of the dry samples using an isotropic effective medium model of spheroidal pores and penny-shaped cracks, together with a granular cohesion model, provide evidence of crack closure mechanisms in the natural sandstones, seen to a much lesser extent in the synthetic sandstones. The smaller grain size, greater cement content, and cementation under oedometric conditions particularly affect the fluid transport properties of the synthetic sandstones, resulting in lower permeability and higher electrical resistivity for a similar porosity. The effective stress coefficients, determined for each parameter, are in agreement with data reported in the literature. Our results for the particular synthetic materials that were tested suggest that synthetic sandstones can serve as good proxies for natural sandstones for studies of elastic and mechanical properties, but should be used with care for transport properties studies.     

有效应力变化对致密砂岩孔隙结构及弹性波响应的影响规律

致密砂岩气藏具有裂缝发育和有效应力高的特征,研究不同有效压力下孔、裂隙介质地震波传播特征,有利于地震解释与地下储层的识别.但是前人的研究较少考虑岩石内部微观孔隙结构特征与孔隙、裂隙间流体流动的关系.本文首先通过选取四川盆地典型致密砂岩岩样,在不同有效压力下对岩石样本进行超声波实验测量.然后基于实验测得的纵、横波速度进行裂隙参数反演,得到不同有效压力下致密砂岩样本的裂隙孔隙度.再将裂隙孔隙度和样本岩石物理参数代入双重孔隙介质模型,模拟得到不同有效压力下饱水致密砂岩样本纵横波速度频散和衰减的变化规律.结果表明模型预测的速度频散曲线与纵波速度实验测量结果能够较好的吻合.最后统计分析了致密砂岩裂隙参数,得到了致密砂岩储层裂隙参数随有效压力及孔隙度变化特征.依据实际岩石物理参数建立模型,其裂隙参数三维拟合结果能够较好描述致密砂岩裂隙结构与孔隙度、应力的关联,可为实际地震勘探中预测储层裂缝性质提供基础依据.     

Stress‐dependent elastic anisotropy of sandstones

Elastic wave velocities in sandstones vary with stress due to the presence of discontinuities such as grain boundaries and microcracks within the rock. In the presence of non-hydrostatic stress fields the elastic wave velocities in sandstones often show significant stress-induced anisotropy. The elastic anisotropy due to any discontinuities within the rock can be written in terms of a second-rank and a fourth-rank tensor which quantify the effect on the elastic wave velocities of the orientation distribution and normal and shear compliances of the discontinuities. This allows elastic wave velocity measurements to be inverted to obtain the components of these tensors. Application of the method to ultrasonic velocity measurements made in a triaxial loading frame shows that a simple theory using only the second-rank tensor allows the P-wave stress-induced anisotropy to be predicted to reasonable accuracy from the S-wave anisotropy and vice versa, thus confirming the correctness of the underlying model. Deviations between the measurements and the predictions of this simplified theory are used to determine the ratio of the normal to shear compliance of the discontinuities. The discontinuities are found to be more compliant in shear than in compression.     

Petrophysical properties of rocks in seismogenic crustal blocks of the southeastern Greater Caucasus and their geological and geophysical interpretation

The elastic and density properties of rocks of the Shamakha-Ismailly seismogenic blocks are studied by the ultrasonic pulse method in quasi-hydrostatic high pressure apparatuses. An attempt is made to more accurately determine the upper crustal lithology of these blocks. The observed values of the elastic and density characteristics of the rocks at high pressures suggest that the upper layers in the Ismailly and Shamakha blocks can consist of sedimentary carbonate rocks such as marls, sandstones, mudstones, and limestones. The middle layers apparently consist of volcaniclastic rocks: lithoclastic tuffs, andesites, etc. The lower layer (basement) in both blocks is likely composed of basic rocks such as basalts, trachybasalts, etc. According to the values of elastic wave velocities and densities, gabbroid rocks may compose the fourth layer of the Buinuz intrusion, identified from seismic data.     

Calculation of elastic properties in lower part of the Kola borehole from bulk chemical compositions of core samples

In-situ elastic properties in deep boreholes are controlled by several factors, mainly by lithology, petrofabric, fluid-filled cracks and pores. In order to separate the effects of different factors it is useful to extract lithology-controlled part from observedin-situ velocities. For that purpose we calculated mineralogical composition and isotropic crack-free elastic properties in the lower part of the Kola borehole from bulk chemical compositions of core samples. We use a new technique of petrophysical modeling based on thermodynamic approach. The reasonable accuracy of the modeling is confirmed by comparison with the observations of mineralogical composition and laboratory measurements of density and elastic wave velocities in upper crustal crystalline rocks at high confining pressure. Calculations were carried out for 896 core samples from the depth segment of 6840–10535m. Using these results we estimate density and crack-free isotropic elastic properties of 554 lithology-defined layers composing this depth segment. Average synthetic P- wave velocity appears to be 2.7% higher than the velocity from Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP), and 5% higher than sonic log velocity. Average synthetic S-wave velocity is 1.4 % higher than that from VSP. These differences can be explained by superposition of effects of fabric-related anisotropy, cracks aligned parallel to the foliation plain, and randomly oriented cracks, with the effect of cracks being the predominant control. Low sonic log velocities are likely caused by drilling-induced cracking (hydrofractures) in the borehole walls. The calculated synthetic density and velocity cross-sections can be used for much more detailed interpretations, for which, however, new, more detailed and reliable seismic data are required.     

Simulation of full-waveform log in saturated cracked formations using Hudson's approach

We study the propagation of elastic waves that are generated in a fluid‐filled borehole surrounded by a cracked transversely isotropic medium. In the model studied the anisotropy and borehole axes coincide. To obtain the effective elastic moduli of a cracked medium we have applied Hudson's theory that enables the determination of the overall properties as a function of the crack orientation in relation to the symmetry axis of the anisotropic medium. This theory takes into account the hydrodynamic mechanism of the elastic‐wave attenuation caused by fluid filtration from the cracks into a porous matrix. We have simulated the full waveforms generated by an impulse source of finite length placed on the borehole axis. The kinematic and dynamic parameters of the compressional, shear and Stoneley waves as functions of the matrix permeability, crack orientation and porosity were studied. The modelling results demonstrated the influence of the crack‐system parameters (orientation and porosity) on the velocities and amplitudes of all wave types. The horizontally orientated cracks result in maximal decrease of the elastic‐wave parameters (velocities and amplitudes). Based on the fact that the shear‐ and Stoneley‐wave velocities in a transversely isotropic medium are determined by different shear moduli, we demonstrate the feasibility of the acoustic log to identify formations with close to horizontal crack orientations.     

Effects of an anisotropic overburden on azimuthal amplitude analysis in horizontal transverse isotropic media

Azimuthal amplitude variation in fractured media, commonly used to characterize fracture systems, is a function not only of reflection at the target but also of transmission through the overburden. This study investigates the sensitivity of amplitudes to various anisotropic overburden effects in horizontal transverse isotropic (HTI) media. Issues considered here are geometric spreading, transmission coefficients and attenuation due to fluid flow. Their influence on the azimuthal amplitude variation is evaluated quantitatively over a wide model space.
Only the variation of transmission coefficients with azimuth proves to be negligible. Geometric spreading alters the amplitude signature significantly over a relatively narrow range of models, and its influence increases with layer thickness. The most severe effect of an anisotropic fractured overburden is attenuation due to fluid flow between the cracks or the cracks and pores in the surrounding matrix. The relative changes in amplitudes between the symmetry directions due to anisotropic absorption are of the same order of magnitude as the changes in the reflection coefficient. The effect is significant over a very wide range of petrophysical parameters. Thus it leads to considerable problems in the amplitude analysis for almost any case of an overburden that contains cracks and pores. A correct amplitude analysis at the target will not be possible unless the effect of attenuation is removed.     

气煤弹性各向异性系数实验测试

气煤裂隙丰富,具有弹性各向异性,确定气煤弹性各向异性类型与大小,对煤田各向异性研究具有重要意义. 本文在对气煤煤样孔隙率测试的基础上,测量了顺煤层面、垂直于煤层面、与煤层面成45°三个方向上纵波速度（V_P）和横波速度（V_SH、V_SV）,计算弹性常数. 对于具有垂向对称轴横向各向同性模型,各向异性系数平均值|ε|≤0.2、|δ|≤0.2和|γ|≤0.2,表明气煤是弱各向异性介质;对于横向对称轴横向各向异性模型,各向异性系数平均值ε(V)≈δ(V),按照Thomsen观点气煤各向异性是由椭圆裂隙引起弹性各向异性.本文还讨论了各向异性系数与孔隙率的关系,表明各向异性的大小与孔隙率之间有一定的关系. 因此当煤层厚度与其顶底板岩性不变或变化很小,可以认为气煤各向异性主要由裂隙引起的,气煤各向异性大小和方向能够反映煤的裂缝密度和方位.     

基于微观孔隙结构特征的速度频散和衰减模拟

孔隙尺度的喷射流流动是引起地震波速度频散和衰减的重要机制之一.目前,大多数喷射流模型仅考虑硬孔隙与微裂隙之间的局部流动,而忽略了具有不同孔隙纵横比微裂隙间的喷射流作用.为了研究各种类型孔隙间的流体流动效应,本文对经典喷射流模型进行了扩展,通过结合等效介质理论和孔隙结构模型,根据从干燥岩石超声速度-压力曲线中提取的微裂隙孔隙纵横比分布,求取出岩石中各种微裂隙的体积压缩系数,并在此基础上,利用孔隙空间的压力松弛效应对微裂隙间的喷射流效应进行了模拟,并运用Biot理论描述了硬孔隙间的宏观流动效应.扩展后的理论模型不仅考虑了微裂隙与硬孔隙间的局部流动、硬孔隙与硬孔隙间的Biot宏观流,还加入了微裂隙与微裂隙间的喷射流作用,且模型的高、低频极限始终与Mavko-Jizba理论和Gassmann方程保持一致.模型应用分析发现,对于砂岩和大部分致密灰岩样品,扩展模型均能给出与超声实验测量数据吻合良好的估计结果.此外,扩展模型预测的速度频散及衰减表明,喷射流机制在地震和测井频段发挥着重要作用,其速度频散曲线由低频至高频呈逐渐增大趋势,不具有明显的快速变化特征,与经典频散曲线形态存在显著差异;在低有效压力下,频散和衰减程度较大,喷射流机制发挥主要作用,而随着有效压力的增加,Biot宏观流机制开始占主导,频散和衰减程度逐渐减小.     

地震地电阻率各向异性变化数值模拟

将APE模式中差应力与裂隙的演化理论与前期研究中建立的张量形式的各向异性电性模型相结合,推导出了裂隙演化参数(密度、孔压、纵横比、闭合角)与电导率关系的动态方程,用数值模拟方法研究了饱水岩石在水平向应力作用下电阻率的各向异性变化．并结合实验和观钡5结果,讨论了电阻率各向异性变化的可能机理。     

基于页岩岩石物理等效模型的地应力预测方法研究

地应力的精确预测是对页岩地层进行水平井钻井轨迹设计和压裂的基础.本文在分析页岩构造特征的基础上,提出了适用于页岩地层的岩石物理等效模型的建立流程,并以此为基础实现了最小水平地应力的有效预测.首先,通过分析页岩地层的矿物、孔隙、流体及各向异性特征,将其等效为具有垂直对称轴的横向各向同性介质,进行了页岩岩石物理等效模型的构建;然后建立了页岩地层纵横波速度经验公式,并将该经验公式与岩石物理等效模型均应用于实际页岩工区的横波速度预测中,二者对比表明,本文中建立的页岩气岩石物理等效模型具有更高的横波预测精度,验证了该模型的适用性;最后,利用该模型计算各弹性刚度张量,进而实现了页岩地层最小水平地应力的预测,与各向同性模型估测结果对比表明,该模型预测的最小水平地应力与地层瞬间闭合压力一致性更高,且储层位置更为明显,具有较高的实用性.     

含流体致密砂岩的纵波频散及衰减:基于双重双重孔隙结构模型描述的特征分析

致密砂岩普遍具有低孔、低渗及微裂缝发育的地质特征,并且呈现出很强的非均匀性.致密砂岩储层与常规砂岩储层比较,具有明显的岩石物理性质、渗流力学性质方面的差异.致密砂岩内部的非均匀性对弹性波频散、衰减有显著影响,其中包括孔隙结构的非均匀性,即岩石内部孔隙参数的不均一性,以及孔隙内部不相混溶流体的非均匀分布;此外,非均匀性的尺度也决定了波出现显著频散与衰减的频段.综合考虑致密砂岩孔隙结构非均匀性及流体斑块状饱和的非均匀性,本文采用双双重孔隙介质结构模拟了致密砂岩的弹性波响应,分析了同时具备两类非均质性岩石中的波传播特征.调查分析了两组分别来自中国鄂尔多斯盆地苏里格气田及四川盆地广安气田的不同类型致密砂岩储层的岩芯超声波实验数据,给出了岩石样本的弹性波速度频散与衰减曲线.结果显示理论模型预测结果与完全饱和、部分饱和岩石的实验数据吻合良好.对两个地区致密砂岩岩芯数据进行对比分析,苏里格致密砂岩样本总体上比广安致密砂岩渗透率高,在各孔隙度范围内,特征模拟显示苏里格样本的裂隙尺寸明显大于广安样本.广安致密砂岩在低孔隙度范围内发育了更多、更小的颗粒裂隙/接触.致密砂岩的速度频散与衰减结果受流体黏度、晶体破裂及流体斑块状饱和的共同影响.此外,孔隙度越大,部分饱和岩石中斑块状饱和机制对总衰减的贡献越低,与之相对,结构非均质性所占的比重则有所增强.     

Seismic attenuation in Faroe Islands basalts

We analysed vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data from two boreholes at Glyvursnes and Vestmanna on the island of Streymoy, Faroe Islands, to determine the magnitude and causes of seismic attenuation in sequences of basalt flows. The work is part of SeiFaBa, a major project integrating data from vertical and offset VSP, surface seismic surveys, core samples and wireline log data from the two boreholes. Values of effective seismic quality factor (Q) obtained at Glyvursnes and Vestmanna are sufficiently low to significantly degrade the quality of a surface reflection seismic image. This observation is consistent with results from other VSP experiments in the North Atlantic region. We demonstrate that the most likely cause of the low values of effective Q at Glyvursnes and Vestmanna is a combination of 1D scattering and intrinsic attenuation due to seismic wave‐induced fluid flow within pores and micro‐cracks. Tests involving 3D elastic wave numerical modelling with a hypothetical basalt model based on field observations, indicate that little scattering attenuation is caused by lateral variations in basalt structure.     

Aligned vertical fractures, HTI reservoir symmetry and Thomsen seismic anisotropy parameters for polar media

Certain crack-influence parameters of Sayers and Kachanov are shown to be directly related to Thomsen's weak-anisotropy seismic parameters for fractured reservoirs when the crack/fracture density is small enough. These results are then applied to the problem of seismic wave propagation in polar reservoirs, i.e., those anisotropic reservoirs having two axes that are equivalent but distinct from the third axis), especially for horizontal transversely isotropic seismic wave symmetry due to the presence of aligned vertical fractures and resulting in azimuthal seismic wave symmetry at the Earth's surface. The approach presented suggests one method of inverting for fracture density from wave speed data. A significant fraction of the technical effort in the paper is devoted to showing how to predict the angular location of the true peak (or trough) of the quasi-SV-wave for polar media and especially how this peak is related to another angle that is very easy to compute. The axis of symmetry is always treated here as the x ₃-axis for either vertical transversely isotropic symmetry (due, for example, to horizontal cracks), or horizontal transversely isotropic symmetry (due to aligned vertical cracks). Then, the meaning of the stiffnesses is derived from the fracture analysis in the same way for vertical transversely isotropic and horizontal transversely isotropic media, but for horizontal transverse isotropy the wave speeds relative to the Earth's surface are shifted by  90^o  in the plane perpendicular to the aligned vertical fractures. Skempton's poroelastic coefficient B is used as a general means of quantifying the effects of fluids inside the fractures. Explicit Biot-Gassmann-consistent formulas for Thomsen's parameters are also obtained for either drained or undrained fractures resulting in either vertical transversely isotropic or horizontal transversely isotropic symmetry of the reservoir.     

Fluid identification based on P-wave anisotropy dispersion gradient inversion for fractured reservoirs

Fluid identification in fractured reservoirs is a challenging issue and has drawn increasing attentions. As aligned fractures in subsurface formations can induce anisotropy, we must choose parameters independent with azimuths to characterize fractures and fluid effects such as anisotropy parameters for fractured reservoirs. Anisotropy is often frequency dependent due to wave-induced fluid flow between pores and fractures. This property is conducive for identifying fluid type using azimuthal seismic data in fractured reservoirs. Through the numerical simulation based on Chapman model, we choose the P-wave anisotropy parameter dispersion gradient (PADG) as the new fluid factor. PADG is dependent both on average fracture radius and fluid type but independent on azimuths. When the aligned fractures in the reservoir are meter-scaled, gas-bearing layer could be accurately identified using PADG attribute. The reflection coefficient formula for horizontal transverse isotropy media by Rüger is reformulated and simplified according to frequency and the target function for inverting PADG based on frequency-dependent amplitude versus azimuth is derived. A spectral decomposition method combining Orthogonal Matching Pursuit and Wigner–Ville distribution is used to prepare the frequency-division data. Through application to synthetic data and real seismic data, the results suggest that the method is useful for gas identification in reservoirs with meter-scaled fractures using high-qualified seismic data.     

Elastic properties of saturated porous rocks with aligned fractures

Elastic properties of fluid saturated porous media with aligned fractures can be studied using the model of fractures as linear-slip interfaces in an isotropic porous background. Such a medium represents a particular case of a transversely isotropic (TI) porous medium, and as such can be analyzed with equations of anisotropic poroelasticity. This analysis allows the derivation of explicit analytical expressions for the low-frequency elastic constants and anisotropy parameters of the fractured porous medium saturated with a given fluid. The five elastic constants of the resultant TI medium are derived as a function of the properties of the dry (isotropic) background porous matrix, fracture properties (normal and shear excess compliances), and fluid bulk modulus. For the particular case of penny-shaped cracks, the expression for anisotropy parameter ε has the form similar to that of Thomsen [Geophys. Prospect. 43 (1995) 805]. However, contrary to the existing view, the compliance matrix of a fluid-saturated porous-fractured medium is not equivalent to the compliance matrix of any equivalent solid medium with a single set of parallel fractures. This unexpected result is caused by the wave-induced flow of fluids between pores and fractures.     

Anisotropic velocity analysis1

Results from walkaway VSP and shale laboratory experiments show that shale anisotropy can be significantly anelliptic. Heterogeneity and anellipticity both lead to non-hyperbolic moveout curves and the resulting ambiguity in velocity analysis is investigated for the case of a factorizable anisotropic medium with a linear dependence of velocity on depth. More information can be obtained if there are several reflectors. The method of Dellinger et al. for anisotropic velocity analysis in layered transversely isotropic media is examined and is shown to be restricted to media having relatively small anellipticity. A new scheme, based on an expansion of the inverse-squared group velocity in spherical harmonics, is presented. This scheme can be used for larger anellipticity, and is applicable for horizontal layers having monoclinic symmetry with the symmetry plane parallel to the layers. The method is applied to invert the results of anisotropic ray tracing on a model Sand/shale sequence. For transversely isotropic media with small anisotropy, the scheme reduces to the method of Byun et al. and Byun and Corrigan. The expansion in spherical harmonics allows the P-phase slowness surface of each layer to be determined in analytic form from the layer parameters obtained by inversion without the need to assume that the anisotropy is weak.     

ELASTIC WAVE PROPAGATION IN MEDIA WITH PARALLEL FRACTURES AND ALIGNED CRACKS1

A model of parallel slip interfaces simulates the behaviour of a fracture system composed of large, closely spaced, aligned joints. The model admits any fracture system anisotropy: triclinic (the most general), monoclinic, orthorhombic or transversely isotropic, and this is specified by the form of the 3 × 3 fracture system compliance matrix. The fracture system may be embedded in an anisotropic elastic background with no restrictions on the type of anisotropy. To compute the long wavelength equivalent moduli of the fractured medium requires at most the inversion of two 3 × 3 matrices. When the fractures are assumed on average to have rotational symmetry (transversely isotropic fracture system behaviour) and the background is assumed isotropic, the resulting equivalent medium is transversely isotropic and the effect of the additional compliance of the fracture system may be specified by two parameters (in addition to the two isotropic parameters of the isotropic background). Dilute systems of flat aligned microcracks in an isotropic background yield an equivalent medium of the same form as that of the isotropic medium with large joints, i.e. there are two additional parameters due to the presence of the microcracks which play roles in the stress-strain relations of the equivalent medium identical to those played by the parameters due to the presence of large joints. Thus, knowledge of the total of four parameters describing the anisotropy of such a fractured medium tells nothing of the size or concentration of the aligned fractures but does contain information as to the overall excess compliance due to the fracture system and its orientation. As the aligned microcracks, which were assumed to be ellipsoidal, with very small aspect ratio are allowed to become non-fiat, i.e. have a growing aspect ratio, the moduli of the equivalent medium begin to diverge from the standard form of the moduli for flat cracks. The divergence is faster for higher crack densities but only becomes significant for microcracks of aspect ratios approaching 0.3.     

Analysis of elastic anisotropy of tight sandstone and the influential factors

Tight sandstone has a certain anisotropy. Using ultrasonic measurements of samples in three different directions and related matched experiments, this study systematically analyzes the pore structure and anisotropy of tight sandstone samples obtained from oil fields and compares results with those of shale. Results firstly show that the anisotropy of tight sandstone is mainly related to the compositional layering and thin interbedding which occur in different sedimentary environments. Tight sandstone has typical transverse isotropic medium characteristics, Young’s modulus increases in different directions with increasing confining pressure, Poisson’s ratio change is not obvious, anisotropic coefficients decrease with increasing effective pressure, and a certain linear relationship exists between ε, γ, and δ. This article finally summarizes anisotropy in different areas, thereby providing a foundation for the use of suitable appraisal models in different regions. This research can be used as an experimental reference for logging evaluation, seismic data interpretation, and fracturing develop of tight sandstones.