有效压力与饱和度变化的气藏多波时移地震AVO响应

天然气在开发过程中,储层有效压力和含气饱和度均会发生变化,研究有效压力和含气饱和度的变化对地震响应特征的影响,在基于时移地震的剩余气分布预测研究中具有重要意义。天然气和石油的声学性质有着明显的差异,油藏时移地震的研究成果不能直接应用于气藏,因此需要开展气藏的时移地震研究。利用Shapiro模型表征干岩石弹性模量随有效压力的变化,借助Batzle-Wang方程描述流体速度随压力的变化关系,联合Gassmann理论进行流体替代,表征饱和流体岩石速度随含气饱和度的变化,建立了饱和流体岩石速度随有效压力和饱和度变化的岩石物理模型。基于该模型,对不同含气饱和度和不同有效压力下的气藏储层模型进行了多波时移地震叠前振幅变化（AVO）模拟。结果表明多波时移地震AVO技术可以有效地区分有效压力变化和含气饱和度变化,为进一步开展气藏多波时移地震流体监测提供了理论参考依据。      

Scale effects on modelling the seismic signature of gas: results from an outcrop analogue

Numerous examples of reservoir fields from continental and marine environments involve thin‐bedded geology, yet, the inter‐relationship between thin‐bedded geology, fluid flow and seismic wave propagation is poorly understood. In this paper, we explore the 4D seismic signature due to saturation changes of gas within thin layers, and address the challenge of identifying the relevant scales and properties, which correctly define the geology, fluid flow and seismic wave propagation in the field. Based on the study of an outcrop analogue for a thin‐bedded turbidite, we model the time‐lapse seismic response to fluid saturation changes for different levels of model scale, and explore discrepancies in quantitative seismic attributes caused by upscaling. Our model reflects the geological complexity associated with thin‐bedded turbidites, and its coupling to fluid flow, which in turn affects the gas saturation distribution in space, and its time‐lapse seismic imprint. Rock matrix and fluid properties are modelled after selected fields to reproduce representative field models with realistic impedance contrasts. In addition, seismic modelling includes multiples, in order to assess their contribution in seismic propagation through thin gas layers. Our results show that multiples could contribute significantly to the measured amplitudes in the case of thin‐bedded geology. This suggests that forward/inverse modelling involving the flow simulation and seismic domains used in time‐lapse seismic interpretation should account for thin layers, when these are present in the geological setting.     

Detection of gas and water using HHT by analyzing P- and S-wave attenuation in tight sandstone gas reservoirs

A direct detection of hydrocarbons is used by connecting increased attenuation of seismic waves with oil and gas fields. This study analyzes the seismic attenuation of P- and S-waves in one tight sandstone gas reservoir and attempts to give the quantitative distinguishing results of gas and water by the characteristics of the seismic attenuation of P- and S-waves. The Hilbert–Huang Transform (HHT) is used to better measure attenuation associated with gas saturation. A formation absorption section is defined to compute the values of attenuation using the common frequency sections obtained by the HHT method. Values of attenuation have been extracted from three seismic sections intersecting three different wells: one gas-saturated well, one fully water-saturated well, and one gas- and water- saturated well. For the seismic data from the Sulige gas field located in northwest Ordos Basin, China, we observed that in the gas-saturated media the S-wave attenuation was very low and much lower than the P-wave attenuation. In the fully water-saturated media the S-wave attenuation was higher than the P-wave attenuation. We suggest that the joint application of P- and S-wave attenuation can improve the direct detection between gas and water in seismic sections. This study is hoped to be useful in seismic exploration as an aid for distinguishing gas and water from gas- and water-bearing formations.     

Seismic scale saturation relations in turbidite reservoirs undergoing waterflood

Estimates of the effective fluid modulus from seismic cannot be directly converted to the true pore-volume weighted mean saturation     determined from fluid flow principles by using the saturation laws currently in use. One of the reasons is that seismic waves sample the reservoir geology and production induced saturation heterogeneity in a different way from the fluids. This mismatch prevents accurate quantitative evaluation of saturation changes from 4D seismic analysis. To tackle this problem, a reservoir-related saturation law is developed for a turbidite reservoir – this geology being chosen because the architecture for a single sand package can be modelled as a stack of horizontal beds. An effective medium and perturbation theory are applied to the determination of the seismic properties of this model. This calculation provides a relationship that connects the true saturation     to the effective fluid modulus from seismic via statistical measures of the vertical spread of the porosity and saturation variations in the reservoir. These statistics can be extracted from the simulation model and if known, enable the new saturation law to deliver a significant improvement in accuracy when estimating     compared to other well-known laws. The relationship that has been developed also captures the effect of inter-bedded shales and can therefore be used to estimate true saturation in regions of the reservoir with moderate to low net-to-gross, provided the fraction of the shale component is known. In practice, the final choice of saturation law depends upon the reservoir information available, the assumptions that can be tolerated and the accuracy required in any particular reservoir characterization study.     

Monitoring CO2 saturation using time‐lapse amplitude versus offset analysis of 3D seismic data from the Ketzin CO2 storage pilot site,Germany

The injection of CO₂ at the Ketzin pilot site commenced in June 2008 and was terminated in August 2013 after 67 kT had been injected into a saline formation at a depth of 630–650 m. As part of the site monitoring program, four 3D surface seismic surveys have been acquired to date, one baseline and three repeats, of which two were conducted during the injection period, and one during the post‐injection phase. The surveys have provided the most comprehensive images of the spreading CO₂ plume within the reservoir layer. Both petrophysical experiments on core samples from the Ketzin reservoir and spectral decomposition of the 3D time‐lapse seismic data show that the reservoir pore pressure change due to CO₂ injection has a rather minor impact on the seismic amplitudes. Therefore, the observed amplitude anomaly is interpreted to be mainly due to CO₂ saturation. In this study, amplitude versus offset analysis has been applied to investigate the amplitude versus offset response from the top of the sandstone reservoir during the injection and post‐injection phases, and utilize it to obtain a more quantitative assessment of the CO₂ gaseous saturation changes. Based on the amplitude versus offset modelling, a prominent decrease in the intercept values imaged at the top of the reservoir around the injection well is indeed associated solely with the CO₂ saturation increase. Any change in the gradient values, which would, in case it was positive, be the only signature induced by the reservoir pressure variations, has not been observed. The amplitude versus offset intercept change is, therefore, entirely ascribed to CO₂ saturation and used for its quantitative assessment. The estimated CO₂ saturation values around the injection area in the range of 40%–60% are similar to those obtained earlier from pulsed neutron‐gamma logging. The highest values of 80% are found in the second seismic repeat in close vicinity to the injection and observation wells.     

Utilizing spectral decomposition to determine the distribution of injected CO2 at the Snøhvit Field

Time‐lapse 3D seismic reflection data, covering the CO₂ storage operation at the Snøhvit gas field in the Barents Sea, show clear amplitude and time‐delay differences following injection. The nature and extent of these changes suggest that increased pore fluid pressure contributes to the observed seismic response, in addition to a saturation effect. Spectral decomposition using the smoothed pseudo‐Wigner–Ville distribution has been used to derive discrete‐frequency reflection amplitudes from around the base of the CO₂ storage reservoir. These are utilized to determine the lateral variation in peak tuning frequency across the seismic anomaly as this provides a direct proxy for the thickness of the causative feature. Under the assumption that the lateral and vertical extents of the respective saturation and pressure changes following CO₂ injection will be significantly different, discrete spectral amplitudes are used to distinguish between the two effects. A clear spatial separation is observed in the distribution of low‐ and high‐frequency tuning. This is used to discriminate between direct fluid substitution of CO₂, as a thin layer, and pressure changes that are distributed across a greater thickness of the storage reservoir. The results reveal a striking correlation with findings derived from pressure and saturation discrimination algorithms based on amplitude versus offset analysis.     

部分饱和砂岩储层地震物理模拟及含气饱和度预测分析

含气饱和度预测是天然气储层地震解释工作的重要目标.本文将岩石物理分析与地震物理模拟技术相结合,构建了部分;饱和砂岩储层物理模型并进行含气饱和度预测分析.物理模型中设置了高孔渗常规砂岩和低孑孔渗致密砂岩两种模拟储层,每种储层都是由具有不同含水饱和度的气-水双相饱和砂体组成.岩石物理分析结果显示在低孔渗致密砂岩中气-水混合流体更加倾向于非均匀的斑块分布,而结合了Brie等效流体公式的Gassmann流体替换理论可以更准确地描述纵波速度随含水饱和度的变化趋势.对物理模型进行地震资料采集处理后,对比了AVO特征和叠前同步反演结果对两种砂岩储层含气饱和度预测能力的差异.AVO特征结果显示,对于混合流体均匀分布的高孔渗砂岩储层,AVO响应曲线和属性变化很难对含气饱和度进行估算;对于混合流体斑块分布的致密砂岩储层,AVO特征可以定性地分辨出储层是否为高、中、低含气情况.反演结果显示,密度及纵横波速度比分别对高孔渗及致密砂岩储层的含气饱和度有着较好的指示能力.     

储层弹性与物性参数地震叠前同步反演的确定性优化方法

储层弹性与物性参数可直接应用于储层岩性预测和流体识别,是储层综合评价和油气藏精细描述的基本要素之一.现有的储层弹性与物性参数地震同步反演方法大都基于Gassmann方程,使用地震叠前数据,通过随机优化方法反演储层弹性与物性参数;或基于Wyllie方程,使用地震叠后数据,通过确定性优化方法反演储层弹性与物性参数.本文提出一种基于Gassmann方程、通过确定性优化方法开展储层弹性和物性参数地震叠前反演的方法,该方法利用Gassmann方程建立储层物性参数与叠前地震观测数据之间的联系,在贝叶斯反演框架下以储层弹性与物性参数的联合后验概率为目标函数,通过将目标函数的梯度用泰勒公式展开得到储层弹性与物性参数联合的方程组,其中储层弹性参数对物性参数的梯度用差分形式表示,最后通过共轭梯度算法迭代求解得到储层弹性与物性参数的最优解.理论试算与实际资料反演结果证明了方法的可行性.     

When 4D seismic is not applicable: Alternative monitoring scenarios for the Arab-D reservoir in the Ghawar Field

Ghawar, the largest oilfield in the world, produces oil from the Upper Jurassic Arab‐D carbonate reservoir. The high rigidity of the limestone–dolomite reservoir rock matrix and the small contrast between the elastic properties of the pore fluids, i.e. oil and water, are responsible for the weak 4D seismic effect due to oil production. A feasibility study was recently completed to quantify the 4D seismic response of reservoir saturation changes as brine replaced oil. The study consisted of analysing reservoir rock physics, petro‐acoustic data and seismic modelling. A seismic model of flow simulation using fluid substitution concluded that time‐lapse surface seismic or conventional 4D seismic is unlikely to detect the floodfront within the repeatability of surface seismic measurements. Thus, an alternative approach to 4D seismic for reservoir fluid monitoring is proposed. Permanent seismic sensors could be installed in a borehole and on the surface for passive monitoring of microseismic activity from reservoir pore‐pressure perturbations. Reservoir production and injection operations create these pressure or stress perturbations. Reservoir heterogeneities affecting the fluid flow could be mapped by recording the distribution of epicentre locations of these microseisms or small earthquakes. The permanent borehole sensors could also record repeated offset vertical seismic profiling surveys using a surface source at a fixed location to ensure repeatability. The repeated vertical seismic profiling could image the change in reservoir properties with production.     

基于双相介质理论的储层参数反演方法

传统基于单相介质理论的储层参数反演方法将孔隙流体与固体骨架等效为单一固体,弱化了孔隙流体的影响,反演结果精度不高.本文提出根据双相介质理论反演储层参数的方法.首先,在前人研究的基础上,利用岩石物理模型建立弹性参数与孔隙度、饱和度、泥质含量等储层参数间的关系,进而将双相介质反射系数推导为储层参数的函数;其次,根据贝叶斯反演理论,在高斯噪声假设的基础上,采用更加符合实际情况的修正柯西分布函数描述反射系数的稀疏性,推导出储层物性参数目标反演函数;最后,应用差分进化非线性全局寻优算法来求解目标反演函数,使得反演结果与实际资料间误差最小.新方法旨在突出流体对介质反射系数的影响,以期得到较高的储层参数反演精度.模型与实际资料测试均表明该方法可行、有效且反演精度较高.     

Integrating seismic attributes in the accurate modeling of geological structures and determining the storage of the gas reservoir in Gorgan Plain (North of Iran)

Three dimensional seismic operation of Gorgan Plain was studied around a well, which is situated in North of Iran following the hitting of a thin overpressure gas layer (thickness of 9.6 m), with the purpose of the accurate modeling of geological structures and determining the approximate gas storages. The geological structures of the reservoir were modeled using the seismic attributes (coherence, instantaneous amplitude and spectral decomposition (FFT)). The obtained results clearly demonstrated the shape and volume of the existing structural traps in the studied area. In order to estimate the thickness of gas layer in the 3D seismic volume and determining the gas storage, the thickness changes based on the seismic amplitudes were used because its thickness was less than the critical resolution thickness for this layer. However, due to its low thickness, the lack of indicator peak in seismic sections and strong faults of area, it was difficult to pursue this layer in the seismic volume and map its exact amplitude. Considering this issue, a new method with integrating of seismic attributes was recommended. First, the instantaneous amplitude attribute of the thin reservoir layer reflector in computed synthetic seismogram were fabricated and then the frequency regarding the highest amount (dominant frequency) was chosen by Fourier Transform. Finally, spectral decomposition (FFT) with the resulting frequency was gained over the cross-section of the layer's instantaneous amplitude attribute in the 3D seismic volume choosing a proper time window. In such a situation, an increase of its thickness was seen as its amplitude increase and the minimum gas storage of this reservoir was calculated using the area of the restricted part of high thickness (over 9.6 m).     

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.     

Rock physics modelling and inversion for saturation-pressure changes in time-lapse seismic studies

Time-lapse seismic data are generally used to monitor the changes in dynamic reservoir properties such as fluid saturation and pore or effective pressure. Changes in saturation and pressure due to hydrocarbon production usually cause changes in the seismic velocities and as a consequence changes in seismic amplitudes and travel times. This work proposes a new rock physics model to describe the relation between saturation-pressure changes and seismic changes and a probabilistic workflow to quantify the changes in saturation and pressure from time-lapse seismic changes. In the first part of this work, we propose a new quadratic approximation of the rock physics model. The novelty of the proposed formulation is that the coefficients of the model parameters (i.e. the saturation-pressure changes) are functions of the porosity, initial saturation and initial pressure. The improvements in the results of the forward model are shown through some illustrative examples. In the second part of the work, we present a Bayesian inversion approach for saturation-pressure 4D inversion in which we adopt the new formulation of the rock physics approximation. The inversion results are validated using synthetic pseudo-logs and a 3D reservoir model for CO₂ sequestration.     

Rock-physics forward modelling to predict seismic behaviour: A case study for exploration target in Mahanadi basin,East Coast of India

One of the major aspects of rock-physics forward modelling is to predict seismic behaviour at an undrilled location using drilled well data. It is important to model the rock and fluid properties away from drilled wells to characterize the reservoir and investigate the root causes of different seismic responses. Using the forward modelling technique, it is possible to explain the amplitude responses of present seismic data in terms of probable rock and reservoir properties. In this context, rock-physics modelling adds significant values in the prospect maturation process by reducing the risk of reservoir presence in exploration and appraisal phases. The synthetic amplitude variation with offset gathers from the forward model is compared with real seismic gathers to ensure the fidelity of the existing geological model. ‘Prospect A’ in the study area has been identified from seismic interpretation, which was deposited as slope fan sediments in Mahanadi basin, East Coast of India. The mapped prospect has shown class-I amplitude variation with offset response in seismic without any direct hydrocarbon indicator support. The existing geological model suggests the presence of an excellent gas reservoir with proven charge access from the fetch area, moderate porosity and type of lithology within this fan prospect. But, whether the seismic response from this geological model will exhibit a class-I amplitude variation with offset behaviour or ‘dim spot’ will be visible; the objective of the present study is to investigate these queries. A rock-physics depth trend analysis has been done to envisage the possibilities of class-I reservoir in ‘Prospect A’. Forward modelling, using a combination of mechanical and chemical compaction, shows the synthetic gas gathers at ‘Prospect A’, which are class I in nature. The study has also depicted 2D forward modelling using lithology and fluid properties of discovery well within similar stratigraphy to predict whether ‘dim spot’ will be seen in seismic. The estimated change in synthetic amplitude response has been observed as ∼5% at contact, which suggests that the changes will not be visible in seismic. The study connects the existing geological model with a top-down seismic interpretation using rock-physics forward modelling technique to mature a deep-water exploratory prospect.     

A comparative study on hydrocarbon detection using three EMD-based time–frequency analysis methods

Due to strong heterogeneity of marine carbonate reservoir, seismic signals become more complex, thus, it is very difficult for hydrocarbon detection. In hydrocarbon reservoir, there usually exist some changes in seismic wave energy and frequency. In their instantaneous spectrums there often exist such phenomena that show the characteristics of attenuation of high frequency energy and enhancement of low-frequency energy. The three EMD-based time-frequency analysis methods' instantaneous spectra all have certain oil and gas detection capability. In this paper, we introduced the Normalized Hilbert Transform (NHT) and a new method named the HU method for hydrocarbon detection. The model results in the Jingbian Gas Field which is located in the eastern Ordos Basin, China, show that NHT and HU methods can be adopted. They also detect the gas-bearing reservoir efficiently as the HHT method does. The three EMD-based methods, that is, the Hilbert–Huang transformation (HHT) and NHT and HU methods, were respectively applied to analyze the seismic data from the Jingbian Gas Field. Firstly, the seismic signals were decomposed into a finite number of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) by empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method. The second IMF signal (IMF2) of the original seismic section better indicates the distribution of the reservoir. Information on hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir is mainly in IMF2. Secondly, the HHT, NHT and HU methods were respectively used to obtain different frequency division sections from IMF2. Hydrocarbon detection was realized from the energy distribution of the different frequency division sections with these three EMD-based methods. The practical application results show that the three EMD-based methods can all be employed to hydrocarbon detection. Frequency division section of IMF2 using NHT method was better for the seismic data from the Jingbian Gas Field than when using the HHT method and HU method.     

川西凹陷孝泉地区3D3C量地震资料采集方法

川西坳陷孝泉地区深层须家河组致密砂岩气藏属于典型非常规裂缝性气藏,储层识别、裂缝检测、含气性识别是气藏研究的重点和难点.转换波3D3C勘探可同时获得反映岩石骨架和各向异性特性的C波资料及反映骨架及流体特性的P波资料,因而适用于川西孝泉深层超致密裂缝性气藏.在3D3C地震勘探中,三维三分量地震采集方法是采集到高质量多分量原始资料的技术保障,本文重点研究这种采集方法.首先根据地球物理参数,结合地质任务要求,分析了三维三分量观测系统设计的方法及观测系统参数,然后根据分析结果和勘探目的层的实际情况设计了同时适合纵波勘探和转换波勘探的面元尺寸、最大和最小炮检距、接收线距、束间滚动距等参数并确定了三维三分量观测系统.该观测系统在孝泉地区资料采集中,获得的三分量资料波组特征清楚,同相轴连续,反射信息丰富;Z分量剖面和R分量剖面反射层次清楚,目的层反射特征明显,具有非常好的构造形态一致性.     

Estimating gas saturation in a thin layer by using frequency‐dependent amplitude versus offset modelling

Various models have been proposed to link partial gas saturation to seismic attenuation and dispersion, suggesting that the reflection coefficient should be frequency‐dependent in many cases of practical importance. Previous approaches to studying this phenomenon typically have been limited to single‐interface models. Here, we propose a modelling technique that allows us to incorporate frequency‐dependent reflectivity into convolutional modelling. With this modelling framework, seismic data can be synthesised from well logs of velocity, density, porosity, and water saturation. This forward modelling could act as a basis for inversion schemes aimed at recovering gas saturation variations with depth. We present a Bayesian inversion scheme for a simple thin‐layer case and a particular rock physics model and show that, although the method is very sensitive to prior information and constraints, both gas saturation and layer thickness theoretically can be estimated in the case of interfering reflections.     

含流体砂岩地震波频散实验研究

为了研究孔隙流体对不同渗透率岩石地震波速度的影响,在实验室利用跨频带岩石弹性参数测试系统得到了应变幅值10-6的2~2000Hz频段下的地震波速度和1 MHz频率下的超声波速度,利用差分共振声谱法得到了频率600Hz岩石干燥和完全饱水情况下岩石声学参数.实验表明,在低饱和度下,致密砂岩在地震和超声频段下没有明显的频散;在高饱和度下纵波速度的频散变得明显.从干燥到完全水饱和条件,不同频率测量的致密砂岩的体积模量随岩石孔隙度增高而降低,且体积模量的变化量受岩石微观孔隙结构的影响较大.高孔、高渗砂岩无论在低含水度下还是在高含水饱和度下频散微弱,并且在地震频段下围压对于岩石纵横波速度的影响要大于频率的影响.高孔、高渗砂岩和致密砂岩不同含水饱和度下的频散差异可应用于储层预测,油气检测等方面,同时该研究可以更好地帮助理解岩石的黏弹性行为,促进岩石物理频散理论的发展,提高地震解释的精度.     

The 4D seismic signature of oil–water contact movement due to natural production in a stacked turbidite reservoir

Combined time‐lapse reservoir simulation and seismic modelling has been performed on both 1D and 3D models of a channelized turbidite reservoir. The models have been built using core, log, laboratory and seismic data from the Nelson Field (central North Sea) as a template. Oil and water movement in the main channels, channel margins and interchannel regions is investigated, with a particular focus being the effect of poor net‐to‐gross. The analysis confirms that saturation effects dominate the response whilst stress‐sensitivity effects play a minor role. The trough–peak signature in the seismic difference volumes formed by the sweep of the water can be continued and mapped slightly further than the channel margins. This characteristic 4D signature remains roughly intact, despite the complicated depositional architecture, and accurately delineates the area of moved fluid, but it needs additional calibration to combat the detrimental influence of the low net‐to‐gross. Signal strength is largely dependent on reservoir quality, but is also compromised by the net‐to‐gross, fluid distribution and, more critically, by the exact timing of the seismic survey. For example, a region of bypassed oil zone remains undetected as it forms early during the production. This work demonstrates that to understand fully the 4D signature at a quantitative level requires adequate knowledge of the fluid properties, but also, more critically, the geology.