P-wave attenuation anisotropy in TI media and its application in fracture parameters inversion

The existence of aligned fractures in fluid-saturated rocks leads to obvious attenuation anisotropy and velocity anisotropy. Attenuation anisotropy analysis can be applied to estimate fracture density and scale, which provide important information for reservoir identification. This paper derives P-wave attenuation anisotropy in the ATI media where the symmetry axis is in the arbitrary direction theoretically and modifies the spectral ratio method to measure attenuation anisotropy in the ATI media, thus avoiding a large measurement error when applied to wide azimuth or full azimuth data. Fracture dip and azimuth can be estimated through attenuation anisotropy analysis. For small-scale fractures, fracture scale and fracture density can be determined with enhanced convergence if velocity and attenuation information are both used. We also apply the modified spectralratio method to microseismic field data from an oilfield in East China and extract the fracture dip through attenuation anisotropy analysis. The result agrees with the microseismic monitoring.     

Azimuthal anisotropy analysis of walkaround vertical seismic profiling vertical seismic profiling: a case study from Saudi Arabia

Understanding fracture orientations is important for optimal field development of fractured reservoirs because fractures can act as conduits for fluid flow. This is especially true for unconventional reservoirs (e.g., tight gas sands and shale gas). Using walkaround Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) technology presents a unique opportunity to identify seismic azimuthal anisotropy for use in mapping potential fracture zones and their orientation around a borehole. Saudi Aramco recently completed the acquisition, processing and analysis of a walkaround VSP survey through an unconventional tight gas sand reservoir to help characterize fractures. In this paper, we present the results of the seismic azimuthal anisotropy analysis using seismic traveltime, shear‐wave splitting and amplitude attenuation. The azimuthal anisotropy results are compared to the fracture orientations derived from dipole sonic and image logs. The image log interpretation suggests that an orthorhombic fracture system is present. VSP data show that the P‐wave traveltime anisotropy direction is NE to SW. This is consistent with the cemented fractures from the image log interpretation. The seismic amplitude attenuation anisotropy direction is NW to SE. This is consistent with one of the two orientations obtained using transverse to radial amplitude ratio analysis, with the dipole sonic and with open fracture directions interpreted from image log data.     

Seismic characterization of reservoirs with multiple fracture sets using velocity and attenuation anisotropy data

Knowledge about the spatial distribution of the fracture density and the azimuthal fracture orientation can greatly help in optimizing production from fractured reservoirs. Frequency-dependent seismic velocity and attenuation anisotropy data contain information about the fractures present in the reservoir. In this study, we use the measurements of velocity and attenuation anisotropy data corresponding to different seismic frequencies and azimuths to infer information about the multiple fracture sets present in the reservoir. We consider a reservoir model with two sets of vertical fractures characterized by unknown azimuthal fracture orientations and fracture densities. Frequency-dependent seismic velocity and attenuation anisotropy data is computed using the effective viscoelastic stiffness tensor and solving the Christoffel equation. A Bayesian inversion method is then applied to measurements of velocity and attenuation anisotropy data corresponding to different seismic frequencies and azimuth to estimate the azimuthal fracture orientations and the fracture densities, as well as their uncertainties. Our numerical examples suggest that velocity anisotropy data alone cannot recover the unknown fracture parameters. However, an improved estimation of the unknown fracture parameters can be obtained by joint inversion of velocity and attenuation anisotropy data.     

Application of 3D vertical seismic profile multi‐component data to tight gas sands‡

Due to the complicated geophysical character of tight gas sands in the Sulige gasfield of China, conventional surface seismic has faced great challenges in reservoir delineation. In order to improve this situation, a large‐scale 3D‐3C vertical seismic profiling (VSP) survey (more than 15 000 shots) was conducted simultaneously with 3D‐3C surface seismic data acquisition in this area in 2005. This paper presents a case study on the delineation of tight gas sands by use of multi‐component 3D VSP technology. Two imaging volumes (PP compressional wave; PSv converted wave) were generated with 3D‐3C VSP data processing. By comparison, the dominant frequencies of the 3D VSP images were 10–15 Hz higher than that of surface seismic images. Delineation of the tight gas sands is achieved by using the multi‐component information in the VSP data leading to reduce uncertainties in data interpretation. We performed a routine data interpretation on these images and developed a new attribute titled ‘Centroid Frequency Ratio of PSv and PP Waves’ for indication of the tight gas sands. The results demonstrated that the new attribute was sensitive to this type of reservoir. By combining geologic, drilling and log data, a comprehensive evaluation based on the 3D VSP data was conducted and a new well location for drilling was proposed. The major results in this paper tell us that successful application of 3D‐3C VSP technologies are only accomplished through a synthesis of many disciplines. We need detailed analysis to evaluate each step in planning, acquisition, processing and interpretation to achieve our objectives. High resolution, successful processing of multi‐component information, combination of PP and PSv volumes to extract useful attributes, receiver depth information and offset/ azimuth‐dependent anisotropy in the 3D VSP data are the major accomplishments derived from our attention to detail in the above steps.     

Fracture characterization using converted waves

We present a method for inversion of fracture compliance matrix components from wide‐azimuth noisy synthetic PS reflection data and quantitatively show that reflection amplitude variations with offset and azimuth for converted PS‐waves are more informative than P‐waves for fracture characterization. We consider monoclinic symmetry for fractured reservoir (parameters chosen from Woodford Shale), which can be formed by two or more sets of vertical fractures embedded in a vertically transverse isotropic background. Components of effective fracture compliance matrices for a medium with monoclinic symmetry are related to the characteristics of the fractured medium. Monte Carlo simulation results show that inversion of PS reflection data is more robust than that of PP reflection data to uncertainties in our a priori knowledge (vertically transverse isotropic parameters of unfractured rock) than PP reflection data. We also show that, while inversion of PP reflections is sensitive to contrasts in elastic properties of upper and lower media, inversion of PS reflections is robust with respect to such contrasts.     

Using slowness and azimuth fluctuations as new observables for four‐dimensional reservoir seismic monitoring

Four‐dimensional imaging using geophysical data is of increasing interest in the oil and gas industries. While travel‐time and amplitude variations are commonly used to monitor reservoir properties at depth, their interpretation can suffer from a lack of information to decipher the parts played by different parameters. In this context, this study focuses on the slowness and azimuth angle measured at the surface using source and receiver arrays as complementary observables. In the first step, array processing techniques are used to extract both azimuth and incidence angles at the source side (departure angles) and at the receiver side (arrival angles). In the second step, the slowness and angle variations are monitored in a laboratory environment. These new observables are compared with traditional arrival‐time variations when the propagation medium is subject to temperature fluctuations. Finally, field data from a heavy‐oil permanent reservoir monitoring system installed onshore and facing steam injection and temperature variations are investigated. The slowness variations are computed over a period of 152 days. In agreement with Fermat's principle, strong correlations between the slowness and arrival‐time variations are highlighted, as well as good consistency with other techniques and field pressure measurements. Although the temporal variations of slowness and arrival time show the same features, there are still differences that can be considered for further characterization of the physical changes at depth.     

Modelling frequency-dependent seismic anisotropy in fluid-saturated rock with aligned fractures: implication of fracture size estimation from anisotropic measurements

Measurements of seismic anisotropy in fractured rock are used at present to deduce information about the fracture orientation and the spatial distribution of fracture intensity. Analysis of the data is based upon equivalent-medium theories that describe the elastic response of a rock containing cracks or fractures in the long-wavelength limit. Conventional models assume frequency independence and cannot distinguish between microcracks and macrofractures. The latter, however, control the fluid flow in many subsurface reservoirs. Therefore, the fracture size is essential information for reservoir engineers. In this study we apply a new equivalent-medium theory that models frequency-dependent anisotropy and is sensitive to the length scale of fractures. The model considers velocity dispersion and attenuation due to a squirt-flow mechanism at two different scales: the grain scale (microcracks and equant matrix porosity) and formation-scale fractures. The theory is first tested and calibrated against published laboratory data. Then we present the analysis and modelling of frequency-dependent shear-wave splitting in multicomponent VSP data from a tight gas reservoir. We invert for fracture density and fracture size from the frequency dependence of the time delay between split shear waves. The derived fracture length matches independent observations from borehole data.     

Constructing a discrete fracture network constrained by seismic inversion data

Rock fractures are of great practical importance to petroleum reservoir engineering because they provide pathways for fluid flow, especially in reservoirs with low matrix permeability, where they constitute the primary flow conduits. Understanding the spatial distribution of natural fracture networks is thus key to optimising production. The impact of fracture systems on fluid flow patterns can be predicted using discrete fracture network models, which allow not only the 6 independent components of the second‐rank permeability tensor to be estimated, but also the 21 independent components of the fully anisotropic fourth‐rank elastic stiffness tensor, from which the elastic and seismic properties of the fractured rock medium can be predicted. As they are stochastically generated, discrete fracture network realisations are inherently non‐unique. It is thus important to constrain their construction, so as to reduce their range of variability and, hence, the uncertainty of fractured rock properties derived from them. This paper presents the underlying theory and implementation of a method for constructing a geologically realistic discrete fracture network, constrained by seismic amplitude variation with offset and azimuth data. Several different formulations are described, depending on the type of seismic data and prior geologic information available, and the relative strengths and weaknesses of each approach are compared. Potential applications of the method are numerous, including the prediction of fluid flow, elastic and seismic properties of fractured reservoirs, model‐based inversion of seismic amplitude variation with offset and azimuth data, and the optimal placement and orientation of infill wells to maximise production.     

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.     

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.     

Efficient volumetric extraction of most positive/negative curvature and flexure for fracture characterization from 3D seismic data

Most positive/negative curvature and flexure are among the most useful seismic attributes for detecting faults and fractures in the subsurface based on the geometry of seismic reflections. When applied to fracture characterization and modelling of a fractured reservoir, their magnitude and azimuth help quantify both the intensity and orientation of fracturing, respectively. However, previous efforts focus on estimating only the magnitude of both attributes, whereas their associated azimuth is ignored in three‐dimensional (3D) seismic interpretation. This study presents an efficient algorithm for simultaneously evaluating both the magnitude and azimuth of most positive/negative curvature and flexure from 3D seismic data. The approach implemented in this study is analytically more accurate and computationally more efficient compared with the existing approach. The added value of extracting most positive/negative curvature and flexure is demonstrated through the application to a fractured reservoir at Teapot Dome (Wyoming). First, the newly extracted attributes make computer‐aided fault/fracture decomposition possible. This allows interpreters to focus on one particular component for fracture characterization at a time, so that a composite fractured reservoir could be partitioned into different components for detailed analysis. Second, curvature/flexure azimuth allows interpreters to plot fracture histogram and/or rose diagram in an automatic and quantitative manner. Compared with the conventional plotting rose diagram based on manual measurements, automatic plotting is more efficient and offers unbiased insights into fracture systems by illuminating the most likely orientations of natural fractures in fractured reservoirs.     

Seismic characterization of vertical fractures described as general linear-slip interfaces

Fluid flow in many hydrocarbon reservoirs is controlled by aligned fractures which make the medium anisotropic on the scale of seismic wavelength. Applying the linear‐slip theory, we investigate seismic signatures of the effective medium produced by a single set of ‘general’ vertical fractures embedded in a purely isotropic host rock. The generality of our fracture model means the allowance for coupling between the normal (to the fracture plane) stress and the tangential jump in displacement (and vice versa). Despite its low (triclinic) symmetry, the medium is described by just nine independent effective parameters and possesses several distinct features which help to identify the physical model and estimate the fracture compliances and background velocities. For example, the polarization vector of the vertically propagating fast shear wave S₁ and the semi‐major axis of the S₁‐wave normal‐moveout (NMO) ellipse from a horizontal reflector always point in the direction of the fracture strike. Moreover, for the S₁‐wave both the vertical velocity and the NMO velocity along the fractures are equal to the shear‐wave velocity in the host rock. Analysis of seismic signatures in the limit of small fracture weaknesses allows us to select the input data needed for unambiguous fracture characterization. The fracture and background parameters can be estimated using the NMO ellipses from horizontal reflectors and vertical velocities of P‐waves and two split S‐waves, combined with a portion of the P‐wave slowness surface reconstructed from multi‐azimuth walkaway vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data. The stability of the parameter‐estimation procedure is verified by performing non‐linear inversion based on the exact equations.     

Anisotropic P-wave attenuation measured from a multi-azimuth surface seismic reflection survey

A system of aligned vertical fractures produces azimuthal variations in stacking velocity and amplitude variation with offset, characteristics often reported in seismic reflection data for hydrocarbon exploration. Studies of associated attenuation anisotropy have been mostly theoretical, laboratory or vertical seismic profiling based. We used an 11 common‐midpoint‐long portion of each of four marine surface‐seismic reflection profiles, intersecting each other at 45° within circa 100 m of a common location, to measure the azimuthal variation of effective attenuation, Q⁻¹_eff and stacking velocity, in a shallow interval, about 100 m thick, in which consistently orientated vertical fracturing was expected due to an underlying salt diapirism. We found qualitative and quantitative consistency between the azimuthal variation in the attenuation and stacking velocity, and published amplitude variation with offset results. The 135° azimuth line showed the least apparent attenuation (1000 Q⁻¹_eff= 16 ± 7) and the fastest stacking velocity, hence we infer it to be closest to the fracture trend: the orthogonal 45° line showed the most apparent attenuation (1000Q⁻¹_eff= 52 ± 15) and slowest stacking velocity. The variation of Q⁻¹_eff with azimuth φ is well fitted by 1000Q⁻¹_eff = 34 − 18cos[2(φ+40°)] giving a fracture direction of 140 ± 23° (±1SD, derived from ‘bootstrapping’ fits to all 11⁴ combinations of individual common‐midpoint/azimuth measurements), compared to 134 ± 47° from published amplitude variation with offset data. The effects of short‐window spectral estimation and choices of spectral ratio bandwidth and offset ranges used in attenuation analysis, individually give uncertainties of up to ±13° in fracture direction. This magnitude of azimuthal variation can be produced by credible crack geometries (e.g., dry cracks, radius 6.5 m, aspect ratio 3 × 10⁻⁵, crack density 0.2) but we do not claim these to be the actual properties of the interval studied, because of the lack of well control (and its consequences for the choice of theoretical model and host rock physical properties) and the small number of azimuths available here.     

Separation of split shear waves based on a hodogram analysis of HTI media

Although the shear-wave birefringence phenomenon affects the imaging of converted shear waves, it also provides a considerable amount of information on subsurface fracture development. Therefore, it is significant to separate split shear waves before seismic interpretation and reservoir prediction. In this paper, we propose a new method of split shear waves separation based on the polarization directions derived from hodogram analysis. Through the hodogram analysis, we find that the split shear-wave particle motions are within the range of a specific and fixed rectangle, which have relations with the fracture azimuth in strata. In addition, we found that a couple of split shear waves can only be fitted to the unique trajectory rectangle through the theoretical derivation. Based on this, we establish the trajectory rectangle through the wave vector calculation and calculate the fracture azimuth according to the fact that the one edge of the trajectory rectangle is along or perpendicular to the fracture azimuth. Synthetic data analysis shows that the calculation accuracy of fracture azimuth under the constraint of trajectory rectangle is less affected by the time delay between split shear waves than using the method of eigenvector–eigenvalue decomposition (EED). Therefore, we can obtain better results for separation of split shear waves using our method than using EED. Eventually, we propose an approach of layer stripping to deal with the problem that shear wave split several times due to the situation that different strata have different fracture azimuths. Synthetic data test indicates that our method can achieve higher calculation efficiency and faster convergence speed than the conventional eigenvector–eigenvalue decomposition method, even though the data are of a low signal-to-noise ratio. Moreover, field data applications show the effectiveness and potential of our method.     

基于Ganley理论含有衰减特性零偏VSP正演研究及修正

含有衰减的VSP资料能够提供丰富的地下岩层和岩性信息,本文根据Ganley理论对其进行了正演计算.引入品质因子Q值,考虑界面发生反射和透射,对震源位于地表及地下某一深度进行讨论,分别计算水平层状介质中的下行波和上行波.与不含有衰减特性的正演记录及其时频分析对比可以看出,高频成分的吸收、主频的降低、较多的能量衰减揭示了地...     

Monte-Carlo Bayesian look-ahead inversion of walkaway vertical seismic profiles

We describe a method to invert a walkaway vertical seismic profile (VSP) and predict elastic properties (P‐wave velocity, S‐wave velocity and density) in a layered model looking ahead of the deepest receiver. Starting from Bayes's rule, we define a posterior distribution of layered models that combines prior information (on the overall variability of and correlations among the elastic properties observed in well logs) with information provided by the VSP data. This posterior distribution of layered models is sampled by a Monte‐Carlo method. The sampled layered models agree with prior information and fit the VSP data, and their overall variability defines the uncertainty in the predicted elastic properties. We apply this technique first to a zero‐offset VSP data set, and show that uncertainty in the long‐wavelength P‐wave velocity structure results in a sizable uncertainty in the predicted elastic properties. We then use walkaway VSP data, which contain information on the long‐wavelength P‐wave velocity (in the reflection moveout) and on S‐wave velocity and density contrasts (in the change of reflectivity with offset). The uncertainty of the look‐ahead prediction is considerably decreased compared with the zero‐offset VSP, and the predicted elastic properties are in good agreement with well‐log measurements.     

Characterization of fractured reservoirs using a consistent stiffness‐permeability model: focus on the effects of fracture aperture

In this paper we propose a method for the characterization of naturally fractured reservoirs by quantitative integration of seismic and production data. The method is based on a consistent theoretical frame work to model both effective hydraulic and elastic properties of fractured porous media and a (non‐linear) Bayesian method of inversion that provides information about uncertainties as well as mean (or maximum likelihood) values. We model a fractured reservoir as a porous medium containing a single set of vertical fractures characterized by an unknown fracture density, azimuthal orientation and aperture. We then look at the problem of fracture parameter estimation as a non‐linear inverse problem and try to estimate the unknown fracture parameters by joint inversion of seismic amplitude versus angle and azimuth data and dynamic production data. Once the fracture parameters have been estimated the corresponding effective stiffness and permeability tensors can be estimated using consistent models. A synthetic example is provided to clearly explain and test the workflow. It shows that seismic and production data complement each other, in the sense that the seismic data resolve a non‐uniqueness in the fracture orientation and the production data help to recover the true fracture aperture and permeability, because production data are more sensitive to the fracture aperture than the seismic data.     

改进的AVAZ方法在裂缝型储层预测中的应用研究

对于裂缝型油气藏,基于叠前方位角地震数据体,利用AVAZ方法进行裂缝属性预测是目前较为有效的裂缝描述手段,然而,由于地震数据通常为窄方位采集,使得不同方位角数据覆盖次数差异较大,导致各方位振幅能量分布不均,最终造成裂缝属性预测中产生趋势性误差。振幅归一化处理技术应用到现有的AVAZ方法中,该方法能够有效地降低因数据采集所造成的趋势性误差,预测结果会更为真实、可靠。在实际油田的应用中,振幅归一化技术显著改善了AVAZ方法对裂缝属性预测的准确性,取得了较好的效果。      

黏弹性EDA介质中地震波的衰减特性研究

本文首先由Christoffel方程推导出黏弹性EDA介质中均匀、 非均匀P波、 SV波和SH波的相速度表达式, 然后参照极端各向异性介质的相关计算方法, 推导出EDA介质中均匀、 非均匀地震波相衰减系数和群衰减系数的表达式, 并通过数值计算分析了相速度、 相衰减系数、 群衰减系数与裂隙方位的关系. 结果表明: 均匀介质中SH波的相速度和相衰减系数均可指示裂隙的走向; 非均匀介质中SH波相衰减系数随非均匀角的增大而增大, 且其对称轴与介质对称轴的夹角也相应增加; 由于地震波振幅的衰减随岩石物理性质的变化比地震波速度的变化更为灵敏, 而且携带了更多的岩石物理性质信息, 因此可用来探明裂隙走向、 密度及含水特性, 进而应用于预测、 预防地下工程地质灾害事故.      

A case example of near-surface correction for multicomponent VSPS

A deterministic near-surface correction procedure is developed for multicomponent VSP data, shot using directional sources and recorded using three-component receivers. The method is capable of removing unwanted effects of acquisition such as unequal source strengths or misorientations, but may also remove near-surface multiples and anisotropy. This is of considerable benefit for obtaining accurate and consistent estimates of subsurface anisotropy from different source combinations. Application of the technique is illustrated using a dataset from the Romashkino reservoir in Russia, where three or four different directional sources are used at the same source locations. The technique corrects for the large discrepancies which exist between the estimates obtained using different source combinations. Application of the technique to three wells in the survey region reveals a nearly isotropic subsurface, except for a few isolated zones of moderate to high (2 to 8%) anisotropy which lie close to the expected depth for the reservoir. Although there is no significant correlation with the production figures for each well, the qS1 polarization azimuth within the reservoir does vary at each well location, suggesting that this may be a more sensitive indicator of reservoir Drocess.