THE USE OF VSP TECHNIQUES IN FIELD EVALUATION

1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 226
Author(s):  
R.L. Ireson

Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) techniques have been developed which have found application in the development and production of hydrocarbons as well as in exploration.A VSP is initiated by outlining the objectives of the survey and, using a model of the geology in the vicinity of the borehole, applying inversion techniques to determine the VSP method best suited to provide the required data. Reflection coverage, critical refractions, and mode conversion data (using 3-component geophones) can be used to obtain a structural, lithologic, and petrophysical interpretation.Structural interpretations using recently developed migration techniques based on the scalar wave equation can now provide images of the sub-surface which are superior to those obtained using previous ray-trace schemes.Acoustic impedance estimates from VSP surveys processed with deterministic deconvolution techniques and optimal amplitude recovery to obtain maximum temporal resolution can be more accurate than those obtained from surface seismic data. Offset VSP data can also give an estimate of reservoir porosity variations away from the borehole.

Geophysics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. N29-N40
Author(s):  
Modeste Irakarama ◽  
Paul Cupillard ◽  
Guillaume Caumon ◽  
Paul Sava ◽  
Jonathan Edwards

Structural interpretation of seismic images can be highly subjective, especially in complex geologic settings. A single seismic image will often support multiple geologically valid interpretations. However, it is usually difficult to determine which of those interpretations are more likely than others. We have referred to this problem as structural model appraisal. We have developed the use of misfit functions to rank and appraise multiple interpretations of a given seismic image. Given a set of possible interpretations, we compute synthetic data for each structural interpretation, and then we compare these synthetic data against observed seismic data; this allows us to assign a data-misfit value to each structural interpretation. Our aim is to find data-misfit functions that enable a ranking of interpretations. To do so, we formalize the problem of appraising structural interpretations using seismic data and we derive a set of conditions to be satisfied by the data-misfit function for a successful appraisal. We investigate vertical seismic profiling (VSP) and surface seismic configurations. An application of the proposed method to a realistic synthetic model shows promising results for appraising structural interpretations using VSP data, provided that the target region is well-illuminated. However, we find appraising structural interpretations using surface seismic data to be more challenging, mainly due to the difficulty of computing phase-shift data misfits.


2014 ◽  
Vol 599-601 ◽  
pp. 639-642
Author(s):  
Jun Zhou ◽  
Chun Hui Xie ◽  
Peng Yang

Extracting interval velocity is one of important applications of VSP data. Also, imaging of VSP data requires accurate velocity information. Two kinds of algorithms on the assumption of straight-ray and curve-ray are employed to calculate interval velocity respectively. Comparison of the extracted velocity from the two methods above with real velocity shows that both methods are suitable for VSP data recorded in the vicinity of well, while the algorithm derived from straight-ray fails in the long-offset. Moreover, the curve-ray is more reliable when there are some random errors due to the first arrivals picking.


Geophysics ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 859-862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert R. Stewart

Multicomponent seismic recordings are currently being analyzed in an attempt to improve conventional P‐wave sections and to find and use rock properties associated with shear waves (e.g. Dohr, 1985; Danbom and Dominico, 1986). Mode‐converted (P-SV) waves hold a special interest for several reasons: They are generated by conventional P‐wave sources and have only a one‐way travel path as a shear wave through the typically low velocity and attenuative near surface. For a given frequency, they will have a shorter wavelength than the original P wave, and thus offer higher spatial resolution; this has been observed in several vertical seismic profiling (VSP) cases (e.g., Geis et al., 1990). However, for surface seismic data, converted waves are often found to be of lower frequency than P-P waves (e.g., Eaton et al., 1991).


Geophysics ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 1148-1149
Author(s):  
S. D. Stainsby ◽  
M. H. Worthington

Seeman and Horowicz devised an elegant procedure for the separation of upgoing and downgoing waves in VSP data. Their method is based upon a least‐squares solution of the frequency‐domain equations which relate the upgoing and downgoing signals at a reference level to the observed signals at other levels in the Earth. The coefficients of these equations are time‐shift operations. Unfortunately, for frequencies [Formula: see text] where δt is the vertical time sampling interval, the denominator of the solution equations is zero. For this reason the authors only applied the method over a passband: [Formula: see text] where the cutoff frequencies [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are chosen to reflect the useful frequency band of the signal.


Geophysics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 745-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gérard C. Herman ◽  
Paul A. Milligan ◽  
Qicheng Dong ◽  
James W. Rector

Because of irregularities in or near the borehole, vertical seismic profiling (VSP) or crosswell data can be contaminated with scattered tube waves. These can have a large amplitude and can interfere with weaker upcoming reflections, destroying their continuity. This type of organized noise cannot always be removed with filtering methods currently in use. We propose a method based on modeling the scattered tube‐wave field and then subtracting it from the total data set. We assume that the scattering occurs close to the borehole axis and therefore use a 1-D impedance function to characterize borehole irregularities. Estimation of this impedance function is one of the first steps. Our method also accounts for multiply scattered tube waves. We apply the method to an actual VSP data set and conclude that the continuity of reflected, upcoming events improves significantly in a washout zone.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. T121-T129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Klokov ◽  
Damir Irkabaev ◽  
Osareni C. Ogiesoba ◽  
Nail Munasypov

Seismic diffractions may play an important role in seismic interpretation because they characterize geologic objects that might not be visible for conventional seismic attribute analysis. Diffractivity may be caused by, and consequently may define, tectonic dislocations (faults and fractures), lithologic variations, and fluid saturation within rocks. We have tied seismic diffractions extracted from vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data and borehole logging, from which we recognized the reasons that were responsible for diffractivity of the strata. First, we processed a multisource multicomponent VSP data set to extract seismic diffractions and constructed diffraction images of the strata for all three of the VSP data components. Then, we performed joint analysis of well logs and diffractions to obtain petrophysical attributes associated with diffraction images. We divided the rock succession into several units, which have different diffraction properties. We identified compacted rock, alternating intervals, isolated fractured zones, and fluid-saturated layers.


Geophysics ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. U29-U36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua-wei Zhou

Building laterally depth-varying velocity models for vertical seismic profiling (VSP) imaging is challenging because of the narrow ray-angle coverage of VSP data, especially if only first arrivals are used. This study explores the potential of a new deformable-layer tomography (DLT) for building velocity models with a VSP data set acquired over the Vinton salt dome in southwestern Louisiana. The DLT method uses first breaks to constrain the geometry of velocity interfaces from an initial model of flat, constant-velocity layers parameterized using a priori geologic and geophysical information. A progressive multiscale inversion loop gradually updates the interface geometry. The final solution model, containing 3D geometry, is well supported by resolution and reliability tests and closely matches the long-wavelength trends of area sonic logs. The presence of velocity anisotropy is also indicated.


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