Seismic attributes — A historical perspective

Geophysics ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 3SO-28SO ◽  
Author(s):  
Satinder Chopra ◽  
Kurt J. Marfurt
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Quantitative Measure ◽  
Seismic Attributes ◽  
Seismic Attribute ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Interval Velocity ◽  
Reflection Seismic ◽  
Color Displays ◽  
Attribute Analysis ◽  
Other Information

A seismic attribute is a quantitative measure of a seismic characteristic of interest. Analysis of attributes has been integral to reflection seismic interpretation since the 1930s when geophysicists started to pick traveltimes to coherent reflections on seismic field records. There are now more than 50 distinct seismic attributes calculated from seismic data and applied to the interpretation of geologic structure, stratigraphy, and rock/pore fluid properties. The evolution of seismic attributes is closely linked to advances in computer technology. As examples, the advent of digital recording in the 1960s produced improved measurements of seismic amplitude and pointed out the correlation between hydrocarbon pore fluids and strong amplitudes (“bright spots”). The introduction of color printers in the early 1970s allowed color displays of reflection strength, frequency, phase, and interval velocity to be overlain routinely on black-and-white seismic records. Interpretation workstations in the 1980s provided interpreters with the ability to interact quickly with data to change scales and colors and to easily integrate seismic traces with other information such as well logs. Today, very powerful computer workstations capable of integrating large volumes of diverse data and calculating numerous seismic attributes are a routine tool used by seismic interpreters seeking geologic and reservoir engineering information from seismic data. In this review paper celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, we reconstruct the key historical events that have lead to modern seismic attribute analysis.

Delineation of reservoir channels by different seismic attributes and geobody extractions for robust volumetric estimation, Saffron Field, offshore Nile Delta, Egypt

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
pp. 484-493
Author(s):  
Doha Monier ◽  
Azza El Rawy ◽  
Abdullah Mahmoud
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Nile Delta ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Dynamic Test ◽  
Data Interpretation ◽  
Seismic Attributes ◽  
Reservoir Properties ◽  
Root Mean Square Amplitude ◽  
Seismic Attribute ◽  
Attribute Analysis

The Nile Delta Basin is a major gas province. Commercial gas discoveries there have been proven mainly in Pleistocene to Oligocene sediments, and most discoveries are within sandstone reservoirs. Three-dimensional seismic data acquired over the basin have helped greatly in imaging and visualization of stratigraphy and structure, leading to robust understanding of the subsurface. Channel fairways serve as potential reservoir units; hence, mapping channel surfaces and identifying and defining infill lithology is important. Predicting sand distribution and reservoir presence is one of the key tasks as well as one of the key uncertainties in exploration. Integrating state-of-the-art technologies, such as including 3D seismic reflection surveys, seismic attributes, and geobody extractions, can reduce this uncertainty through recognition and accurate mapping of channel features. In this study, seismic attribute analysis, frequency analysis through spectral decomposition (SD), geobodies, and seismic sections have been used to delineate shallow Plio-Pleistocene El Wastani Formation channel fairways within the Saffron Field, offshore Nile Delta, Egypt. This has led to providing more reliable inputs for calculation of volumetrics. Interpretation of the stacked-channels complex through different seismic attributes helped to discriminate between sand-filled and shale-filled channels and in understanding their geometries. Results include more confident delineation of four distinct low-sinuosity channelized features. Petrophysical evaluation conducted on five wells penetrating Saffron reservoirs included electric logs and modular dynamic test data interpretation. The calculated average reservoir properties were used in different volumetric calculation cases. Different approaches were applied to delineate channel geometries that were later used in performing different volumetric cases. These approaches included defining channels from root-mean-square amplitude extractions, SD color-blended frequencies, and geobodies, all calculated from prestack seismic data. The different volumetric cases performed were compared against the latest field volume estimates proven after several years of production in which an area-versus-depth input showed the closest calculated hydrocarbon volumes to the actual proven field volumes.

Identification of polygonal faulting from legacy 3D seismic data in vintage Gulf of Mexico data using seismic attributes

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Karen M. Leopoldino Oliveira ◽  
Heather Bedle ◽  
Karelia La Marca Molina
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Seismic Attributes ◽  
Fault System ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
Seismic Attribute ◽  
Variable Amplitude ◽  
Attribute Analysis ◽  
Amplitude Data ◽  
3D Seismic Data ◽  
Polygonal Fault

We analyzed a 1991 3D seismic data located offshore Florida and applied seismic attribute analysis to identify geological structures. Initially, the seismic data appears to have a high signal-to-noise-ratio, being of an older vintage of quality, and appears to reveal variable amplitude subparallel horizons. Additional geophysical analysis, including seismic attribute analysis, reveals that the data has excessive denoising, and that the continuous features are actually a network of polygonal faults. The polygonal faults were identified in two tiers using variance, curvature, dip magnitude, and dip azimuth seismic attributes. Inline and crossline sections show continuous reflectors with a noisy appearance, where the polygonal faults are suppressed. In the variance time slices, the polygonal fault system forms a complex network that is not clearly imaged in the seismic amplitude data. The patterns of polygonal fault systems in this legacy dataset are compared to more recently acquired 3D seismic data from Australia and New Zealand. It is relevant to emphasize the importance of seismic attribute analysis to improve accuracy of interpretations, and also to not dismiss older seismic data that has low accurate imaging, as the variable amplitude subparallel horizons might have a geologic origin.

Delineation of Carbonate Buildups Using Advanced Seismic Attributes, NW Sirte Basin, Libya

2021 ◽  
pp. 159-168
Author(s):  
Muneer Abdalla
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Carbonate Platform ◽  
Median Filter ◽  
Random Noise ◽  
Seismic Attributes ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Seismic Attribute ◽  
Attribute Analysis ◽  
Data Conditioning ◽  
Sirte Basin

The Paleocene reservoir formations of the Northwest Sirte Basin in North-central, Libya contains chaotic and mound-shaped seismic geometries that may have an impact on the performance of the reservoirs. It is crucial to characterize and interpret these complex geometries for future field development. Therefore, this study was utilized numerous seismic attributes to characterize and enhance the interpretation of the chaotic and mounded geometries. Data conditioning represented by spectral whitening and median filter was first applied to enhance the quality of the seismic data and remove random noise resulted from data acquisition and processing. It provided high-resolution seismic data and better-displayed edges and sedimentological features. Variance, root mean square (RMS), curvature, and envelope attributes were computed from the post-stack 3D seismic data to better visualize and interpret the chaotic and mound-like seismic geometries. Based on the seismic attribute analysis, the chaotic facies were interpreted as barrier reefs forming the margins of an isolated carbonate platform, whereas the small-scale mound-shaped facies was interpreted as patch reefs developed on the platform interior. Data conditioning methods and seismic attribute analysis that were applied to the 3-D seismic data have effectively improved the detection and interpretation of the chaotic and mounded facies in the study area. Keywords: Carbonate buildup, data conditioning, seismic attributes, Sirte Basin, Libya

The use of geologic expression workflows for basin scale reconnaissance: A case study from the Exmouth Subbasin, North Carnarvon Basin, northwestern Australia

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. SA163-SA177 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. J. McArdle ◽  
D. Iacopini ◽  
M. A. KunleDare ◽  
G. S. Paton
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Seismic Attributes ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Seismic Attribute ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Attribute Analysis ◽  
Basin Scale ◽  
Northwestern Australia

The focus of this study is to demonstrate how seismic attributes can be used in the interpretation workflow to rapidly obtain a high-resolution view of the geology that is imaged within a seismic data set. To demonstrate the efficacy of seismic attribute analysis to basin scale reconnaissance, we apply a workflow to seismic data sets from the Exmouth Subbasin, northwestern Australia, with the aim of determining the geologic expression of the subsurface. Of specific interest are Barrow Group Jurassic and Cretaceous fluvial and marine sediments, that were faulted during the Jurassic-Cretaceous rifting associated with the breakup of East Gondwana. Regional-scale interpretations are made to develop a tectonostratigraphic context to the investigation. Target-level analyses, focused on features of exploration interest identified using regional reconnaissance, are made to calibrate attribute response and demonstrate the effectiveness of seismic attributes for rapid evaluation of prospectivity in the initial stages of exploration. The main structural episodes are distinguished using dip and azimuth attributes, and faulting is expressed using a combination of edge attributes which are used to create fault trend lineations. We observe three main structural trends: the main northeast–southwest Jurassic-Cretaceous syn-rift primary fault orientation of 48°, a secondary trend of 108°, taken to represent secondary conjugate faulting and a third trend of 100° interpreted as the reactivation of these faults into the postrift sediments. Stratigraphic attributes that respond to amplitude and frequency are used to create reservoir scale geobodies of faulted Macedon turbidites, which in turn are used for detailed tuning sensitivity analysis. The final part of the investigation is of the syn-rift magmatic system responsible for sills and dikes that exploit the normal fault network. These intrusive and extrusive features are important as are potential drilling hazards and can act as baffles to hydrocarbon migration.

scholarly journals Pitfalls and limitations in seismic attribute interpretation of tectonic features

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. SB5-SB15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurt J. Marfurt ◽  
Tiago M. Alves
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Seismic Attributes ◽  
Seismic Attribute ◽  
3D Data ◽  
Amplitude Data ◽  
Seismic Sections ◽  
Push Down ◽  
Data Coherence ◽  
Level Of Experience ◽  
Tectonic Features

Seismic attributes are routinely used to accelerate and quantify the interpretation of tectonic features in 3D seismic data. Coherence (or variance) cubes delineate the edges of megablocks and faulted strata, curvature delineates folds and flexures, while spectral components delineate lateral changes in thickness and lithology. Seismic attributes are at their best in extracting subtle and easy to overlook features on high-quality seismic data. However, seismic attributes can also exacerbate otherwise subtle effects such as acquisition footprint and velocity pull-up/push-down, as well as small processing and velocity errors in seismic imaging. As a result, the chance that an interpreter will suffer a pitfall is inversely proportional to his or her experience. Interpreters with a history of making conventional maps from vertical seismic sections will have previously encountered problems associated with acquisition, processing, and imaging. Because they know that attributes are a direct measure of the seismic amplitude data, they are not surprised that such attributes “accurately” represent these familiar errors. Less experienced interpreters may encounter these errors for the first time. Regardless of their level of experience, all interpreters are faced with increasingly larger seismic data volumes in which seismic attributes become valuable tools that aid in mapping and communicating geologic features of interest to their colleagues. In terms of attributes, structural pitfalls fall into two general categories: false structures due to seismic noise and processing errors including velocity pull-up/push-down due to lateral variations in the overburden and errors made in attribute computation by not accounting for structural dip. We evaluate these errors using 3D data volumes and find areas where present-day attributes do not provide the images we want.

Predict Channel Sand Body Distribution Characteristics of South Eighth District Based on RMS Amplitude Attributes & Frequency Division

2013 ◽  
Vol 734-737 ◽  
pp. 404-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Shuang Hu ◽  
Si Miao Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Physical Property ◽  
Sedimentary Facies ◽  
Distribution Area ◽  
Frequency Division ◽  
Root Mean Square Amplitude ◽  
Seismic Attribute ◽  
Body Distribution ◽  
Attribute Analysis ◽  
Sand Body

A big tendency in oil industry is underestimating the heterogeneity of the reservoir and overestimating the connectivity, which results in overly optimistic estimates of the capacity. With the development of seismic attributes, we could pick up hidden reservoir lithology and physical property information from the actual seismic data, strengthen seismic data application in actual work, to ensure the objectivity of the results. In this paper, the channel sand body distribution in south eighth district of oilfield Saertu is predicted through seismic data root-mean-square amplitude and frequency division to identify sand body boundaries, predict the distribution area channel sand body characteristics successfully, which consistent with the sedimentary facies distribution. The result proves that seismic attribute analysis has good practicability in channel sand body prediction and sedimentary facies description.

scholarly journals Characterization of reservoir sands using 3D seismic attributes in the coastal swamp area of Niger Delta Basin

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwatoyin Khadijat Olaleye ◽  
Pius Adekunle Enikanselu ◽  
Michael Ayuk Ayuk
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Niger Delta ◽  
Seismic Attributes ◽  
Effective Porosity ◽  
High Porosity ◽  
Hydrocarbon Accumulation ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
Seismic Attribute ◽  
Niger Delta Basin

AbstractHydrocarbon accumulation and production within the Niger Delta Basin are controlled by varieties of geologic features guided by the depositional environment and tectonic history across the basin. In this study, multiple seismic attribute transforms were applied to three-dimensional (3D) seismic data obtained from “Reigh” Field, Onshore Niger Delta to delineate and characterize geologic features capable of harboring hydrocarbon and identifying hydrocarbon productivity areas within the field. Two (2) sand units were delineated from borehole log data and their corresponding horizons were mapped on seismic data, using appropriate check-shot data of the boreholes. Petrophysical summary of the sand units revealed that the area is characterized by high sand/shale ratio, effective porosity ranged from 16 to 36% and hydrocarbon saturation between 72 and 92%. By extracting attribute maps of coherence, instantaneous frequency, instantaneous amplitude and RMS amplitude, characterization of the sand units in terms of reservoir geomorphological features, facies distribution and hydrocarbon potential was achieved. Seismic attribute results revealed (1) characteristic patterns of varying frequency and amplitude areas, (2) major control of hydrocarbon accumulation being structural, in terms of fault, (3) prospective stratigraphic pinch-out, lenticular thick hydrocarbon sand, mounded sand deposit and barrier bar deposit. Seismic Attributes analysis together with seismic structural interpretation revealed prospective structurally high zones with high sand percentage, moderate thickness and high porosity anomaly at the center of the field. The integration of different seismic attribute transforms and results from the study has improved our understanding of mapped sand units and enhanced the delineation of drillable locations which are not recognized on conventional seismic interpretations.

scholarly journals APPLICATION OF DIRECT HYDROCARBON INDICATORS FOR OIL AND GAS PROSPECTING IN THE DNIPRO-DONETS DEPRESSION

2021 ◽  
pp. 99-108
Author(s):  
Sergiy VYZHVA ◽  
Ihor SOLOVYOV ◽  
Ihor МYKHALEVYCH ◽  
Viktoriia KRUHLYK ◽  
Georgiy LISNY
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Impedance ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Practical Importance ◽  
Seismic Attributes ◽  
Limited Range ◽  
Seismic Attribute ◽  
Tectonic Model ◽  
Hydrocarbon Traps ◽  
Attribute Analysis ◽  
Volumetric Images

Based on the results of numerous seismic studies carried out in the areas and fields of the Dnipro-Donets depression, the strategy to identify hydrocarbon traps in this region has been developed taking into account modern requirements for prospecting and exploration of gas and oil fields. The studies are designed to determine the favorable zones of hydrocarbon accumulations based on the analysis of the structural-tectonic model. A necessary element for solving such a problem is to aaply direct indicators of hydrocarbons to predict traps of the structural, lithological or combined type. It was determined that an effective approach to identify hydrocarbon traps in the region is attribute analysis employing seismic attributes such as seismic envelope, acoustic impedance or relative acoustic impedance. In most cases of practical importance, the analysis of the distribution of the values of these attributes turned out to be sufficient for performing the geological tasks. It is given an example of extracting additional useful information on the spatial distribution of hydrocarbon traps from volumetric images obtained from seismograms of common sources with a limited range of ray angles inclinations. To analyze the distributions of seismic attribute values, it is recommended to use the Geobody technology for detecting geological bodies as the most effective when using volumetric seismic data. The distributions of various properties of rocks, including zones of increased porosity or zones of presence of hydrocarbons are determined depending on the types of seismic attributes used in the analysis,. The use of several seismic attributes makes it possible to identify geological bodies saturated with hydrocarbons with increased porosity and the like. The paper provides examples of hydrocarbon traps recognition in the areas and fields of the Dnipro-Donets depression practically proved by wells. A generalization on the distribution of promising hydrocarbon areas on the Northern flank of the Dnipro-Donets depression and the relationship of this distribution with the identified structural elements of the geological subsoil is made. 

THE INTEGRATION OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY IN GIPPSLAND'S CENTRAL FIELDS STUDY

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 513
Author(s):  
P.V.Hinton P.V.Hinton ◽  
M.G.Cousins ◽  
P.E.Symes
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Field Performance ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Depositional Environments ◽  
Seismic Attribute ◽  
Sequence Stratigraphic ◽  
Multidisciplinary Study ◽  
Attribute Analysis ◽  
Definition Of

The central fields area of the Gippsland Basin, Australia, includes the Halibut, Cobia, Fortescue, and Mackerel oil fields. These large fields are mature with about 80% of the reserves produced. During 1991 and 1992 a multidisciplinary study, integrating the latest technology, was completed to help optimise the depletion of the remaining significant reserves.A grid of 4500 km of high resolution 3D seismic data covering 191 square kilometres allowed the identification of subtle structural traps as well as better definition of sandstone truncation edges which represent the ultimate drainage points. In addition, the latest techniques in seismic attribute analysis provided insight into depositional environments, seal potential and facies distribution. Sequence stratigraphic concepts were used in combination with seismic data to build complex multi million cell 3D geological models. Reservoir simulation models were then constructed to history match past production and to predict future field performance. Facility studies were also undertaken to optimise depletion strategies.The Central Fields Depletion Study has resulted in recommendations to further develop the fields with about 80 work-overs, 50 infill wells, reduction in separator pressures, and gas lift and water handling facility upgrades. These activities are expected to increase ultimate reserves and production. Some of the recommendations have been implemented with initial results of additional drilling on Mackerel increasing platform production from 22,000 BOPD to over 50,000 BOPD. An ongoing program of additional drilling from the four platforms is expected to continue for several years.

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