Seismic inversion using complex spherical-wave reflection coefficient at different offsets and frequencies

Compared with the plane-wave reflection coefficient, the spherical-wave reflection coefficient (SRC) can more accurately describe the reflected wavefield excited by a point source, especially in the case of low seismic frequency and short travel distance. However, unlike the widely used plane-wave amplitude-variation-with-offset/frequency (AVO/AVF) inversion, the practical application of spherical-wave AVO/AVF inversion in multilayer elastic media is still in the exploratory stage. One of the difficulties is how to fully use the amplitude and phase information of the complex-valued SRC and the spherical-wave response property of each frequency component to obtain the spherical-wave synthetic seismogram in multilayer elastic media. In view of this, we have developed a complex convolution model considering the amplitude and phase information of a SRC to obtain the complex synthetic seismogram of a certain frequency component. A simple harmonic superposition method is further developed. By superposing the complex synthetic seismograms of different frequency components, the synthetic seismogram of the full-frequency band can be obtained. In addition, a novel three-parameter SRC in terms of P- and S-wave moduli and density is derived. Based on the SRC and complex seismic traces with different offsets (or incidence angles) and frequency components, an inversion approach of complex spherical-wave amplitude and phase variation with offset and frequency is proposed. A noisy synthetic data example verifies the robustness of our complex spherical-wave inversion approach. Field data examples indicate that the P- and S-wave moduli estimated by the complex spherical-wave inversion approach can reasonably match the filtered well-logging data. Considering spherical waves rather than plane waves can improve the accuracy of seismic inversion results.

Structural Interpretation of Yamama and Naokelekan Formations in Tuba Oil Field Using 2D Seismic Data

This research includes structure interpretation of the Yamama Formation (Lower Cretaceous) and the Naokelekan Formation (Jurassic) using 2D seismic reflection data of the Tuba oil field region, Basrah, southern Iraq. The two reflectors (Yamama and Naokelekan) were defined and picked as peak and tough depending on the 2D seismic reflection interpretation process, based on the synthetic seismogram and well log data. In order to obtain structural settings, these horizons were followed over all the regions. Two-way travel-time maps, depth maps, and velocity maps have been produced for top Yamama and top Naokelekan formations. The study concluded that certain longitudinal enclosures reflect anticlines in the east and west of the study area representing Zubair and Rumaila fold confined between them a fold consist of two domes represents Tuba fold with the same trending of Zubair and Rumaila structures. The study confirmed the importance of this field as a reservoir of the accumulation of hydrocarbons.

A 2D Seismic Reflection and Interpretation Study of the Khan Al-Baghdadi area within the Palaeozoic Era (western Iraq)

This research deals with a 2D seismic structural and stratigraphic interpretation of Khan Al-Baghdadi area which is located in the western part of Iraq in Anbar governorate. Two main seismic reflectors are identified within the Silurian and Ordovician; these are the Hot_shale_1 within Akkas Formation and the Top Khabour Formation, which were deposited during the Paleozoic, based on synthetic seismogram of Akk_3 well near the study area. Time, depth, and velocity maps show the presence of two anticline structures trending east-west and located on the west side of the study area. The first is the Tulul structure (here denoted as A) and the second is denoted as B. Also, the maps show the increase in time towards the eastern side of the study area. The general slope of the reflectors is towards the southeast and the increase in the thickness of formations is gradually to the southwest and the northwest sides of the study area. The direct hydrocarbon indicator (DHI) was identified as sand lenses and flat spots on the studied reflectors, when applying seismic attributes like the instantaneous phase and the instantaneous Frequency), which give indicators of potential hydrocarbon accumulations. The primary reservoir in the study area is sandstone within the Khabour Formation, while the source and seal rocks are in the Hot_shale within Akkas Formation. They are interpreted to be present throughout Akkas Field, as gas-condensate accumulations, 100 km to the west of the study area and demonstrate the viability of the Paleozoic petroleum system in the Western Desert of Iraq.

3D Seismic Reflection Study of Al-Akhadeir Area, Southwestern Iraq

This study includes structural and stratigraphic interpretation of 3D seismic reflection data for Zubair Formation (L. Cretaceous) within Al-Akhadeir area, southwestern Iraq (Karbala Governorate). Depending on the 3D seismic reflection interpretation process, and based on the synthetic seismogram and well logs data, two horizons were identified and selected (top and base Zubair reflectors). These horizons were followed up over the entire area in order to obtain structural and stratigraphic settings. TWT, depth, and velocity maps for the base and top Zubair Formation were constructed. From the interpretation of these maps and based on the seismic section, the study concluded that there are some enclosures that represent anticline in the NW of the horizon and syncline in the NE, while the nose structure appears in the middle of the horizon and trends N-S. The horizon represents a progradational with sigmoid configuration.. Other seismic structural phenomena were recognized in this part of the area, such as flat spot, down lap, and top lap, which give indicators of potential hydrocarbon accumulations

Seismic well tie by aligning impedance log with inverted impedance from seismic data

The accuracy of seismic inversion is affected by the seismic wavelet and time-depth relationship generated by the process of the seismic well tie. The seismic well tie is implemented by comparing the synthetic seismogram computed from well logs and the poststack seismogram at or nearby the borehole location. However, precise waveform matching between the synthetic seismogram and the seismic trace does not guarantee an accurate tie between the elastic properties contained represented by the seismic data and well logs. We have performed the seismic well tie using the impedance log and the impedance inverted from poststack seismic data. We use an improved dynamic time warping to align the impedance log and impedance inverted from seismic data. Our workflow is similar to the current procedure of the seismic well tie except that the matching is implemented between the impedance log and the inverted impedance. The current seismic well-tie converges if there is no visible changes for the wavelets and time-depth relationship in the previous and current tying loops. Similarly, our seismic well tie converges if there are no visible changes for the wavelets, inverted impedance, and time-depth relationship in the previous and current tying loops. The real data example illustrates that more accurate inverted impedance is obtained by using the new wavelet and time-depth relationship.

Analysis on the Synthetic Seismograms of Seismic Wave Caused by Low Frequency Sound Source in Shallow Sea with Porous Seabed

Elastic wave in the seabed caused by low frequency noise radiated from ship is called ship seismic wave and can be used to identify ship target. In order to obtain the propagation features of ship seismic wave in shallow sea with thick sediment, this paper introduces an algorithm for synthetic seismogram aroused by low frequency point sound source in shallow sea based on Biot’s wave theory for saturated porous media. Numerical calculation of synthetic seismogram at seafloor was carried out at a typical shallow sea environment with thick sediment. According to the results of numerical examples, the time series of seismic wave at seafloor is mostly composed of interface wave and leaky modes. The interface wave can propagate to far distance with small attenuation when the source frequency is very low. When the source frequency increases, the interface wave can no longer propagate to far distance like the leaky modes because the attenuation of sediment increases rapidly with frequency. The porosity and permeability of sediment in shallow sea have some influence on the dispersion characteristic of seismic wave at seafloor.