Basic Geophysical Concepts

Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Gary Mavko 15

Body wave velocities have form: velocity= modulus

density
K + (4 / 3)µ # + 2µ Moduli from velocities:
VP = = P wave velocity
" "
$ $ 4& &
µ S wave velocity K = "( VP2 # % ' VS2 )
VS = % 3 '
" E wave velocity

VE =
E µ = "VS2
"
where 2
! density M = "VP
K bulk modulus = 1/compressibility
µ shear modulus
" Lamé's coefficient E = "VE2
E Young's modulus
# Poisson's ratio
M P-wave modulus = K + (4/3) µ

In terms of Poisson's ratio VP2 2(1" v ) VE2 (1+ v )(1" 2v) VP2 " 2VS2 VE2 " 2VS2
= = v= =
we can also write: VS2 (1" 2v) VP2 (1" v) 2(VP2 " VS2 ) 2VS2
2
VE2 VP
4" 2
3 "4
Relating various velocities: VP2
VS2 VE VS2
2 =
=
2
VS V2 VS
VP2
3 " E2 "1
! VS VS2
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We usually quantify Rock Physics relations in terms of moduli
and velocities, but in the field we might look for travel time or
Reflectivity

"1V1
"2V2

The reflection coefficient of a normally-incident P-wave on a boundary

is given by: " V #" V
R = "2V2 +"1V1
2 2 1 1

where !V is the acoustic impedance. Therefore, anything that causes

a large contrast in impedance can cause a large reflection.
Candidates include:
•Changes in lithology
•Changes in porosity
•Changes in saturation
•Diagenesis
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AVO
Amplitude Variation with Offset
Deepwater Oil Sand
V P1, VS1, !1 #1
Reflected
"1 S-wave

Incident Reflected
P-wave P-wave

Transmitted
P-wave

#2 "2

Transmitted N.4
VP2, V S2, !2 S-wave
Recorded CMP Gather Synthetic

In an isotropic medium, a wave that is incident on a boundary will generally create

two reflected waves (one P and one S) and two transmitted waves. The total
shear traction acting on the boundary in medium 1 (due to the summed effects of
the incident an reflected waves) must be equal to the total shear traction acting on
the boundary in medium 2 (due to the summed effects of the transmitted waves).
Also the displacement of a point in medium 1 at the boundary must be equal to the
displacement of a point in medium 2 at the boundary.

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 AVO - Aki-Richards approximation:
P-wave reflectivity versus incident angle:
Intercept Gradient
- 1 $VP V 2 ' $& $V * 0
R(" ) # R0 + / % 2 S2 ) + 2 S , 2 sin2 "
/. 2 VP VP ( & VS + 21
1 $VP
+
2 VP
[tan2 " % sin2 " ]
1 % #V #$ (*
R0 " ' P +
2 & VP $)

In principle, AVO gives us information about Vp, Vs, and

density. These are critical for optimal Rock Physics
interpretation. We’ll see later the unique role of P- and S-
wave information for separating lithology, pressure, and
saturation.

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Seismic Amplitudes
Many factors influence seismic amplitude:
• Source coupling
• Source radiation pattern
• Receiver response, coupling, and pattern
• Scattering and Intrinsic Attenuation
• Sperical divergence
• Focusing
• Anisotropy
• Statics, moveout, migration, decon, DMO
• Angle of Incidence Source Rcvr
…
• Reflection coefficient

Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Gary Mavko 20

 Intervals or Interfaces? Crossplots or Wiggles?

Rock physics analysis is usually

applied to intervals, where we
can find fairly universal relations
of acoustic properties to fluids,
lithology, porosity, rock texture,
etc. Interval Vp vs. Phi
Interval Vp vs. Vs

In contrast, seismic
A wiggles depend on
interval boundaries
B
and contrasts. This
introduces countless
variations in geometry,
wavelet, etc.

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Convolutional Model
Impedance Reflectivity Normal Incidence
vs. depth Seismic

Convolve
With
wavelet
Rock properties in Derivatives of layer Smoothed image of
each small layer properties derivative of impedance

Normal incidence reflection seismograms can be approximated with the

convolutional model. Reflectivity sequence is approximately the derivative of
the impedance: 1 d
R(t) " ln( #V )
2 dt
Seismic trace is “smoothed” with the wavelet:
S(t) " w(t)# R(t)
Be careful of US vs. European polarity conventions!
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 Inversion
Two quantitative strategies to link interval rock properties
with seismic:
•Forward modeling
•Inversion

•We have had great success in applying rock physics to

interval properties.
•For the most part, applying RP directly to the seismic
wiggles, requires a modeling or inversion step.

We often choose a model-based study, calibrated to logs

(when possible) to
•Diagnose formation properties
•Explore situations not seen in the wells
•Quantify signatures and sensitivities
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The Rock Physics Bottleneck

At any point in the Earth, there are only 3 (possibly 4)
acoustic properties: Vp, Vs, density, (and Q).
No matter how many seismic attributes we observe,
inversions can only give us three acoustic attributes
Others yield spatial or geometric information.
Reservoir
Seismic Acoustic Properties
Attributes
Properties Porosity
Traveltime
Vnmo Vp Saturation
Vp/Vs Vs Pressure
Ip,Is Density Lithology
Ro, G Q Pressure
AI, EI Stress
Q Temp.
anisotropy Etc.
etc
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 Problem of Resolution
Log-scale rock physics may be different than seismic scale

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Seismic properties (velocity, impedance, Poisson Ratio, etc)

… depend on pore pressure and stress

Units of Stress:
1 bar = 106 dyne/cm2 = 14.50 psi
10 bar = 1 MPa = 106 N/m2
1 Pa = 1 N/m2 = 1.45 10-4 psi = 10-5 bar
1000 kPa = 10 bar = 1 MPa

Stress always has units of force/area

Mudweight to Pressure Gradient

1 psi/ft = 144 lb/ft3
= 19.24 lb/gal
= 22.5 kPa/m
1 lb/gal = 0.052 psi/ft
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