Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Tapan Mukerji

Basic Geophysical Concepts

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 Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Tapan Mukerji

Body wave velocities have form: velocity = modulus

density
K + (4 / 3)µ λ + 2µ
VP = =
ρ ρ P wave velocity

µ S wave velocity
VS =
ρ E wave velocity
E
VE =
ρ
where
ρ density
K bulk modulus = 1/compressibility
µ shear modulus
λ Lamé's coefficient
E Young's modulus
ν Poisson's ratio
M P-wave modulus = K + (4/3) µ

Moduli from velocities:

⎛ ⎛ 4⎞ ⎞
µ = ρV 2
K = ρ⎜ VP2 − ⎝ ⎠ VS2 ⎟
S
⎝ 3 ⎠
M = ρ VP E = ρVE
2 2

In terms of Poisson's ratio we can also write:

V P2 2 (1 − v ) VE2 (1+ v )(1−2v) VP2 −2VS2 VE2 −2VS2

2 = 2 = v= 2 2 =
VS (1 − 2v ) VP (1− v) 2(VP −VS ) 2VS2
Relating various velocities: 2
V E2 VP
4− 2 3 −4
V P2 VS VE2 VS2
= 2 =
V S2 V E2 VS VP2
3− 2 −1
VS VS2
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 Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Tapan Mukerji

We usually quantify Rock Physics relations in

terms of moduli and velocities, but in the field
we might look for travel time or Reflectivity

ρ1V1
ρ2V2

The reflection coefficient of a normally-incident P-

wave on a boundary is given by:
ρ2V2 −ρ1V1
R = ρ V +ρ V
2 2 1 1
where ρV 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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 Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Tapan Mukerji

AVO
Amplitude Variation with Offset
V P1, VS1, ρ1 φ1 Deepwater
Well Oil
#2 Sand
Reflected
θ1 S-wave

Incident Reflected
P-wave P-wave

Transmitted
P-wave

φ2 θ2

Transmitted
VP2, V S2, ρ 2 S-wave C N.4 D
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 displace-
ment of a point in medium 2 at the boundary.

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 Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Tapan Mukerji

AVO - Aki-Richards approximation:

P-wave reflectivity versus incident angle:

Intercept Gradient
⎡ 1 ∆VP VS2 ⎛ ∆ρ ∆VS ⎞ ⎤ 2
R(θ ) ≈ R0 + ⎢ −2 2⎜ +2 ⎟ ⎥ sin θ
⎢⎣ 2 VP VP ⎝ ρ VS ⎠⎥ ⎦
1 ∆VP
+
2 VP
[tan 2 θ − sin2 θ ]

1 ⎜⎛ ∆VP ∆ρ ⎞
R0 ≈ + ⎟
2 ⎝ VP ρ⎠

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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 Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Tapan Mukerji

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
…
• Reflection coefficient

Source Rcvr

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 Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Tapan Mukerji

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 wiggles depend on interval boundaries
and contrasts. This introduces countless variations in
geometry, wavelet, etc.

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 Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Tapan Mukerji

Convolutional Model
Impedance Normal Incidence
Reflectivity
vs. depth Seismic

Convolve
With
wavelet
Rock properties Derivatives of Smoothed image
in each small layer of derivative of
layer properties 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(ρV )
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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 Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Tapan Mukerji

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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 Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Tapan Mukerji

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
Traveltime Porosity
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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 Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Tapan Mukerji

Problem of Resolution
Log-scale rock physics may be different
than seismic scale

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 Stanford Rock Physics Laboratory - Tapan Mukerji

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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