Huge wave attenuation in partially saturated fractured reservoirs

2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Miroslav Brajanovski ◽  
Tobias Müller
Keyword(s):  
Wave Attenuation ◽  
Fractured Reservoirs ◽  
Partially Saturated

Plane-wave attenuation anisotropy in orthorhombic media

Geophysics ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. D9-D19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaping Zhu ◽  
Ilya Tsvankin
Keyword(s):  
Attenuation Coefficient ◽  
Wave Attenuation ◽  
Fractured Reservoirs ◽  
The Body ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Attenuation Coefficients ◽  
Velocity Anisotropy ◽  
Homogeneous Wave ◽  
Anisotropy Parameters ◽  
Attenuation Anisotropy

Orthorhombic models are often used in the interpretation of azimuthally varying seismic signatures recorded over fractured reservoirs. Here, we develop an analytic framework for describing the attenuation coefficients in orthorhombic media with orthorhombic attenuation (i.e., the symmetry of both the real and imaginary parts of the stiffness tensor is identical) under the assumption of homogeneous wave propagation. The analogous form of the Christoffel equation in the symmetry planes of orthorhombic and VTI (transversely isotropic with a vertical symmetry axis) media helps to obtain the symmetry-plane attenuation coefficients by adapting the existing VTI equations. To take full advantage of this equivalence with transverse isotropy, we introduce a parameter set similar to the VTI attenuation-anisotropy parameters [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]. This notation, based on the same principle as Tsvankin’s velocity-anisotropy parameters for orthorhombic media, leads to concise linearized equations for thesymmetry-plane attenuation coefficients of all three modes (P, [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]).The attenuation-anisotropy parameters also allow us to simplify the P-wave attenuation coefficient [Formula: see text] outside the symmetry planes under the assumptions of small attenuation and weak velocity and attenuation anisotropy. The approximate coefficient [Formula: see text] has the same form as the linearized P-wave phase-velocity function, with the velocity parameters [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] replaced by the attenuation parameters [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. The exact attenuation coefficient, however, also depends on the velocity-anisotropy parameters, while the body-wave velocities are almost unperturbed by the presence of attenuation. The reduction in the number of parameters responsible for the P-wave attenuation and the simple approximation for the coefficient [Formula: see text] provide a basis for inverting P-wave attenuation measurements from orthorhombic media. The attenuation processing must be preceded by anisotropic velocity analysis that can be performed (in the absence of pronounced velocity dispersion) using existing algorithms for nonattenuative media.

scholarly journals Statistical characterization of gas-patch distributions in partially saturated rocks

Geophysics ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. WA51-WA64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julianna Toms-Stewart ◽  
Tobias M. Müller ◽  
Boris Gurevich ◽  
Lincoln Paterson
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Function ◽  
Autocorrelation Function ◽  
Correlation Length ◽  
Wave Attenuation ◽  
Length Scales ◽  
Gas Saturation ◽  
Partially Saturated ◽  
Statistical Measures ◽  
Fluid Saturation ◽  
Limestone Sample

Reservoir rocks are often saturated by two or more fluid phases forming complex patterns on all length scales. The objective of this work is to quantify the geometry of fluid phase distribution in partially saturated porous rocks using statistical methods and to model the associated acoustic signatures. Based on X-ray tomographic images at submillimeter resolution obtained during a gas-injection experiment, the spatial distribution of the gas phase in initially water-saturated limestone samples are constructed. Maps of the continuous variation of the percentage of gas saturation are computed and associated binary maps obtained through a global thresholding technique. The autocorrelation function is derived via the two-point probability function computed from the binary gas-distribution maps using Monte Carlo simulations.The autocorrelation function can be approximated well by a single Debye correlation function or a superposition of two such functions. The characteristic length scales and show sensitivity (and hence significance) with respect to the percentage of gas saturation. An almost linear decrease of the Debye correlation length occurs with increasing gas saturation. It is concluded that correlation function and correlation length provide useful statistical information to quantify fluid-saturation patterns and changes in these patterns at the mesoscale. These spatial statistical measures are linked to a model that predicts compressional wave attenuation and dispersion from local, wave-induced fluid flow in randomly heterogeneous poroelastic solids. In particular, for a limestone sample, with flow permeability of 5 darcies and an average gas saturation of [Formula: see text], significant [Formula: see text]-wave attenuation is predicted at ultrasonic frequencies.

Fluid distribution effect on sonic attenuation in partially saturated limestones

Geophysics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 154-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thierry Cadoret ◽  
Gary Mavko ◽  
Bernard Zinszner
Keyword(s):  
Wave Attenuation ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
High Water ◽  
Fluid Distribution ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Fluid Content ◽  
Partially Saturated ◽  
Fluid Saturation ◽  
Distribution Effect ◽  
Saturation Method

Extensional and torsional wave‐attenuation measurements are obtained at a sonic frequency around 1 kHz on partially saturated limestones using large resonant bars, 1 m long. To study the influence of the fluid distribution, we use two different saturation methods: drying and depressurization. When water saturation (Sw) is higher than 70%, the extensional wave attenuation is found to depend on whether the resonant bar is jacketed. This can be interpreted as the Biot‐Gardner‐White effect. The experimental results obtained on jacketed samples show that, during a drying experiment, extensional wave attenuation is influenced strongly by the fluid content when Sw is between approximately 60% and 100%. This sensitivity to fluid saturation vanishes when saturation is obtained through depressurization. Using a computer‐assisted tomographic (CT) scan, we found that, during depressurization, the fluid distribution is homogeneous at the millimetric scale at all saturations. In contrast, during drying, heterogeneous saturation was observed at high water‐saturation levels. Thus, we interpret the dependence of the extensional wave attenuation upon the saturation method as principally caused by a fluid distribution effect. Torsional attenuation shows no sensitivity to fluid saturation for Sw between 5% and 100%.

QVOA analysis: P-wave attenuation anisotropy for fracture characterization

Geophysics ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. C37-C48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Chichinina ◽  
Vladimir Sabinin ◽  
Gerardo Ronquillo-Jarillo
Keyword(s):  
Wave Reflection ◽  
Wave Attenuation ◽  
Fractured Reservoirs ◽  
Anisotropy Parameter ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Fracture Parameters ◽  
Fractured Medium ◽  
Seismic Quality Factor ◽  
Pp Wave ◽  
Attenuation Anisotropy

This paper investigates [Formula: see text]-anisotropy for characterizing fractured reservoirs — specifically, the variation of the seismic quality factor [Formula: see text] versus offset and azimuth (QVOA). We derive an analytical expression for P-wave attenuation in a transversely isotropic medium with horizontal symmetry axis (HTI) and provide a method (QVOA) for estimating fracture direction from azimuthally varying [Formula: see text] in PP-wave reflection data. The QVOA formula is similar to Rüger’s approximation for PP-wave reflection coefficients, the theoretical basis for amplitude variation with angle offset (AVOA) analysis. The technique for QVOA analysis is similar to azimuthal AVO analysis. We introduce two new seismic attributes: [Formula: see text] versus offset (QVO) gradient and intercept. QVO gradient inversion not only indicates fracture orientation but also characterizes [Formula: see text]-anisotropy. We relate the [Formula: see text]-anisotropy parameter [Formula: see text] to fractured-medium parameters and invert the QVO gradient to estimate [Formula: see text]. The attenuation parameter [Formula: see text] and Thomsen-style anisotropy parameter [Formula: see text] are found to be interdependent. The attenuation anisotropy magnitude strongly depends on the host rock’s [Formula: see text] parameter, whereas the dependence on fracture parameters is weak. This complicates the QVO gradient inversion for the fracture parameters. This result is independent of the attenuation mechanism. To illustrate the QVOA method in synthetic data, we use Hudson’s first-order effective-medium model of a dissipative fractured reservoir with fluid flow between aligned cracks and random pores as a possible mechanism for P-wave attenuation.

Effect of pore fluid on ultrasonic S-wave attenuation in partially saturated tight rocks

2021 ◽  
Vol 147 ◽  
pp. 104910
Author(s):  
Rupeng Ma ◽  
Jing Ba ◽  
Maxim Lebedev ◽  
Boris Gurevich ◽  
Yongyang Sun
Keyword(s):  
Wave Attenuation ◽  
Pore Fluid ◽  
S Wave ◽  
Partially Saturated ◽  
Tight Rocks

Wave attenuation in partially saturated rocks

Geophysics ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald M. Mavko ◽  
Amos Nur
Keyword(s):  
Crack Width ◽  
Seismic Waves ◽  
Liquid Drop ◽  
Wave Attenuation ◽  
Pore Shape ◽  
Liquid Droplets ◽  
Wave Excitation ◽  
Partially Saturated ◽  
Aspect Ratios ◽  
Complete Saturation

A model is presented to describe the attenuation of seismic waves in rocks with partially liquid‐saturated flat cracks or pores. The presence of at least a small fraction of a free gaseous phase permits the fluid to flow freely when the pore is compressed under wave excitation. The resulting attenuation is much higher than with complete saturation as treated by Biot. In general, the attenuation increases with increasing liquid concentration, but is much more sensitive to the aspect ratios of the pores and the liquid droplets occupying the pores, with flatter pores resulting in higher attenuation. Details of pore shape other than aspect ratio appear to have little effect on the general behavior provided the crack width is slowly varying over the length of the liquid drop.

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