Salt/sediment proximity to delineate salt boundaries using seismic while drilling in the Gulf of Mexico

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (11) ◽  
pp. 833-842
Author(s):  
Jacob Bayer ◽  
Bryce Jensen ◽  
Yingping Li ◽  
Tianrun Chen ◽  
Ken Matson
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Comprehensive Analysis ◽  
Processing Method ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Seismic Profiling ◽  
Vertical Seismic Profiling ◽  
Degree Of Confidence ◽  
Zero Offset ◽  
Optimization Efficiency ◽  
High Degree

Between July 2018 and January 2019, Shell acquired two vertical seismic profiling (VSP) surveys in two deepwater wells in the Gulf of Mexico by using a seismic while drilling (SWD) tool. Each survey included a rig source zero-offset VSP and a boat source offset VSP. The main objective of the surveys is to delineate the salt-sediment boundary at the salt base and flank. We design and execute the complex VSP surveys with emphasis on optimization, efficiency, and integration. We develop a comprehensive analysis and processing method to integrate P-wave sediment and salt proximities with converted PS salt proximity. We use SWD-VSP surveys to demonstrate how we define the salt boundary with the integrated results. Our results show that we can delineate the salt boundary with better accuracy and with a high degree of confidence. These successful VSP surveys provide significant business and technical value.

Fracture detection using P-wave and S-wave vertical seismic profiling at The Geysers

Geophysics ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. L. Majer ◽  
T. V. McEvilly ◽  
F. S. Eastwood ◽  
L. R. Myer
Keyword(s):  
Fractured Rock ◽  
Geothermal Field ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Velocity Variation ◽  
Fracture Detection ◽  
S Wave ◽  
Fracture Geometry ◽  
Seismic Profiling ◽  
Vertical Seismic Profiling ◽  
The Geysers

In a pilot vertical seismic profiling study, P-wave and cross‐polarized S-wave vibrators were used to investigate the potential utility of shear‐wave anisotropy measurements in characterizing a fractured rock mass. The caprock at The Geysers geothermal field was found to exhibit about an 11 percent velocity variation between SH-waves and SV-waves generated by rotating the S-wave vibrator orientation to two orthogonal polarizations for each survey level in the well. The effect is generally consistent with the equivalent anisotropy expected from the known fracture geometry.

Application of instantaneous rotations to S‐wave vertical seismic profiling

Geophysics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 1365-1368
Author(s):  
M. Boulfoul ◽  
Doyle R. Watts
Keyword(s):  
High Amplitude ◽  
Seismic Profile ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
S Wave ◽  
Amplitude Variation With Offset ◽  
Seismic Profiling ◽  
Vertical Seismic Profiling ◽  
Seismic Models ◽  
Low Amplitude

The petroleum exploration industry uses S‐wave vertical seismic profiling (VSP) to determine S‐wave velocities from downgoing direct arrivals, and S‐wave reflectivities from upgoing waves. Seismic models for quantitative calibration of amplitude variation with offset (AVO) data require S‐wave velocity profiles (Castagna et al., 1993). Vertical summations (Hardage, 1983) of the upgoing waves produce S‐wave composite traces and enable interpretation of S‐wave seismic profile sections. In the simplest application of amplitude anomalies, the coincidence of high amplitude P‐wave reflectivity and low amplitude S‐wave reflectivity is potentially a direct indicator of the presence of natural gas.

scholarly journals Fluid prediction of a deep carbonate reservoir using walkaround 3D-3C vertical seismic profiling data

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haohao Zhang ◽  
Jun Lu ◽  
Benchi Chen ◽  
Xuejun Ma ◽  
Zhidong Cai
Keyword(s):  
Poisson’S Ratio ◽  
Wave Impedance ◽  
Carbonate Reservoir ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Poisson's Ratio ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
Seismic Profiling ◽  
Tahe Oilfield ◽  
Vertical Seismic Profiling ◽  
Time Migration

Abstract The considerable depth and complicated structure of the Tahe Oilfield in the Tuofutai area of China make it very difficult to delineate its Ordovician carbonate fracture-cavity reservoir. The resolution of conventional ground seismic data is inadequate to satisfy current exploitation requirements. To further improve the understanding of the carbonate fracture-cavity reservoir of the Tahe Oilfield and to provide predictions of reservoir properties that are more accurate, a walkaround 3D-3C vertical seismic profiling (VSP) survey was conducted. First, we preprocessed raw VSP data and developed a method of joint PP- and PSV-wave prestack time migration. In contrast to ground seismic imaging profiles, VSP imaging profiles have a higher resolution and wider spectrum range that provide more detailed strata information. Then, using the joint PP- and PSV-wave prestack inversion method, we obtained the PP- and PSV-wave impedance and Poisson's ratio parameters of the Ordovician carbonate reservoir. Compared with the P-wave impedance of the ground seismic inversion, we found the VSP inversion results had higher accuracy, which enabled clearer identification of the internal characteristics of the carbonate reservoir. Finally, coupled with the Poisson's ratio attribute, we predicted the distribution of favorable reservoirs and interwell connectivity. The prediction results were verified using both logging and production data. The findings of this study demonstrate the applicability of the proposed technical method for the exploration of deep carbonate fracture-cavity reservoirs.

Rapid map and inversion of P-SV waves

Geophysics ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 859-862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert R. Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Rock Properties ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
P Waves ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Seismic Profiling ◽  
Vertical Seismic Profiling ◽  
And Inversion

Multicomponent seismic recordings are currently being analyzed in an attempt to improve conventional P‐wave sections and to find and use rock properties associated with shear waves (e.g. Dohr, 1985; Danbom and Dominico, 1986). Mode‐converted (P-SV) waves hold a special interest for several reasons: They are generated by conventional P‐wave sources and have only a one‐way travel path as a shear wave through the typically low velocity and attenuative near surface. For a given frequency, they will have a shorter wavelength than the original P wave, and thus offer higher spatial resolution; this has been observed in several vertical seismic profiling (VSP) cases (e.g., Geis et al., 1990). However, for surface seismic data, converted waves are often found to be of lower frequency than P-P waves (e.g., Eaton et al., 1991).

Prediction ahead of the bit by using drill‐bit pilot signals and reverse vertical seismic profiling (RVSP)

Geophysics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 1169-1176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimo Malusa ◽  
Flavio Poletto ◽  
Francesco Miranda
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Model ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Drill Bit ◽  
Seismic Profiling ◽  
Vertical Seismic Profiling ◽  
Zero Offset

Surface drillstring axial pilot signals are used to predict reflections ahead of the drill bit. We show that part of the drill‐bit signal propagates downward in the formation, reflects upward by a seismic interface, and is then transmitted to the drillstring and the surface pilot sensors. These reflections are interpreted in drill‐bit pilot signals by means of a numerical model of the drillstring coupled to the formation at the bit–rock contact. The result is an additional, low‐cost, reverse VSP (RVSP) in the zero‐offset approximation. These while‐drilling results are integrated with conventional drill‐bit RVSP measurements and compared with other geophysical and well results.

Investigation of multiple reflections and wave conversion by means of a vertical wave test (vertical seismic profiling) in southern Mississippi

Geophysics ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 977-1000 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. C. Lash
Keyword(s):  
Wave Train ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Multiple Reflections ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
P Waves ◽  
S Waves ◽  
Seismic Profiling ◽  
Vertical Seismic Profiling ◽  
Sonic Log

A vertical wave test employing the vertical seismic profiling (VSP) technique in southern Mississippi confirmed suspicions that apparent multiple reflections might include converted waves as well as multiply reflected compressional waves. Both compressional (P) and shear (S) waves generated near the source were observed to travel to great depths, and P‐to‐S conversions were apparent in deep zones as well as shallow. P‐wave reflections were observed in agreement with predictions from synthetic records based on the sonic log. Up‐traveling P‐waves were reflected a short distance below the surface, at the base of the low‐velocity layer, and were followed as down‐traveling P‐waves to 200 ft depth by means of a vertical spread. Below 2000 ft and following the first P wave train, the predominate energy appeared to be down‐traveling P‐waves which could not be traced back to the reflection of up‐traveling P‐waves. The continuity of wavelets indicated instead that the strong down‐traveling S‐waves generated near the source produced P‐waves by S‐to‐P conversion somewhere in the zone between 800 and 1400 ft. The interference on the recordings made with an individual seismometer, or a small group of seismometers, using dynamite shots as the source was generally of a low‐frequency nature, so that the signal‐to‐noise (S/N) ratio was improved by the use of a high passband filter. The interference was greatly reduced without the need for a filter on recordings in which the source was a distributed charge of 100 ft length. The distributed charge produced much less shear‐wave energy in the P reflection band, demonstrating that the interference encountered when using a concentrated charge source was the consequence of the generation of S‐waves near the source. The distributed charges were previously chosen as a means for effectively eliminating secondary (ghost) reflections, an unwanted form of multiple reflections.

Particle displacements on the wall of a borehole from incident plane waves

Geophysics ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 1290-1296 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. W. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Plane Waves ◽  
Seismic Wave Propagation ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Displacement Fields ◽  
Seismic Profiling ◽  
Vertical Seismic Profiling ◽  
Incident Plane ◽  
Scattered Energy ◽  
Waveform Distortion ◽  
Point Forces

Particle displacements from incident plane waves at the wall of a fluid‐filled borehole are formulated by applying the seismic reciprocity theorem to far‐field displacement fields. Such displacement fields are due to point forces acting on a fluid‐filled borehole under the assumption of long wavelengths. The displacement fields are analyzed to examine the effect of the borehole on seismic wave propagation, particularly for vertical seismic profiling (VSP) measurements. When the shortest wavelength of interest is approximately 25 times longer than the borehole’s diameter, the scattered displacements are proportional to the first power of incident frequency and borehole diameter. The maximum scattered energy occurs when an incident P‐wave propagates perpendicular to the borehole. Borehole effects on VSP measurements, such as waveform distortion, amplitude variation, and time delay, have been analyzed using the concept of a transfer function. When the shortest wavelength of interest is about 40 times longer than the borehole’s diameter, borehole effects on VSP measurements using a wall‐locking geophone are negligible.

Experimental studies on downhole seismic sources

Geophysics ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 55 (12) ◽  
pp. 1645-1651 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. T. Chen ◽  
E. A. Eriksen ◽  
M. A. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Signal Amplitude ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Seismic Profiling ◽  
Vertical Seismic Profiling ◽  
Air Gun ◽  
Significant Damage ◽  
Explosive Charges ◽  
Borehole Televiewer ◽  
Sonic Logging

Reversed vertical seismic profiling (RVSP) and crosshole seismology can produce detailed images around a well since they record higher frequency data than surface seismic. The key issue, however, is whether or not a source can be constructed that can deliver enough energy downhole and yet do no significant damage to the borehole. We have investigated various candidate downhole sources for reversed vertical seismic profiling and crosshole seismology. The potential sources studied included explosive charges, a perforating gun, an air gun, and a water gun. The studies were conducted in both open and cased holes in various lithologies. We found that an explosive charge or an air gun can be a viable direct source in both open and cased wells (cemented or free casing). In an open borehole or in a cased well (with new casing), neither explosive charges nor air gun produced damage that was detectable by the borehole televiewer. However, the long‐spaced sonic logging tool indicated that both sources may cause a deterioration of the cement bond between the formation and the casing where the cement is new and its integrity is questionable. The direct P-wave signal is found to be approximately linearly proportional to the amount of explosives used. The signal amplitude decreases as the transmitting distance increases approximately as the power law (−2.14).

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