Interval attenuation estimation from prestack seismic data:A case study from the Arabian Peninsula

Accurately estimated interval attenuation(1/Q)values have several applications,such as in quantitative interpretation and seismic resolution enhancement.Although Q values can be estimated by measuring the spectral ratio between seismic reflections from a target and a reference reflector,the results are influenced by factors such as overburden inhomogeneities.Here,we quantitatively analyze the overburden influence on interval Q estimations using the spectral ratio method,time-space domain prestack Q inversion(PSQI),andτ-p domain PSQI.We compare these three methods using a synthetic dataset and a field dataset acquired onshore the Arabian Peninsula.Synthetic seismic gathers are generated from a three-layer model with a low-Q inclusion in the first layer to mimic overburden inhomogeneity.The fi eld data are preconditioned image gathers from a producing oil fi eld.The synthetic data test shows that the small low-Q body produces a considerable error in estimated Q values.The smallest error(i.e.,13.3%)is in theτ-p domain PSQI result.Theoretically,τ-p domain PSQI could obtain more accurate Q values when there are overburden infl uences because of the simultaneous inversion scheme and the application in theτ-p domain.The fi eld data application also illustrates that theτ-p domain PSQI produces reasonable interval Q values.Our measured Q values are also comparable with the Q values estimated from hydrocarbon saturated carbonate reservoirs.