Seismic prediction method of multiscale fractured reservoir

Common prestack fracture prediction methods cannot clearly distinguish multiplescale fractures. In this study, we propose a prediction method for macro- and mesoscale fractures based on fracture density distribution in reservoirs. First, we detect the macroscale fractures （larger than 1/4 wavelength） using the multidirectional coherence technique that is based on the curvelet transform and the mesoscale fractures （1/4-1/100 wavelength） using the seismic azimuthal anisotropy technique and prestack attenuation attributes, e.g., frequency attenuation gradient. Then, we combine the obtained fracture density distributions into a map and evaluate the variably scaled fractures. Application of the method to a seismic physical model of a fractured reservoir shows that the method overcomes the problem of discontinuous fracture density distribution generated by the prestack seismic azimuthal anisotropy method, distinguishes the fracture scales, and identifies the fractured zones accurately.

Experimental study on the multiscale scattering of high-velocity heterogeneous bodies

There are complex heterogeneous entities in the underground medium,and the heterogeneous scale has a substantial impact on wave propagation.In this study,we used a set of 11 samples of glass beads as high-velocity heterogeneous bodies to evaluate the impact of such heterogeneous bodies on the propagation of P-wave.We vary the heterogeneous scale by changing the diameter of the glass beads from 0.18 to 11 mm while keeping the same volume proportion(10%)of the beads for the set of 11 samples.The pulse transmission method was used to record measurements at the ultrasonic frequencies of 0.34,0.61,and 0.84 MHz in the homogeneous matrix.The relationship between P-wave fi eld features and heterogeneity scale,P-wave velocity,and the multiple of the wave number and heterogeneous scale(ka)was observed in the laboratory,which has sparked widespread interest and research.Heterogeneous scale affects P-wave propagation,and its wave field changes are complex.The waveform,amplitude,and velocity of the recorded P-waves correlate with the heterogeneous scale.For the forward scattering while large-scale heterogeneities,noticeable direct and diff racted waves are observed in the laboratory,which indicates that the infl uence of direct and diff racted waves cannot be ignored for large-scale heterogeneities.The relationship between velocity and ka shows frequency dependence;the reason is that the magnitude of change in velocity caused by wave number is diff erent from that caused by heterogeneous scale.According to the change in the recorded waveform,amplitude variation,or the relationship between the velocity measured at diff erent frequencies and the heterogeneous scale,the identifi ed turning points of the ray approximation are all around ka=10.When ka is less than 1,the velocity changes slowly and gradually approaches the eff ective medium velocity.The ray velocity measured for heterogeneous media with large velocity perturbations in the laboratory is signifi cantly smaller than the velocity predicted by the perturbation theory.

Ultrasonic attenuation estimation based on time-frequency analysis

The quality factor(or Q value)is an important parameter for characterizing the inelastic properties of rock.Achieving a Q value estimation with high accuracy and stability is still challenging.In this study,a new method for estimating ultrasonic attenuation using a spectral ratio based on an S transform(SR-ST)is presented to improve the stability and accuracy of Q estimation.The variable window of ST is used to solve the time window problem.We add two window factors to the Gaussian window function in the ST.The window factors can adjust the scale of the Gaussian window function to the ultrasonic signal,which reduces the calculation error attributed to the conventional Gaussian window function.Meanwhile,the frequency bandwidth selection rules for the linear regression of the amplitude ratio are given to further improve stability and accuracy.First,the feasibility and influencing factors of the SR-ST method are studied through numerical testing and standard sample experiments.Second,artificial samples with different Q values are used to study the adaptability and stability of the SR-ST method.Finally,a further comparison between the new method and the conventional spectral ratio method(SR)is conducted using rock field samples,again addressing stability and accuracy.The experimental results show that this method will yield an error of approximately 36%using the conventional Gaussian window function.This problem can be solved by adding the time window factors to the Gaussian window function.The frequency bandwidth selection rules and mean slope value of the amplitude ratio used in the SR-ST method can ensure that the maximum error of different Q values estimation(Q>15)is less than 10%.

Experimental research on seismoelectric effects in sandstone

The seismoelectric effects induced from the coupling of the seismic wave field and the electromagnetic field depend on the physical properties of the reservoir rocks. We built an experimental apparatus to measure the seismoelectric effects in saturated sandstone samples. We recorded the seismoelectric signals induced by P-waves and studied the attenuation of the seismoelectric signals induced at the sandstone interface. The analysis of the seismoelectric effects suggests that the minimization of the potential difference between the reference potential and the baseline potential of the seismoelectric disturbance area is critical to the accuracy of the seismoelectric measurements and greatly improves the detectability of the seismoelectric signals. The experimental results confirmed that the seismoelectric coupling of the seismic wave field and the electromagnetic field is induced when seismic wave propagating in a fluid-saturated porous medium. The amplitudes of the seismoelectric signals decrease linearly with increasing distance between the source and the interface, and decay exponentially with increasing distance between the receiver and the interface. The seismoelectric response of sandstone samples with different permeabilities suggests that the seismoelectric response is directly related to permeability, which should help obtaining the permeability of reservoirs in the future.