Potential risks of spectrum whitening deconvolution——compared with well-driven deconvolution

Deconvolution is widely used to increase the resolution of seismic data. To compare the resolution ability of conventional spectrum whitening deconvolution to thin layers with that of welldriven deconvolution, a complex sedimentary geological model was designed, and then the simulated seismic data were processed respectively by each of the two methods. The amplitude spectrum of seismic data was almost white after spectrum whitening, but the wavelet resolution was low. The amplitude spectrum after well-driven deconvolution deviated from white spectrum, but the wavelet resolution was high. Further analysis showed that if an actual reflectivity series could not well satisfy the hypothesis of white spectrum, spectrum whitening deconvolution had a potential risk of wavelet distortion, which might lead to a pitfall in high resolution seismic data interpretation. On the other hand, the wavelet after well- driven deconvolution had higher resolution both in the time and frequency domains. It is favorable for high resolution seismic interpretation and reservoir prediction.

Anisotropic characteristics of electrical responses of fractured reservoir with multiple sets of fractures

In fractured reservoirs, the fractures not but also form the main flow channels which connect productivity of reservoirs. However, because of the only provide the storage space for hydrocarbons, the pores of the matrix, so fractures dominate the heterogeneity and randomness of the distribution of fractures, exploration and evaluation of fractured reservoirs is still one of the most difficult problems in the oil industry. In recent years, seismic anisotropy has been applied to the assessment of fractured formations, whereas electrical anisotropy which is more intense in fractured formations than seismic anisotropy has not been studied or used so extensively. In this study, fractured reservoir models which considered multiple sets of fractures with smooth and partly closed, rough surfaces were established based on the fractures and pore network, and the vertical and horizontal electrical resistivities were derived as a function of the matrix and fracture porosities according to Ohm＇s law. By using the anisotropic resistivity equations, variations of the electrical anisotropy of three types of fractured models under the conditions of free pressure and confining pressure were analyzed through the variations of the exerted pressure, matrix porosity, fracture aperture and formation water resistivity. The differences of the vertical and horizontal resistivities and the anisotropy between the connected and non-connected fractures were also analyzed. It is known from the simulated results that an increase of the confining pressure causes a decrease of electrical anisotropy because of the elasticity of the closed fractures and the decrease of the fracture aperture. For a fixed fracture porosity, the higher the matrix porosity, the weaker the electrical anisotropy in the rock formation.

Characteristics of fluid substitution in porous rocks

Analysis of the effect of changes in fluid properties of rocks on the compressional-wave velocity VP and shear-wave velocity Vs is very important for understanding the rock physical properties, especially in oilfield exploration and development. The fluid substitution process was analyzed by using ultrasonic measurement and theoretical calculations. The results showed that the effect of fluid substitution on the rock elastic modulus was mainly controlled by fluid properties, saturation, and confining pressure. For a rock with specific properties and porosity, the result of theoretical prediction for fluid substitution accorded with the experimental result under high confining pressure （higher than 60 MPa for our experimental data）, but failed to describe the trend of experimental result under low confining pressure and VP predicted by Gassmann＇s equation was higher than that measured by experiment. A higher porosity resulted in stronger sensitivity of the bulk modulus of saturated rocks to the change of fluid properties.

Wide/narrow azimuth acquisition footprints and their effects on seismic imaging

Acquisition footprint is a new concept to describe the seismic noise in three-dimensional seismic exploration and it is closely related to geometry and observation shuttering. At present, the study on acquisition footprints has become a hot spot. In partnership with the Dagang Oilfield, we used the channel sand body seismic physical model to study the characteristics of wide/narrow azimuth acquisition footprints and analyzed and compared the two types of footprints and their effects on target imaging. In addition, the footprints caused by data processing of the normal moveout offset （NMO） stretching aberration were discussed. These footprints are located only in the shallow or middle layer in the time slice, and possibly affect the imaging of shallow target layers, and have no influence on deep target imaging. Seismic physical modeling has its advantages in the study of acquisition footprints.