Relating Seismic Lithology to Gulf Coast Petrophysics

Folke Engelmark, Fred Hilterman, Luh C. Liang, C. Scott Burns

The velocity and density contribution to the total reflection coefficient varies for the Miocene to Pleistocene rocks in the Gulf of Mexico. If density, or its approximation, is excluded from the velocity function, reflection coefficients will be unreliable for seismic interpretation. By incorporating geologic age, geopressure, and burial depth, velocity and density can be estimated accurately. When this information is incorporated with an approximate expression for the reflection amplitude with offset, the ability to predict lithology from seismic data is greatly enhanced.