Relationship Between Acoustic Properties and Petrofabric in Upper Devonian, Slave Point Formation at Sawn Hill Field, Alberta

Anne Watkins, Christopher G. St. C. Kendall

Using the carbonates from the Upper Devonian Slave Point formation at Sawn Hill field, Alberta, as a data base, the relationship between these carbonate rocks and their acoustic properties is discussed. This study was made to enable better predictions of the distribution of carbonate plays and prospects in this formation. The key to this prediction is identifying the occurrence of porosity and its relationship to the carbonate depositional and diagenetic facies of the formations from seismic cross sections, and velocity and density logs.

In this study, petrographic image analysis (PIA) was used in place of conventional petrographic methods to reduce the amount of subjectively and qualitatively described data; specifically PIA was used to quantify the shape of pores and carbonate grains, their size, roundness, sorting, and packing, as well as the nature of their contacts, and their relationship to cements. The preliminary results from the quantification of depositional and diagenetic fabric was statistically related to velocity and density logs. The results were compared to those obtained through the more conventional methods, and confirm how porosity and mineralogy are of major importance when considering the acoustic behavior of carbonates.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91043©1986 AAPG Annual Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, June 15-18, 1986.