The Benefits of Integrating Seismic and Petrophysical Data

D. K. Davies
Geosystems LLP, Houston, TX

Seismic data contains information regarding the compressional and shear characteristics of rocks. These characteristics are related directly to pore geometry and mineralogy. Pore geometry controls important petrophysical characteristics (such as porosity and permeability) and, together with mineralogy, is a significant influence on wireline log response. Recent developments in the analysis of seismic and petrophysical data allow for the integration of these hitherto disparate data sets. Seismic petrophysics allows for the rock-calibrated interpretation of seismic data using well logs and rock samples (cuttings, sidewall cores, conventional cores, outcrop samples). As a result of this integration, the seismic section (2D and 3D) is interpreted as a lithologic section in which the porous and permeable intervals are discriminated from tight streaks. Thus sands, shales, limes etc can be readily distinguished and areas of gas (and high GOR oil) can be readily identified. The most important aspect of this work is that the geophysical data is calibrated to pore geometry and mineralogy as measured in rock samples. This integrated methodology has already met with considerable success in exploration and development projects.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90905©2001 AAPG Southwest Section Meeting, Dallas, Texas