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Lithology's Impact on Seismic Velocities

This document discusses how lithology affects seismic velocities. Seismic velocity depends on elastic moduli and density and can be determined from vertical seismic profiles or velocity analysis. Properties like porosity, lithification, pressure, and saturation impact velocities. Porosity reduces velocity according to Wyllie's time-average equation. Lithification increases velocity by reducing porosity and cementation. Velocity rises with pressure until reaching a terminal velocity. Velocity decreases with decreasing fluid saturation or increasing gas content. Different lithologies have distinct velocity values important for formation identification.

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232 views20 pages

Lithology's Impact on Seismic Velocities

This document discusses how lithology affects seismic velocities. Seismic velocity depends on elastic moduli and density and can be determined from vertical seismic profiles or velocity analysis. Properties like porosity, lithification, pressure, and saturation impact velocities. Porosity reduces velocity according to Wyllie's time-average equation. Lithification increases velocity by reducing porosity and cementation. Velocity rises with pressure until reaching a terminal velocity. Velocity decreases with decreasing fluid saturation or increasing gas content. Different lithologies have distinct velocity values important for formation identification.

Uploaded by

NAGENDR_006
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Relation between Lithology and

Seismic Velocities

- HARIKRISHNAN P
PE20M005
What is Seismic Velocity?

•  The rate at which a seismic wave travels


through a medium.

• It can be determined from vertical seismic


profiles or from velocity analysis of seismic
data
Does Lithology Affects Seismic Velocity?
Lithology identification from P and S-wave
Seismic Velocity

Generally, the velocities depend on the elastic


moduli and density
Rock Properties
Some of the rock properties that affects seismic
velocity are

 Porosity

 Lithification

 Pressure

 Saturation
Porosity

The time average relationship by Wyllie defines

Where φ is the porosity


Porosity

Let us assume the velocity values of calcite is


6.86 km/s and in quartz 5.85 km/s.
P wave velocity of various source
Velocity versus porosity plot
Lithification

• The lithification or the cementation has a


strong effect on the moduli.

• The combination of porosity reduction and


lithification causes the observed increase of
velocity.
Velocity-Depth, U.S Gulf coast
Pressure
• Compressional wave velocity is strongly
dependant on effective stress.

• In general velocity rises with increasing


confining pressure and then levels off to a
“terminal velocity” when the effective
pressure is high.
Saturation
• The compressional wave velocity decreases
with decreasing fluid saturation.
• Vs also decreases with an increase in gas
content.
• The reflection coefficient is strongly affected if
one of the contacting media is gas saturated
because the impedance is lowered by both
the density and velocity decreases
Effect of water saturation on velocity and reflectivity
Effect of water saturation on velocity
Conclusion
• The formation types have significant effect on
velocity.

• Various other factors also affects the seismic


velocity.

• Considering all these effects yields better


identification of formation.
References
• Sheriff R.E. and Geldart L.P., Exploration Seismology,
2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
1995.
• Payton C.E., Seismic Stratigraphy and€“ Applications to
Hydrocarbon Exploration, Memoir of the American
Association of Petroleum Geologists 26, Tulsa,
Oklahoma, 1977. Yilmaz O.
• Bath M., Introduction to Seismology, Birkhauser Verlag,
Basel, 1973

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