3D Seismic stratigraphy applied to lithology estimation in a deltaic system

Abstract

Seismic stratigraphy becomes a useful tool when it comes to 3D lithology distribution, since it gives the interpreter insights of the facies most likely to be present in a certain sedimentary environment. On the other hand, it is also the main input information while modeling petrophysical properties like water saturation, effective porosity and permeability, which are critical in the process of evaluation of a hydrocarbon reservoir. In this context, techniques such as seismic inversion allows the geoscientists to get 3D models of P-impedance, S-impedance and density, which are used as the main input to estimate the reservoir petrophysical properties just mentioned and additionally useful parameters used as a lithology indicator. This paper proposes a workflow to achieve the goal of integrating seismic stratigraphy, seismic inversion and attributes to get a lithology 3D model. Now, to get a suitable correlation between the facies interpreted using well logs and core data with the elastic properties, rock physic templates (RPT’s) were made where proper elastic modulus was carefully chosen to define probability distribution functions (PDF’s) for each facies defined in the correlation wells. On the other hand, based on a set of stratigraphic surfaces created on a different study, 3D models of P-impedance, S-impedance and density were obtained from seismic inversion so that the RPT’s could be built. For this specific instance, only a set of the elastic properties and seismic attributes offered a suitable correlation with the facies defined in the calibration wells. Moreover, the probability distribution functions (PDF’s) already generated allowed the distribution in 3D and the definition of the ranges in which each facies previously stated varies for the elastic modulus estimated.