Kolmule sandstone was confirmed for the prospect.
The workflow was repeated post-drill to obtain an
even better calibration of the rock physics depth trends,
and the results are also shown in Fig. 18.35; as we see
the differences are quite small, demonstrating the
benefit of the AVO information calibrated by a nearby
well, prior to drilling this prospect.
18.9 Conclusions
In this chapter we have demonstrated how we can
apply rock physics tools to relate geological parameters and trends to seismic properties, and thereby
predict rock and fluid characteristics from seismic
amplitude data. The focus of this chapter has been to
present a workflow for quantitative seismic interpretation during petroleum exploration. Rock physics ultimately serves as a toolbox for lithology and fluid
substitution, where we can understand local well log
observations and extrapolate to certain expected “what
if” scenarios, either in terms of depositional or compactional trends, or in terms of changes in pore fluids.
The models can also be applied to predict or classify
reservoir parameters from sonic and seismic data. We
have demonstrated our cross-disciplinary approach on
well log and seismic data from selected areas on the
Norwegian shelf where reservoir sands are prone to
change drastically both because of facies variability,
diagenetic alterations and tectonic impact. We have
also demonstrated the importance of understanding
the rock physics and seismic properties of shales
during seismic reservoir prediction using AVO
analysis.
Acknowledgements Thanks to Prof. Gary Mavko and Prof.
Tapan Mukerji at Stanford University for collaboration over a
long period and contributions to the work presented here.
Thanks to Arild Jørstad and Hans Oddvar Augedal at LundinNorway for geological input to the Palaeocene sands studied in
this chapter; also thanks to Aart-Jan van Wijngaarden, Erik
Ødegaard, Torbjørn Fristad, and Anders Dræge at Statoil for
fruitful discussions and input to the work included in this chapter. I also acknowledge Prof. Ran Bachrach at Tel Aviv University, and Prof. Tor Arne Johannesen at University of Bergen, for
valuable discussions. Finally, I would like to thank Ivan Lehocki
at Lehocki Geospace and Ha ˚vard Buran at Lundin-Norway for
contributions to the AVO case study in the Barents Sea, and to
Tor Veggeland at Tullow Oil Norge for valuable input on the
Glitne case study presented here.
Further Reading
Aki, K. and Richards, P.G. 1980. Quantitative Seismology:
Theory and Methods. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman, 948 pp.
Anselmetti, F. and Eberli, G.P. 1997. Sonic velocity in carbonate sediments and rocks. In: Palaz, I. and Marfurt, K.J. (eds.),
Carbonate Seismology. Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Houston, TX, pp. 53–73.
Avseth, P. 2000. Combining rock physics and sedimentology for
seismic reservoir characterization of North Sea turbidite
systems. Ph.D. thesis, Stanford University, 200 pp.
Avseth, P., Dræge, A., van Wijngaarden, A.-J., Johansen, T.A.
and Jørstad, A. 2008. Shale rock physics and implications for
AVO analysis: A North Sea demonstration. The Leading
Edge 27, 788–797.
Avseth, P., Dvorkin, J., Mavko, G. and Rykkje, J. 2000. Rock
physics diagnostic of North Sea sands: Link between microstructure and seismic properties. Geophysical Research Letters 27, 2761–2764.
Avseth, P., Flesche, H. and van Wijngaarden, A.-J. 2003. AVO
classification of lithology and pore fluids constrained by rock
physics depth trends. The Leading Edge 22(10), 1004–1011.
Avseth, P., Johansen, T.A., Bakhorji, A. and Mustafa, H.M.
2014. Rock physics modeling guided by depositional and
burial history in low-to-intermediate-porosity sandstones.
Geophysics 79, D115–D122.
Avseth, P., Jørstad, A., van Wijngaarden, A.-J. and Mavko, G.
2009. Rock physics estimation of cement volume, sorting
and net-to-gross in North Sea sandstones. The Leading Edge
28, 98–108.
Avseth, P., Mukerji, T., Jørstad, T., Mavko, G. and Veggeland, T.
2001a. Seismic reservoir mapping from 3-D AVO in a North
Sea turbidite system. Geophysics 66, 1157–1176.
Avseth, P., Mukerji, T. and Mavko, G. 2005. Quantitative Seismic Interpretation – Applying Rock Physics Tools to Reduce
Interpretation Risk. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
376 pp.
Avseth, P., Mukerji, T., Mavko, G. and Dvorkin, J. 2010. Rock
physics diagnostics of depositional texture, diagenetic
alterations and reservoir heterogeneity in high porosity siliciclastic sediments and rocks - A review of selected models
and suggested workflows. Geophysics 75, A31–A47.
Avseth, P., Mukerji, T., Mavko, G. and Tyssekvam, J.A. 2001b.
Rock physics and AVO analysis for lithofacies and pore fluid
prediction in a North Sea oil field. The Leading Edge 20, 429.
Batzle, M. and Wang, Z. 1992. Seismic properties of pore fluids.
Geophysics 57, 1396–1408.
Bjørlykke, K. 1998. Clay mineral diagenesis in sedimentary
basins – A key to the prediction of rock properties; Examples
from the North Sea Basin. Clay Minerals 33, 15–34.
Bjørlykke, K. and Egeberg, P.K. 1993. Quartz cementation in
sedimentary basins. AAPG Bulletin 77, 1538–1548.
Box, G.E.P. and Draper, N.R. 1987. Empirical Model Building
and Response Surfaces. New York, NY: John Wiley and
Sons, 669 pp.
Brevik, I., Ahmadi, G.R., Hatteland, T. and Rojas, M.A. 2007.
Documentation and quantification of velocity anisotropy in
shales using wireline log measurements. The Leading Edge
26(3), 272–277.
486
P. Avseth
The workflow was repeated post-drill to obtain an
even better calibration of the rock physics depth trends,
and the results are also shown in Fig. 18.35; as we see
the differences are quite small, demonstrating the
benefit of the AVO information calibrated by a nearby
well, prior to drilling this prospect.
18.9 Conclusions
In this chapter we have demonstrated how we can
apply rock physics tools to relate geological parameters and trends to seismic properties, and thereby
predict rock and fluid characteristics from seismic
amplitude data. The focus of this chapter has been to
present a workflow for quantitative seismic interpretation during petroleum exploration. Rock physics ultimately serves as a toolbox for lithology and fluid
substitution, where we can understand local well log
observations and extrapolate to certain expected “what
if” scenarios, either in terms of depositional or compactional trends, or in terms of changes in pore fluids.
The models can also be applied to predict or classify
reservoir parameters from sonic and seismic data. We
have demonstrated our cross-disciplinary approach on
well log and seismic data from selected areas on the
Norwegian shelf where reservoir sands are prone to
change drastically both because of facies variability,
diagenetic alterations and tectonic impact. We have
also demonstrated the importance of understanding
the rock physics and seismic properties of shales
during seismic reservoir prediction using AVO
analysis.
Acknowledgements Thanks to Prof. Gary Mavko and Prof.
Tapan Mukerji at Stanford University for collaboration over a
long period and contributions to the work presented here.
Thanks to Arild Jørstad and Hans Oddvar Augedal at LundinNorway for geological input to the Palaeocene sands studied in
this chapter; also thanks to Aart-Jan van Wijngaarden, Erik
Ødegaard, Torbjørn Fristad, and Anders Dræge at Statoil for
fruitful discussions and input to the work included in this chapter. I also acknowledge Prof. Ran Bachrach at Tel Aviv University, and Prof. Tor Arne Johannesen at University of Bergen, for
valuable discussions. Finally, I would like to thank Ivan Lehocki
at Lehocki Geospace and Ha ˚vard Buran at Lundin-Norway for
contributions to the AVO case study in the Barents Sea, and to
Tor Veggeland at Tullow Oil Norge for valuable input on the
Glitne case study presented here.
Further Reading
Aki, K. and Richards, P.G. 1980. Quantitative Seismology:
Theory and Methods. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman, 948 pp.
Anselmetti, F. and Eberli, G.P. 1997. Sonic velocity in carbonate sediments and rocks. In: Palaz, I. and Marfurt, K.J. (eds.),
Carbonate Seismology. Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Houston, TX, pp. 53–73.
Avseth, P. 2000. Combining rock physics and sedimentology for
seismic reservoir characterization of North Sea turbidite
systems. Ph.D. thesis, Stanford University, 200 pp.
Avseth, P., Dræge, A., van Wijngaarden, A.-J., Johansen, T.A.
and Jørstad, A. 2008. Shale rock physics and implications for
AVO analysis: A North Sea demonstration. The Leading
Edge 27, 788–797.
Avseth, P., Dvorkin, J., Mavko, G. and Rykkje, J. 2000. Rock
physics diagnostic of North Sea sands: Link between microstructure and seismic properties. Geophysical Research Letters 27, 2761–2764.
Avseth, P., Flesche, H. and van Wijngaarden, A.-J. 2003. AVO
classification of lithology and pore fluids constrained by rock
physics depth trends. The Leading Edge 22(10), 1004–1011.
Avseth, P., Johansen, T.A., Bakhorji, A. and Mustafa, H.M.
2014. Rock physics modeling guided by depositional and
burial history in low-to-intermediate-porosity sandstones.
Geophysics 79, D115–D122.
Avseth, P., Jørstad, A., van Wijngaarden, A.-J. and Mavko, G.
2009. Rock physics estimation of cement volume, sorting
and net-to-gross in North Sea sandstones. The Leading Edge
28, 98–108.
Avseth, P., Mukerji, T., Jørstad, T., Mavko, G. and Veggeland, T.
2001a. Seismic reservoir mapping from 3-D AVO in a North
Sea turbidite system. Geophysics 66, 1157–1176.
Avseth, P., Mukerji, T. and Mavko, G. 2005. Quantitative Seismic Interpretation – Applying Rock Physics Tools to Reduce
Interpretation Risk. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
376 pp.
Avseth, P., Mukerji, T., Mavko, G. and Dvorkin, J. 2010. Rock
physics diagnostics of depositional texture, diagenetic
alterations and reservoir heterogeneity in high porosity siliciclastic sediments and rocks - A review of selected models
and suggested workflows. Geophysics 75, A31–A47.
Avseth, P., Mukerji, T., Mavko, G. and Tyssekvam, J.A. 2001b.
Rock physics and AVO analysis for lithofacies and pore fluid
prediction in a North Sea oil field. The Leading Edge 20, 429.
Batzle, M. and Wang, Z. 1992. Seismic properties of pore fluids.
Geophysics 57, 1396–1408.
Bjørlykke, K. 1998. Clay mineral diagenesis in sedimentary
basins – A key to the prediction of rock properties; Examples
from the North Sea Basin. Clay Minerals 33, 15–34.
Bjørlykke, K. and Egeberg, P.K. 1993. Quartz cementation in
sedimentary basins. AAPG Bulletin 77, 1538–1548.
Box, G.E.P. and Draper, N.R. 1987. Empirical Model Building
and Response Surfaces. New York, NY: John Wiley and
Sons, 669 pp.
Brevik, I., Ahmadi, G.R., Hatteland, T. and Rojas, M.A. 2007.
Documentation and quantification of velocity anisotropy in
shales using wireline log measurements. The Leading Edge
26(3), 272–277.
486
P. Avseth