Lecture 7
Synthetic Trace
Time (ms)
Depth
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 1
Outline
Objectives of the seismic - well tie
What is a good well-seismic tie?
Comparing well with seismic data
Preparing well data
Preparing seismic data
How to tie synthetics to seismic data.
Pitfalls
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 2
Objectives of Well-Seismic Ties
Well-seismic ties allow well data,
measured in units of depth, to be
compared to seismic data, Synthetic Trace
measured in units of time
This allows us to relate horizon tops
identified in a well with specific
reflections on the seismic section
We use sonic and density well logs
to generate a synthetic seismic
trace
The synthetic trace is compared to
the real seismic data collected near
the well location
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 3
Purposes for Well-Seismic Ties & Quality
Business Accuracy Seismic Example
Stage Required Quality Application
Required
Within a few Poor/fair Mapping and
Regional cycles tying a regional
Mapping flooding surface
across a basin
Exploration Within ~ cycle Comparing a
Good
lead to nearby
wells
Seismic attribute
Wavelet character Very good analysis
Exploitation match
Inversion
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 4
Measurements In Time and In Depth
Seismic - Time Units Log - Depth Units
Surface SHOT RECR
Kelly Bushing
Elevation
Elevation
Vertical depth
Base of
Weathering
Two-way time
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 5
Comparison of Seismic and Well Data
Seismic Data Well Data
Samples area and volume Samples point along well bore
Low frequency 5 - 60 Hz High frequency, 10,000 - 20,000 Hz
Vertical resolution 15 - 100 m Vertical resolution 2 cm - 2 m
Horizontal resolution 150 - 1000 m Horizontal resolution 0.5 cm - 6 m
Measures seismic amplitude, Measures vertical velocity, density,
phase, continuity, horizontal & resistivity, radioactivity, SP, rock
vertical velocities and fluid properties from cores
Time measurement Depth measurement
100 m
100 m
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 6
Seismic-Well Tie Flow-Chart
Seismic Data Real Seismic
Data Processing
Trace
Estimate
Pulse
External Well -
Well -
Pulse Seismic Tie
Seismic Tie
Well Data Seismic Synthetic Seismic
Data Processing Modeling Trace
Check Shots/
Time Depth
Information
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 7
Check Shot Data
Check shots measure the vertical
one-way time from surface to
Seismic Shot
various depths (geophone
positions) within the well
Depth
Used to determine start time of
top of well-log curves
Used to calibrate the
Borehole
relationship between well
Geophone
depths and times calculated
from a sonic log
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 8
Pulses Types
Two options for defining the pulse:
A. Use software that estimates the
pulse based on a window of the
real seismic data at the well Known Pulse Shapes
(recommended)
Minimum Zero Quadrature
RC
Phase Phase Phase
B. Use a standard pulse shape
specifying polarity, peak frequency,
and phase:
Positive
Minimum phase Reflection
Coefficient
Zero phase
Quadrature
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 9
The Modeling Process
Reflection
Lithology Velocity Density Impedance Wavelet Synthetic
Coefficients
Shale
Sand
Shale
x = *
Sand
Shale
We block the velocity (sonic) and density logs and compute an impedance log
We calculate the reflection coefficients at the step-changes in impedance
We convolve our pulse with the RC series to get individual wavelets
Each RC generates a wavelet whose amplitude is proportional to the RC
We sum the individual wavelets to get the synthetic seismic trace
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 10
Impact of Blocking
For typical seismic data,
blocking on the order of Sonic
Log RC Synthetic Sonic
Log RC Synthetic
3 m (10 ft) is the - + - +
recommended minimum
Using coarser blocking
Time (sec)
helps identify the major
stratigraphic contributors to
the peaks and troughs
Thin beds have almost no impact
due to destructive interference
Coarse Blocking Fine Blocking
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 11
Our Example
Well A
FWSchroeder
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L 7 Well-Seismic 12
Tying Synthetic to Seismic Data
Position of
Position synthetic trace on seismic line.
Synthetic Trace
Project synthetic along structural or
stratigraphic strike if well is off line
Time (ms)
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 13
Tying Synthetic to Seismic Data
Position synthetic trace on seismic line.
Synthetic Trace
Project synthetic along structural or
stratigraphic strike if well is off line
Reference datum of synthetic to seismic
data (usually ground level or seismic
datum)
Time (ms)
Without check shots estimate start time
of first bed
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 14
Tying Synthetic to Seismic Data
Position synthetic trace on seismic line.
Synthetic Trace
Project synthetic along structural or
stratigraphic strike if well is off line
Reference datum of synthetic to seismic
data (usually ground level or seismic
datum)
Time (ms)
Without check shots estimate start time
of first bed
Shift synthetic in time to get the best
character tie
Use stratigraphic info on detailed plot
to help
determine the best fit.
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 15
Tying Synthetic to Seismic Data
Synthetic Trace
If justified, shift synthetic laterally
several traces to get the best character
tie
Character tie is more important than
Time (ms)
time tie
We can use a cross-correlation
coefficient as a measure of the
quality of the character tie
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 16
Tying Synthetic to Seismic Data
Accept the tie that yields best
character tie with least time
shift in the zone of interest
(reservoir)
The top of the reservoir
should be mapped on this
peak (red)
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 17
Assumptions for Synthetic Well Ties
Seismic Data Synthetic Seismograms
Noise free Blocked logs representative
of the earth sampled by the
No multiples seismic data
Relative amplitudes Normal incidence reflection
are preserved coefficients
Zero-offset section Multiples ignored
No transmission losses or
absorption
Isotropic medium (vertical
and horizontal velocities are
equal)
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 18
Common Pitfalls
Error in well or seismic line location
Log data quality
washout zones, drilling-fluid invasion effects
Seismic data quality
noise, multiples, amplitude gain, migration, etc
Incorrect pulse
Polarity, frequency, and phase
Try a different pulse; use extracted pulse
Incorrect 1-D model
Blocked logs, checkshots need further editing
Incorrect start time or improper datuming
Amplitude-Versus-Offset effects
Bed tuning
3-D effects not fully captured by seismic or well data
FWSchroeder
Courtesy of ExxonMobil 06
L 7 Well-Seismic 19
