A Physical Study of Converted Wave AVO in a Fractured Reservoir

Abstract:

Benefiting by the multicomponent seismic acquisition and processing techniques, the applications of converted waves in petroleum exploration is thus highlighted. A converted (C-) wave is initiated by a downward traveling P-wave that is converted on reflection to upcoming S-waves. Ascribing to its origins, C-wave takes the behaviors of P- and S-wave and becomes as one of the popular seismic attributes in the studies of a fractured reservoir. Making use of the scaled physical model, we aim on inspecting the azimuthal Amplitude Variation with Offset (AVO) of C-wave in a reservoir of vertically aligned fractures. In order to facilitate the objective of this study, reflection experiments were carried out on the orthogonal plane of a Horizontal Transversely Isotropic (HTI) model which is created to simulate a fractured reservoir. In laboratory manipulation, acoustic energy is triggered by a P-type transducer and the reflected energy is received an S-type transducer to detect the reflected energy, i.e. C-waves, originating by mode conversion. From fracture strike to facture normal, end-on shooting reflections were acquired from seven different directions. The angular interval in between the successive observation is 15 degrees. While viewing into the reflection profiles, events of P-, C₁- and C₂-waves can be readily identified. In the acquired profiles, the P-wave AVO is clearly observed and the phenomenon of C-wave splitting is revealed by the separation of traveltime-distance curves of C₁- and C₂-waves. However, it is aware of that the C-wave amplitudes are not simply varied or attenuated with offset in each observation. The complicated behaviors of C-wave AVO could be caused by the amount of energy, which is incident angle dependent, in reflected S-waves. Hence, our results indicate that the azimuthal C-wave AVO might not be a reliable seismic signature which can be used to delineate the fracture orientation of a fractured reservoir.