Inversion of azimuthal velocity and amplitude variations for seismic anisotropy

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dc.contributor.advisorMargrave, Gary F.
dc.contributor.authorAl Dulaijan, Khaled
dc.contributor.committeememberRich, Jamie P.
dc.contributor.committeememberLawton, Donald C.
dc.contributor.committeememberLines, Laurence R.
dc.contributor.committeememberYarranton, Harvey W.
dc.date2018-02
dc.date.accessioned2018-01-05T00:21:44Z
dc.date.available2018-01-05T00:21:44Z
dc.date.issued2017-12-29
dc.description.abstractNatural fractures can play a key role in production of hydrocarbon in the form of increased porosity and permeability for efficient fluid flow especially for unconventional reservoirs of low matrix permeability. Thus, knowledge related to fracture orientation and intensity is vital for the development of unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs, such as tight sand oil and shale gas reservoirs. The most productive horizontal wells are those crossing the most vertical fractures. A pattern of vertical fractures causes the seismic wavefield to exhibit azimuthal anisotropy. The best way known to detect fractures, at large scales, is by recognizing the effect of them on seismic data in attempt of inversing it. The Altamont-Bluebell play is within the Uinta Basin in northeast Utah, and is considered an unconventional play in the sense that natural fractures act as fluid storage and conduits in mostly the tight sandstones and partially in the tight carbonates. Consequently, analyzing the azimuthal variation in the observed amplitudes and velocities of the 3D seismic data acquired over the Altamont-Bluebell field is of great value in ascertaining important and relevant reservoir conditions in terms of porosity and permeability. In the Altamont-Bluebell field, azimuthal anisotropy was analysed using two types of data (3D surface seismic and VSP) and using three different methods (inversion of azimuthal amplitude, inversion of azimuthal travel times, and S-wave splitting). To use the VSP data, several types of VSPs were processed from field files to final products (P and S wavefield images and velocities). All results of different methods and data types were correlated to each other where similarities were pointed out and differences were explained. Numerical seismic modeling provides a valuable tool for geophysicists to test and validate their methodologies. Fractures make numerical modeling more complicated and introduce complexities that might even require geophysicists to validate their numerical models before using them to assess their methods. Scaled-down physical modeling of seismic surveys provides a unique opportunity to test, validate, and develop methods for characterizing fractured reservoirs, because it can produce experimental data from known physical properties and geometries that can be comparable with both numerical and field seismic data. Therefore, physical modeling is utilized to determine stiffness coefficients associated with the anisotropic material and validate techniques used for anisotropy, such as S-wave splitting.en_US
dc.identifier.citationAl Dulaijan, K. (2017). Inversion of azimuthal velocity and amplitude variations for seismic anisotropy (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/5233
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/106237
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisher.facultyScienceen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subjectazimuthalen_US
dc.subjectseismic anisotropyen_US
dc.subjectHTIen_US
dc.subjectfracturesen_US
dc.subjectinversionen_US
dc.subjectAVAZen_US
dc.subjectVVAZen_US
dc.subjectphysical modelingen_US
dc.subject3D seismicen_US
dc.subjectVSPen_US
dc.subject.classificationGeophysicsen_US
dc.titleInversion of azimuthal velocity and amplitude variations for seismic anisotropyen_US
dc.typedoctoral thesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineGeoscienceen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgaryen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)en_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
ucalgary.thesis.checklistI confirm that I have submitted all of the required forms to Faculty of Graduate Studies. (See <a href="http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/thesis/ethesis">http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/thesis/ethesis</a> for more details)en_US
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