Pseudo-well And Synthetic Seismic Data Generation

The ultimate goal of this effort is to quantify lithology, fluid, and porosity from seismic data. We construct realistic geologic models through a basin-modeling approach. Then we generate synthetic seismic responses from those geologic models and compare them to the real seismic responses. The assumption is that a similarity in the seismic response indicates a similarity in the underlying rock properties. The starting point for synthetic seismic data generation is rock physics analysis and geologic interpretation of well data. Then a geological model of the subsurface is constructed with geobodies and expected depositional and diagenetic patterns outlined. Next, geobodies are populated with clay content and the corresponding porosity and hydrocarbon saturation at the well log scale. These rock properties are translated into the P- and S-wave velocity and bulk density by using the rock physics model from the first step. Then synthetic seismograms are produced from the elastic properties. We illustrate this methodology using well data from a fluvial environment. In the example, synthetic seismic appears to be sensitive to lithology, fluid, and porosity. This result indicates that this reservoir information can be extracted from real seismic.