A Comprehensive Analysis on the Relationships Between Elastic Wave Velocities and Petrophysical Properties of Sedimentary Rocks Based on Laboratory Measurements
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Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-019-0675-0 REVIEW PAPER - EXPLORATION GEOPHYSICS A comprehensive analysis on the relationships between elastic wave velocities and petrophysical properties of sedimentary rocks based on laboratory measurements Siddharth Garia1 · Arnab Kumar Pal1 · K. Ravi1 · Archana M. Nair1 Received: 24 May 2018 / Accepted: 6 May 2019 © The Author(s) 2019 Abstract This paper is an attempt to fnd the interdependence existing between petrophysical properties and ultrasonic wave veloci- ties. Porosity and permeability, apart from other properties, are the two fundamental physical properties of rock responsible for storing and producing hydrocarbon. Understanding the elastic properties of such rocks is essential in developing a deep understanding about the rock and fuid models that describe the seismic response to realistic hydrocarbon reservoirs under diferent environmental conditions. Therefore, in this study, a detailed state-of-the-art review of the existing association between compressional and shear wave (also known as P wave and S wave) velocities (Vp and Vs) and diferent petrophysi- cal properties (porosity, density, permeability, water absorption and clay content) has been summarized for carbonate and sandstone rock types of diferent regions. The relationships discussed are based on datasets measured in laboratory by vari- ous researchers under ambient conditions. An efort is made to propose a general trend (global trends) for porosity versus Vp and bulk density versus Vp, which is independent of the type of datasets. However, it is clear that trends do exist, but the prediction is difcult. The empirical relationships derived by various researchers are valid only to the particular dataset for which the relationship was derived. The infuence of other factors like mineralogy, rock framework, pore geometry has not been studied by the researchers in their respective studies. Nevertheless, these relationships and correlations can be useful in hydrocarbon exploration industry where direct measurements may not be possible. Moreover, an accurate reservoir descrip- tion can only be achieved by the integration of geological, petrophysical and geotechnical data. Keywords Compressional wave · Shear wave · Porosity · Permeability List of symbols L Length of Specimen Vp P-wave velocity k Permeability Vs S-wave velocity wsat Saturated weight ρ Density wdry Dry weight n Porosity wsub Submerged weight n′ Efective porosity ρdry Dry density ρsat Saturated density Introduction ρbulk Bulk density ρfuid Density of fuid The recovery from unconventional energy felds such as tight Wa Water absorption oil and gas felds, coal bed methane, shale gas and sustain- C Clay content able energy management practices such as carbon sequestra- t Transit time tion in the past decade has given rise to new opportunities (Chengzao 2017) and challenging technical innovation in the petroleum industry. These new opportunities resulted in * Archana M. Nair a greater focus on rock properties and reservoir heterogenei- [email protected] ties that afect the reservoir performance. Reservoir rocks, 1 Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute being the end-product of a series of complex geological and of Technology, Guwahati 781039, India hydrodynamical processes like sedimentation, compaction Vol.:(0123456789)1 3 Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology and diagenesis (Dvorkin et al. 2014), are characterized by the properties is not yet established. Hence, the objective complex pore space geometry. These complex pore struc- of this paper is to analyze the state-of-the-art research con- tures control the associated petrophysical properties like ducted by diferent researchers in laboratory-scale measure- porosity, permeability and related seismic velocity. Under- ments of various reservoir rock types on compressional and standing the elastic properties of such rocks is quite chal- shear wave velocities and their dependency on petrophysical lenging due to the heterogeneity and complexity of their properties. structures. During the prospecting phase of any reservoir Due to diferent arrangement (packing) and composi- (conventional or unconventional), subsurface geological and tion of grains, there are diferences in density, porosity and petrophysical evaluation is predominantly based on seismic permeability as a result of which there are diferences in data. Seismic data provide a structural image of the subsur- compressional and shear wave velocity. Many researchers face that depends on various parameters such as lithology, have conducted studies relating the compressional and shear porosity, type of fuid, pressure and temperature (Yu et al. wave velocities with the petrophysical properties by diferent 2016). These data help in delivering the information about laboratory techniques for measuring ultrasonic wave velocity diferent petrophysical properties like density and porosity. as mentioned in Table 1 and observed that there exists a def- Hence, it is essential to correctly understand the relation- nite relation between them. For example, Vp increases with ship between the seismic, petrophysical and the geological a decrease in porosity, while Vp increases with an increase properties in order to correctly predict the reservoir char- in density, but the scattering of data indicates that the infu- acteristics from the seismic attributes. Many researchers ence of factors like rock framework and mineralogy must Assefa et al. (2003), Kahraman and Yeken (2008), Kassab also need to be considered while evaluating the relation- and Weller (2015), Al-Dousari et al. (2016) and Pappalardo ship between them. Moreover, the higher the density, the and Mineo (2016) have conducted studies relating the com- lower the porosity, and thus, the higher the Vp (Gaviglio pressional and shear wave velocities with the petrophysical 1989; Yasar and Erdogan 2004; Kahraman and Yeken 2008; properties of sedimentary rocks by using diferent laboratory Soroush et al. 2011; Sarkar et al. 2012; Kassab and Weller techniques based on ultrasonic velocity measurements. 2015; Parent et al. 2015; Kurtulus et al. 2016; Sayed et al. Ultrasonic velocity measurement techniques have been 2015; Al-Dousari et al. 2016). Thus, there exists an interde- used by researchers McDowell and Millett (1984), Han pendence between the petrophysical properties and compres- et al. (1986), Gaviglio (1989), Klimentos (1991), Yasar sional and shear wave velocities. Various researchers have and Erdogan (2004), Kahraman (2007), Sharma and Singh tried to establish these interdependencies with respect to (2008), Kahraman and Yeken (2008), Kilic and Teymen the experimental datasets measured under ambient as well (2008), Sarkar et al. (2012) and Madhubabu et al. (2016) as stressed conditions. It is an established fact that ultra- across the literature to determine the compressional and sound compressional and shear wave velocities are efected shear wave velocities of various rock samples in laboratory. by stress conditions. Hence, to analyze the interdependen- The advantage of ultrasonic method of measurement is that cies of various petrophysical parameters on Vp and Vs, it is it is simple, fast, economic and nondestructive in nature healthier to use datasets measured under ambient conditions. (Moradian and Behnia 2009). Thus, it can be used in feld as The present paper thus focuses on the datasets available in well as in laboratory and hence used widely in civil, mining the literature measured for sandstones and carbonates under and geotechnical engineering. The main idea of this paper ambient conditions. is to explore a link between physical properties and elastic properties that can help in developing a deep understand- ing about the rock and fuid models that defne the seismic Methodology response to realistic hydrocarbon reservoirs. The understanding and quantifcation of rock elastic wave In the present study, an attempt is made to correlate the velocity variations are signifcant to extract petrophysical variation in compressional and shear wave velocities (Vp properties from seismic attributes. As there exists a large and Vs) of diferent sedimentary rocks with respect to dif- variation in the actual measurement of compressional and ferent petrophysical parameters such as porosity, density, shear wave velocities, several models exist on the relation- water absorption, clay content and permeability. In order ship between seismic data and petrophysical properties. to include a wide range of datasets for a comprehensive Diferent researchers established that the compressional analysis, datasets used in this paper are generated by vari- and shear wave velocities depend on various petrophysical ous researchers from laboratory experiments conducted on properties like porosity, density, water absorption, clay con- sandstones, carbonates and other sedimentary rocks such as tent, saturating fuid and permeability. Compressional and mudstone and shale under ambient conditions. The present shear wave velocities may increase or decrease depending on paper used only reported datasets generated from experi- diferent parameters since one-to-one relationship between mental measurements under ambient conditions so as to have 1 3 Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology andProduction Exploration Journal ofPetroleum Table 1 Compilation of diferent studies generated by various researchers relevant to this study Label number Rock type