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Application of model based post-stack inversion in the characterization of reservoir sands containing porous, tight and mixed facies: A case study from the Central Indus Basin, Pakistan

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Abstract

Porosity is a key parameter for reservoir evaluation. Inferring the porosity from seismic data is often challenging and prone to uncertainties due to number of factors. The main aim of this paper is to show the applicability of seismic inversion on old vintage seismic data to map spatial porosity at reservoir level. 3D-seismic and wireline log data are used to map the reservoir properties of the Lower Goru productive sands in the Gambat Latif block, Central Indus Basin, Pakistan. The Lower Goru formation was interpreted with the help of seismic and well data. Interpreted horizons are thus further used in model-based seismic inversion techniques to map the spatial distribution of porosity. Well-log data are used in the construction of low acoustic impedance models. Calibration of reservoir porosity with inverted acoustic impedance is achieved through well-log data. The results from model-based inversion reasonably estimate the porosity distribution within the C-sand interval of the Lower Goru Member. After post-stack inversion, the porosity values at wells Tajjal-01, Tajjal-02 and Tajjal-03 are 10%, 8% and 12%, respectively. Porosity values calculated from post-stack inversion at the corresponding well locations are in good agreement with the borehole-derived porosity.

Research highlights

  1. 1.

    Cross-plots of acoustic impedance and effective porosity can differentiate between tight porous and mixed sand facies.

  2. 2.

    Model-based seismic inversion can delineate tight sands.

  3. 3.

    The spatial distribution of porosity can be reasonably estimated with the help of inverse linear relationships between impedance and porosity.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Directorate General of Petroleum Concessions (DGPC), Pakistan, for allowing the use of seismic and well-log data for research and publication purposes and Department of Earth Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan, Cardiff University, UK for providing the basic requirements to complete this work. We are thankful to the reviewers/Associate Editor of this manuscript for critically reviewing and improving the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan

    Muhammad Toqeer, Aamir Ali, Ashar Khan & Matloob Hussain

  2. 3D Seismic Lab, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK

    Tiago M Alves

  3. Software Integrated Solutions, Schlumberger, Pakistan

    Zubair

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  1. Muhammad Toqeer
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Contributions

Dr Muhammad Toqeer perceived the idea and partially executed this idea of the research. Dr Aamir Ali took the idea and proposed the methodology and implemented it with the help of his student Mr Ashar Khan. Mr Ashar Khan has contribution in terms of collection of the literature and raw data. Dr Tiago M Alves have given the support in terms of modern research methods and helped in the interpretation of the data. Mr Zubair has given the software and data support and computed the maps. Dr Matloob Hussain has contributed in interpretation and finalization of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Aamir Ali.

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Toqeer, M., Ali, A., Alves, T.M. et al. Application of model based post-stack inversion in the characterization of reservoir sands containing porous, tight and mixed facies: A case study from the Central Indus Basin, Pakistan. J Earth Syst Sci 130, 61 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-020-01543-5

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