Seismic signatures of reservoir permeability based on the patchy-saturation model

Abstract

Modeling of seismic responses of variable permeability on the basis of the patchy-saturation model provides insights into the seismic characterization of fluid mobility. We linked rock-physics models in the frequency domain and seismic modeling on the basis of the propagator matrix method. For a layered patchy-saturated reservoir, the seismic responses represent a combination of factors, including impedance contrast, the effect of dispersion and attenuation within the reservoir, and the tuning and interference of reflections at the top and bottom of the reservoir. Numerical results suggest that increasing permeability significantly reduces the P-wave velocity and induces dispersion between the high- and low-frequency elastic limit. Velocity dispersion and the layered structure of a reservoir lead to complex reflection waveforms. Seismic reflections are sensitive to permeability if the impedance of the reservoir is close to that of the surroundings. For variable layer thickness, the stacked amplitudes increase with permeability for high-velocity surrounding shale, whereas the stacked amplitudes decrease with permeability for low-velocity surrounding shale.