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Attenuation is reduction in amplitude or energy caused by the transmitting media or system (Sheriff,
2002). It is usually seen as poor quality or dimmed amplitude on seismic section. Attenuation is
quantified as 1/Q, where Q is quality factor of medium. Gas trapped in sediment is an example of
medium that attenuates seismic wave (Zhou et al. 2011). Attenuation could be a problem for further
interpretation of seismic data. Therefore, seismic inversion will be performed with attenuation
compensation.
In this study, inversion seismic with attenuation compensation is performed to 3D seismic data and well
data of Tasim Field. We use Jason Workbench Geoscience 9.6 as tool for seismic inversion process.
Method
Attenuation does not occur on entire area of seismic data. Consequently, variation of wavelet is needed
for seismic inversion process and Q value is estimated as horizontally varying value. At first, a single
wavelet is estimated using well data, then followed by well-seismic tie process. This estimated wavelet
is brought to reference horizon, this process called re-datuming wavelet. Q value is estimated by
comparing spectrum of seismic data. The re-datumed wavelet, Q and scale value is used to generate
laterally varying wavelet. Later, this laterally varying wavelet is used in seismic inversion. Seismic
inversion process is achieved using workflow in Figure 1. Inversion seismic without attenuation
compensation is also done for comparison purpose.
Dimming seismic amplitude can be observed on Tasim Field seismic data. Figure 2 shows dim seismic
amplitude on the left side of this section as an indication of attenuation effect. Analysis is done on
seismic data around the target prior to seismic inversion process. The purpose of this analysis is to see
the attenuation effect on seismic data. First, we examined the seismic amplitude scale change with
seismic RMS value on target horizon. The extraction result shows seismic RMS value varies along
target horizon, where dimmed seismic area has small RMS value (indicated in red). The extracted
seismic RMS can be seen on Figure 3(a).
Second, we analysed the frequency shift on the seismic data. Figure 3(b) shows seismic section on
frequency domain from A to A. Area that has low RMS seismic value has different frequency content
compared to the areas around it. From this analysis, seismic inversion will be performed with
attenuation compensation.
(b) A A
Figure 3 (a) Seismic RMS value on the entire seismic data around target horizon and (b) frequency
content from seismic data on the section A-A.
Seismic Inversion
Initially wavelet estimation is achieved by using seismic and well data. Wavelet is estimated around the
target horizon. This wavelet will be used for well seismic tie. In well-seismic tie process, time-shift,
stretch, and squeeze are performed to increase correlation value between seismic and synthetic trace. Q
and scale value are calculated on entire seismic data. These values will be used in wavelet re-datum and
As initial wavelet and Q value have been estimated, wavelet re-datum can be done. Wavelet re-datum
is a process to re-datum estimated wavelet from around target horizon to the reference horizon without
attenuation effect. This process is necessary because when applying attenuation compensation in
seismic inversion, input wavelet is a wavelet at the reference horizon that have no attenuation effect,
and this wavelet will be modified to lateral varying wavelet using estimated Q value. The difference
between wavelet before and after this process can be seen on Figure 5.
Figure 5 Estimated wavelet (blue) and re-datumed wavelet (red) on (a) time and (b) frequency domain
Seismic inversion method used in this study is sparse spike inversion. Sparse spike inversion is trace-
based inversion. Low frequency model is not used as initial model, but as trend that will be merged with
inversion result. Low frequency modelling is started with making solid model using existing horizon
that contains the target, then impedance log interpolation and extrapolation is performed from the
existing well data to the entire seismic trace. Later, this low frequency model is going to be used on
seismic inversion process.
Two seismic inversion processes are done, thus with and without attenuation compensation. Inversion
using attenuation compensation is performed with modifying wavelet interpolation using re-datumed
wavelet, Q, and scale value that has been estimated before.
Result
Reflectivity around target horizon from inversion process without attenuation compensation is shown
on Figure 6(b) and with attenuation compensation is shown on Figure 6(c). Some part from dimmed
seismic has already compensated, but to the areas around the fault still have not compensated well
Figure 6 (a) Seismic value RMS (b) Reflectivity as a result from inversion without Q compensation
(c) Reflectivity as a result from inversion with Q compensation
Conclusions
Attenuation does occur on this seismic data of Tasim Field according to analysis that shows amplitude
change and frequency shift for some parts of the seismic area. Reflectivity from seismic inversion with
attenuation compensation gives better result compares to reflectivity from seismic inversion without
attenuation result, despite the fault area could not be compensated well.
References
Zhou, J., Birdus, S., Hung, B., Teng, K.H., and Xie, Y. [2011] Compensating attenuation due to shallow
gas through Q tomography and Q-PSDM, a case study in Brazil. 81st SEG Annual Meeting, Expanded
Abstracts, 3332-3336.