Qualitative and Quantitative

Seismic Interpretation

Felix Obere and Olusegun Akintayo

This presentation includes forward-looking statements. Actual future conditions (including economic conditions, energy demand, and energy supply) could differ materially due to changes in technology, the
development of new supply sources, political events, demographic changes, and other factors discussed herein (and in Item 1A of ExxonMobil’s latest report on Form 10-K or information set forth under "factors
affecting future results" on the "investors" page of our website at www.exxonmobil.com). This material is not to be reproduced without the permission of Exxon Mobil Corporation.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this talk, you should
understand:
• What are seismic attributes and why
are they important?
• How do we use seismic attributes?
• How to relate attribute applications to
various business stages?
• What are qualitative and quantitative
attribute analyses?
Outline
• What are seismic attributes?
• What are the types of seismic attributes?
• Seismic attribute studies & Business stages
applications
• Why are seismic attributes important?
• The seismic loop and types of seismic
attributes
• Structural and stratigraphic examples
• Summary
 What are Seismic Attributes?
• Any measurement (i.e., max amplitude, duration) calculated
from:
s Seismic traces
s An interpretation of the data (surface attributes)

• The measurements can be made on:

s Reflection amplitude data
s Transforms of the data (e.g., quadrature)
s Data along or windowed on a specific horizon
s Data within an interval defined by 1 or 2 horizons

• Measurements of the seismic waveform may be related

(qualitatively or quantitatively) to:
s Variations in rock properties and/or
s Variations in fluid properties

• Characterize the seismic waveform in terms of a seismic

response which can ultimately be related to geologic
variations (i.e., facies, lithology, structure, fluid content, etc.)
4
Seismic Attribute Definition
Simple Definition:
Seismic attributes are mathematical descriptions of the characteristics of a
seismic trace over specific intervals that can be one or more samples thick

There are three fundamental seismic

characteristics:

• Arrival Time gives us information on

geometry and thickness
• Amplitude measures impedance
contrasts, and thus indirectly rock
and fluid properties
• Seismic Character, a combination of
loop (cycle) geometry and continuity,
varies with vertical and lateral
changes in geology
 Types of Seismic Attribute Studies
• Interpretation (Qualitative)
 Emphasizes map patterns – “Trendology”
 Can incorporate well data to identify and
differentiate depositional systems
 Statistical tools can help to analyze large
volumes of data, understand relative
contribution of multiple attributes
 Exploration –> Early Development business
stages Qualitative mapping of EOD

• Analysis (Quantitative / Semi-

Quantitative)
 Requires wells and/or pseudo-wells
 Predictions of rock properties
 Late Development –> Production business stages
 Predict volumes or maps of rock properties
­ Reservoir thickness
­ Lithology Prediction of HC pore-feet
­ Fluid distribution
­ Etc.
 Seismic Attributes and Business Stage
Qualitative
Regional Framework Illuminate
structural and stratigraphic trends to assist
in rapid and accurate interpretations

Semi-Quantitative
Prospect Evaluation Delineate facies
based on distribution of relevant
attributes
Quantitative
Detailed Reservoir
Characterization Predict
physical properties of rocks in the
subsurface through calibration of
seismic attributes to available well
Quantitative
data and/or seismic models.
Importance of Seismic Attributes
• We need to extract as much information as possible from the seismic
data and seismic attributes enable us to extract very subtle detail
from seismic data – more detail than is visibly apparent
• Seismic attributes can predict at and away from wells while still
honoring well data - Predictions are more detailed than simply
interpolating well data
• Seismic attributes are commonly used for:
 Prospect identification and risking
 Hydrocarbon play evaluation
 Reservoir characterization
 Field development
 Well planning

What will the porosity

likely be at our proposed
well location? Well Data Only Seismic Data tied to Wells
The Seismic Loop
• Basic unit over which Map
Based attributes are
calculated Loop N

• A half-cycle (peak or
trough) from one zero- Loop N+1
crossing to the next zero-
crossing Loop N+2
 Types of Attributes
• Horizon-local Attributes
Max Amplitude

– Measurements associated with the ‘loop’ (half-cycle) at

a specific horizon or ‘phantom’ horizon, e.g., maximum
amplitude
• Interval Attributes Sum of ABS Amp
– Measurements associated with an interval defined on
the basis of two specific horizons or ‘phantoms,’ e.g.,
RMS amplitude

• Surface Attributes Horizon Dip

– Measurements associated with a specific horizon, e.g.,
horizon dip

• Volume-calculated Attributes Disco Volume

– Measurements on one data volume that results in a
new data volume, e.g., Discontinuity
10
 Horizon Local Attributes
(Time, Amplitude, Duration, Shape)
Interpreted
Horizon
• Associated with a specific interpreted horizon
 Attributes at the horizon or of the loop it passes through
 Attributes of the loop immediately below the horizon
 Attributes at a specified time distance above or below
the horizon (or of the loop through which that
“phantom” passes) “Phantom”
Horizon

• Parameterization
 Specify primary horizon
 Specify time up or down to a “phantom” horizon if
needed
 Set limits of an extraction window large enough to catch
zero crossings of loops. Can be set very large because
extraction will only be on loop
11
 Interval Attributes
(Sums, Averages, Minima, Maxima)
• These attributes are associated with a defined
interval
 Between two horizons
 At a specified distance from two horizons Upper
Horizon
 Between two specified time values
T1 = 1200 ms
• Common characteristics of intervals we measure
include
 Time to min/max amplitudes within intervals; interval thickness
 Amplitude within interval (minima, maxima, averages, RMS,
integration)
 Loop duration within the interval (minima, maxima, averages)
Lower
 Amplitude spectra within the interval Horizon

• Parameterization T2 = 1400 ms
 Specify upper and lower horizons or top and bottom of slice in
time
 Set limits beyond the interval within which SATK can scan for
zero crossings.
 Do not set these limits too large or will get unintended data
included in extraction
12
Horizon Local vs. Interval Attributes
Horizon Local Attributes
Statistics calculated for the
loop where a horizon has
been picked or the loop
immediately below the
horizon.

Interval Attributes
Attributes calculated on
the entire trace contained
within the extraction
window.
 Surface Attributes
• Surface attributes are associated with Dip Magnitude
a specific interpreted or phantom
horizon

• Generally they are calculated from the

horizon time map
– Dip magnitude and azimuth
– Second derivative of dip
– Surface Curvature
Surface Curvature Map

Common Attribute Usage:

• Surface attributes are useful for

illuminating both structural and
stratigraphic trends
 Transform Attributes (Volume Attributes)
• Traces can be mathematically
transformed to other domains Reflectivity
for attribute extraction
Quadrature (Pseudo- Quadrature
impedance)
Integrated (Pseudo-impedance) Curvature
Curvature
• Apparent increase in frequency
Amplitude
Cosine phase Envelope
• Emphasizes continuity & Instantaneous
angular relations Phase
Instantaneous amplitude Instantaneous
• Bright spot analysis Frequency

Instantaneous frequency Cosine of Phase

• ID attenuated zones or thinly
bedded
• Petrel can generate transformed
trace cubes.
Structural Interpretation Example
• Seismic attributes can be used to help in mapping faults
and other structural features
• Typically we use multi-trace attributes over a correlation
window or along an interpreted horizon to illuminate
structural trends. Faults
Gentle

Faults

Steep
Dip Magnitude Map Discontinuity Time Slice

A map-based calculation of the time A volume-based cross-correlation

difference between adjacent traces between adjacent traces
along an interpreted horizon
 Stratigraphic Interpretation – Examples
• Seismic attributes can be used to assist stratigraphic
interpretation
• Typically we use trace-shape, horizon-local or
interval attributes keyed to specific horizons to
interpret stratigraphic trends.
Central Channel Low

Levee

Central
Channel

Cross Section High

1 km
Levee Map

Horizon Amplitude

A map-based calculation of the seismic

amplitude along an interpreted horizon
Stratigraphic Interpretation - Examples

Discontinuity Time Slice • Seismic attributes

can be used to
help generate
stratigraphic
frameworks or
make
stratigraphic
interpretations

• Typically we use
Discontinuity to
map structural
features, but it
can be very
A volume-based cross-correlation between useful for
adjacent traces mapping
stratigraphy as
well.
Learning Objectives - Summary
• What are seismic attributes?
• Measurements on seismic data that quantify the seismic
response of rocks/fluids

• How do we calculate them?

• Using interpretation software including Petrel

• Why are they important?

• Attributes give us details beyond what the human can observe
• Attributes can be used qualitatively to gain insights into data
quality, structure, stratigraphy and fluid distributions
• If we can quantify the response of changes in rock/fluid
properties to attributes through wells and seismic modeling,
we can make quantitative predicts to aid in E/D/P decisions
Discussion
Ideas / Questions
Thank You
for
Listening