Seismic versus sonic velocities: A vertical seismic profiling study

Abstract

Vertical seismic profiling (VSP) techniques provide a method to measure accurately the seismic velocity and lithologic structure near the borehole. The analysis of a VSP survey can also provide insight into seismic‐wave propagation especially when related to sonic measurements. But VSP and sonic log velocities (or traveltimes) are often found to disagree. Recent field evidence of these differences suggests that the VSP traveltimes are delayed with respect to the integrated sonic times, especially in the deep section (>3000 ft), by about 2.0 ms/1000 ft on the average. The VSP has numerous applications in exploration geophysics, such as calibrating the sonic log. It is thus important to understand why the two measurements differ. Differences in the geometries, source frequencies, and instrumental errors of the two surveys are reviewed. More detailed analysis of seismic wave propagation in the VSP shows that short‐path multiples and velocity dispersion can have a significant delaying effect on the seismic traveltimes. One‐dimensional, wide‐band VSP synthetic seismograms are generated in the frequency domain to study these effects. Different parameters (bandwidth, signal‐to‐noise, layer thickness, multiples, attenuation, dispersion) are varied in the synthetic seismograms. A comparative display of synthetic VSP traveltime minus the integrated sonic time is used to view the effects of these parameters on the synthetic traces. Reasonable variation in noise, layer thickness, bandwidth, and picking method have a small effect on traveltimes. Field data from the Anadarko Basin (4 wells) and an East Texas well are examined with the same technique. From the modeling and field examples, it is found that short‐path multiples can cause a seismic pulse delay of up to 2.0 ms/1000 ft with respect to the integrated sonic log in highly cyclically stratified sections. Velocity dispersion associated with attenuation can have a larger effect, causing up to 7.0 ms/1000 ft delay of the VSP traveltimes with respect to the integrated sonic. These wave propagation effects can explain the observed discrepancy between VSP and integrated sonic times in the deep section.

Vertical Seismic Profile into Upper Oceanic Crust in Hole 504B

“…A more detailed examination of this hypothesis is beyond the scope of this paper. Stewart et al (1984) also suggest that decay of borehole conditions and packing of the borehole wall by drilling mud may reduce borehole wall velocity measured by the sonic log; this, presumably could have occurred by reentry and drilling on Legs 137, 140, and 148. Figure 13 shows, however, that although the borehole wall has changed shape (note especially the changes between 600 m and 700 mbsf), there has been little change in the sonic log velocity when averaged over 7.5 m.…”

“…Stewart et al (1984) discuss sources of error for sonic log and VSP velocities and the reasons for discrepancies. The most likely explanation for the Hole 504B data is that "lateral formation changes with higher velocities will allow the seismic energy to follow a faster path" (Stewart et al, 1984(Stewart et al, , p. 1168. Presumably, seismic energy travels vertically at velocities equivalent to the maximum velocities for that layer within a seismic wavelength.…”

In situ seismic measurements in borehole LB‐08A in the Bosumtwi impact structure, Ghana: Preliminary interpretation

“…As noted above, such variations are generally observed. (Stewart et al 1984) but with the seismic velocities lower than the sonic as, is the case below 340 m.…”

Reference models for vertical seismic profiling

“…Вместе с тем, открытым остается вопрос об увязке данных АК и ВСП при выборе модели для решения прямых задач, поскольку в методе ВСП дав-но отмечено закономерное уменьшение с глубиной средних скоростей, вызванное трансформацией им-пульса прямой волны из-за наложения кратно-отра-женных падающих волн [Stewart et al, 1984]. Попытки свести наблюдаемые расхождения данных АК и ВСП лишь к погрешностям наблюдений, имеющим место в каждом из этих методов, явно запутывают вопрос.…”