Learning hydrocarbon distribution from seismic image
The disclosure relates to determining rock properties of subterranean formations and learning the distribution of hydrocarbons in the formations. A geometrical element spread function is disclosed that quantifies distortion of the geology as seen by the geophysicists who process seismic images of the subterranean formations. A method of determining the rock properties using the seismic images and synthetic images is provided. In one example, the method includes: (1) obtaining seismic data from a subterranean formation using a seismic acquisition system, (2) generating one or more seismic images of the subterranean formation using the seismic data, (3) creating one or more synthetic images from the one or more seismic images, and (4) determining rock properties of the subterranean formation based on the one or more seismic images and the one or more synthetic images.
1 . A method of determining rock properties of a subterranean formation, comprising:
obtaining seismic data from a subterranean formation using a seismic acquisition system;
generating one or more seismic images of the subterranean formation using the seismic data;
creating one or more synthetic images from the one or more seismic images by:
interpreting geometrical elements from the one or more seismic images, wherein the geometrical elements are synthetic models of lines or planes that correspond to geological elements within the subterranean formations that represent a change in rock properties, wherein the lines are defined by two distinct points and the planes are defined by at least three distinct points,
propagating synthetic beams of elastic waves between a synthetic acquisition system and the interpreted geometrical elements,
creating an image-based geometrical element spread function representing a response of the geometrical elements to the propagated synthetic elastic waves, wherein the geometrical element spread function provides an angle offset of the reaction and quantifies distortion of the geological elements represented by the one or more seismic images, and
providing the one or more synthetic images that represent perturbations of the synthetic beams of elastic waves at the geometrical elements using the image-based geometrical element spread function;
determining rock properties of the subterranean formation based on the one or more seismic images and the one or more synthetic images; and
drilling a well by adjusting a trajectory of the well according to the rock properties.
2 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the geometrical elements are identified from a dip field generated from the one or more seismic images.
3 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the propagating of the synthetic elastic waves updates perturbations of the geological elements from the one or more seismic images.
4 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein determining the rock properties includes performing a seismic inversion process by tying the seismic data to well log data using the geometrical element spread function.
5 . The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the geometrical element spread function is used as a time-domain wavelet in depth domain convolution for the seismic inversion process.
6 . The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the tying is performed in depth domain.
7 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the geometrical element spread function determines an opening angle and a vertical resolution based on a seismic dipping reflector.
8 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more seismic images is proximate a wellbore that is in the subterranean formation.
9 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the rock properties include uncertainty estimates.
10 . The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the method further includes addressing the uncertainty estimates by applying an invertible neural network to analyze seismic data distribution in latent space.
11 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the seismic data is represented by a graph.
12 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the creating one or more synthetic images from the one or more seismic images uses geoscience knowledge.
13 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the creating one or more synthetic images from the one or more seismic images includes using a learning operator.
14 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the creating one or more synthetic images includes a posterior sampling of properties of the one or more seismic images.
15 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the creating one or more synthetic images includes using the one or more seismic images that are at different incidence angles with respect to the geological elements from the one or more seismic images.
16 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein determining the rock properties of the subterranean formation includes learning hydrocarbon distribution in the subterranean formation.
17 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein learning the hydrocarbon distribution in the subterranean formation includes updating a knowledge learning system.
18 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the hydrocarbon distribution is used as the seismic data for generating the one or more seismic images of the subterranean formation in an iterative process.
19 . A computing system for estimating rock properties of a subterranean formation, comprising:
an interface configured to receive seismic data from a subterranean formation and obtained by a seismic acquisition system; and
one or more processors configured to perform operations including:
generating one or more seismic images of the subterranean formation using the seismic data;
creating one or more synthetic images from the one or more seismic images by:
interpreting geometrical elements from the one or more seismic images, wherein the geometrical elements are synthetic models of lines or planes that correspond to geological elements within the subterranean formations that represent a change in rock properties, wherein the lines are defined by two distinct points and the planes are defined by at least three distinct points,
propagating synthetic beams of elastic waves,
creating an image-based geometrical element spread function representing a reaction of the geometrical elements to the propagating synthetic elastic waves, wherein the geometrical element spread function provides an angle offset of the reaction and quantifies distortion of the geological elements represented by the one or more seismic images,
providing the one or more synthetic images that represent perturbations of the synthetic beams of elastic waves at the geometrical elements using the image-based geometrical element spread function;
determining rock properties of the subterranean formation based on the one or more seismic images and the one or more synthetic images; and
adjusting a trajectory during drilling of a well according to the rock properties.
20 . The computing system as recited in claim 19 , wherein determining the rock properties includes performing, in depth domain, a seismic inversion process by tying the seismic data to well log data using the geometrical element spread function.