2D Elastic Full-Waveform inversion for Estimating Fluid Distribution in Hydrocarbon Reservoir

Abstract

Seismic full-waveform inversion (FWI) method has been used to estimate subsurface velocity structure. FWI directly utilizes observed waveforms that could include information on the properties of subsurface materials. In seismic time-lapse surveys, we observe the difference between waveforms as a function of time for the change such as fluid alteration. Residual waveforms between the observed before and after a certain time interval are used to estimate the changes in the fluid distribution in terms of seismic velocities in FWI method. In contrast to the previous FWI applications, our research focuses directly on the properties in the hydrocarbon reservoir in order to estimate the fluid distribution and alteration. We simulate the wave propagation based on the Biot theory that includes the effects of fluid in porous media. The simulation model is composed of a block of sandstone saturated with water and gas. We assume a transition zone around the fluid contact, whose vertical profile of the saturation rate varies gradually in time in this zone. The result inspires that the combination of elastic parameters is necessary for estimating the seismic velocity contact in fluid transition zone relating to the fluid-contact movement by FWI.