A robust workflow for performing joint impedance inversion and its applications

Abstract

Multicomponent seismic data offer several advantages for characterizing reservoirs with the use of the vertical component (PP) and mode-converted (PS) data. Joint impedance inversion inverts both of these data sets simultaneously; hence, it is considered superior to simultaneous impedance inversion. However, the success of joint impedance inversion depends on how accurately the PS data are mapped on the PP time domain. Normally, this is attempted by performing well-to-seismic ties for PP and PS data sets and matching different horizons picked on PP and PS data. Although it seems to be a straightforward approach, there are a few issues associated with it. One of them is the lower resolution of the PS data compared with the PP data that presents difficulties in the correlation of the equivalent reflection events on both the data sets. Even after a few consistent horizons get tracked, the horizon matching process introduces some artifacts on the PS data when mapped into PP time. We have evaluated such challenges using a data set from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and then develop a novel workflow for addressing them. The importance of our workflow was determined by comparing data examples generated with and without its adoption.