Carbonate reservoir characterization using seismic diffraction imaging

Abstract

Although extremely prolific worldwide, carbonate reservoirs are challenging to characterize using traditional seismic reflection imaging techniques. We used computational experiments with synthetic models to demonstrate the possibility that seismic diffraction imaging has of overcoming common obstacles associated with seismic reflection imaging and aiding interpreters of carbonate systems. Diffraction imaging improved the horizontal resolution of individual voids in a karst reservoir model and identification of heterogeneous regions below the resolution of reflections in a reservoir-scale model.