Comparison of Different Rock Physics Models to Evaluate the Impact of Pore Types on Velocity—Porosity Relationship in Carbonates of Central Luconia Sarawak

Abstract

It has been documented that carbonate contributes to the most hydrocarbon resources worldwide. For rigorous reservoir characterization and performance prediction from seismic, the exact interpretation of geophysical response of different carbonate pore types is crucial. In this study, we test a number of empirical models, such as the Wyllie time-average and Raymer’s velocity-porosity equation, as well as physics-based effective-medium models, such as differential effective-medium theory, against the published datasets from Central Luconia. We find that for certain ranges of inclusion concentration and porosity, the empirical equations (Wyllie’s and Raymer’s) fail. At the same time, an effective-medium model, such as differential effective medium (DEM), appears to be consistently valid if the aspect ratio is selected appropriately and then held constant for the entire concentration or porosity range. The intention of this work is to set a consistent rigorous foundation for modeling of the elastic properties of carbonate rocks, with the ultimate goal of consistent interpretation of log and seismic data for carbonate rock properties and texture.