Determination of the elastic wave velocities in porous rocks with the change of overburden pressure and its universal significance

Abstract

Typical rock samples with different lithologic characteristics were collected from explor-ing wells drilled in sandstone-conglomerate sedimental reservoirs with positive rhythm. In different pore fluid states (fully saturated with gas, water and oil), the velocities of compressional and shear waves ( V p , V s ) were measured under different overburden pressure in laboratory. The effects of pore fluid and different fluid types on the velocities were analyzed. The velocities ( V p , V s ) of the samples fully saturated with water were calculated by use of Gassmann’s formula that is suitable for low frequency. The calculated values were compared with the experimental values obtained at high frequency. The result shows that Gassmann’s theory can be used to calculate elastic wave velocities in porous rocks saturated with fluid. By this result, the change of elastic velocities with the change of fluid can be predicted. The error is allowable in petroleum engineering. This conclusion is useful for sonic logging interpretation and seismic datum processing.