Does mode mixing matter in EMD-based highlight volume methods for hydrocarbon detection? Experimental evidence

Abstract

Empirical mode decomposition (EMD)-based spectral decomposition methods have been successfully used for hydrocarbon detection. However, mode mixing that occurs during the sifting process of EMD causes the ‘true’ intrinsic mode function (IMF) to be extracted incorrectly and blurs the physical meaning of the IMF. We address the issue of how the mode mixing influences the EMD-based methods for hydrocarbon detection by introducing mode-mixing elimination methods, specifically ensemble EMD (EEMD) and complete ensemble EMD (CEEMD)-based highlight volumes, as feasible tools that can identify the peak amplitude above average volume and the peak frequency volume. Three schemes, that is, using all IMFs, selected IMFs or weighted IMFs, are employed in the EMD-, EEMD- and CEEMD-based highlight volume methods. When these methods were applied to seismic data from a tight sandstone gas field in Central Sichuan, China, the results demonstrated that the amplitude anomaly in the peak amplitude above average volume captured by EMD, EEMD and CEEMD combined with Hilbert transforms, whether using all IMFs, selected IMFs or weighted IMFs, are almost identical to each other. However, clear distinctions can be found in the peak frequency volume when comparing results generated using all IMFs, selected IMFs, or weighted IMFs. If all IMFs are used, the influence of mode mixing on the peak frequency volume is not readily discernable. However, using selected IMFs or a weighted IMFs' scheme affects the peak frequency in relation to the reservoir thickness in the EMD-based method. Significant improvement in the peak frequency volume can be achieved in EEMD-based highlight volumes using selected IMFs. However, if the weighted IMFs' scheme is adopted (i.e., if the undesired IMFs are included with reduced weights rather than excluded from the analysis entirely), the CEEMD-based peak frequency volume provides a more accurate reservoir thickness estimate compared with the other two methods. This study demonstrates that any form of EMD can be beneficial if it is appropriately conditioned. Thus, mode mixing issues will not play an important role in hydrocarbon detection. Because every form of EMD carries strengths and weaknesses in its current implementation, the standardization of such a utility demands further understanding.