Effect of pore structure on seismic rock-physics characteristics of dense carbonates

Abstract

The Ordovician carbonate rocks of the Yingshan formation in the Tarim Basin have a complex pore structure owing to diagenetic and secondary structures. Seismic elastic parameters (e.g., wave velocity) depend on porosity and pore structure. We estimated the average specific surface, average pore-throat radius, pore roundness, and average aspect ratio of carbonate rocks from the Tazhong area. High P-wave velocity samples have small average specific surface, small average pore-throat radius, and large average aspect ratio. Differences in the pore structure of dense carbonate samples lead to fluid-related velocity variability. However, the relation between velocity dispersion and average specific surface, or the average aspect ratio, is not linear. For large or small average specific surface, the pore structure of the rock samples becomes uniform, which weakens squirt flow and minimizes the residuals of ultrasonic data and predictions with the Gassmann equation. When rigid dissolved (casting mold) pores coexist with less rigid microcracks, there are significant P-wave velocity differences between measurements and predictions.