Seismic Inversion

Seismic inversion is now commonly used on post-stack and pre-stack seismic data for estimating rock properties used in reservoir characterization. While seismic migration is aimed at imaging the reflectors or the interfaces at their correct subsurface locations, seismic inversion attempts to estimate elastic and flow properties of the layers bounded by these interfaces. Seismic data are sensitive essentially to seismic wave velocity and density contrasts in the subsurface rocks. Because of significant overlap in elastic properties among different rock types, mapping of these elastic properties to rock types and estimating porosity are not trivial. Thus, seismic inversion is best done by combining data of all types such as seismic, well log, petrophysics and production history. The results of seismic inversion can be best interpreted by a team of geologists, geophysicists and reservoir engineers. The goal of this book is to explain the fundamental principles of seismic exploration, seismic wave propagation, and inversion in a language that is understandable by geoscientists and engineers alike so that the team is aware of the significance and limitations of the inversion results.

About the Author

Mrinal K. Sen is a Professor of Geophysics in the Department of Geological Sciences and a Research Professor at the Institute for Geophysics of the John A. and Katherine G. Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin. He worked in the oil industry from 1979 to 1982 and has been employed at the University of Texas since 1989. Sen s research interests include seismic wave propagation, inverse theory, and computational geophysics. He holds BS and MS degrees in applied geophysics from the Indian School of Mines and a PhD degree in geophysics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He is a member of SEG, AGU, EAGE, SIAM, and the European Academy of Sciences.

Details
Type: Softcover
Size: 6x9
Pages: 120
Published: 2006
ISBN: 9781555631109