We assembled a database of published laboratory measurements on dry carbonate samples to demonstrate efficient method of rock physics modeling of carbonate rocks coming from diverse depositional and diagenetic environments. By focusing on the effects of mineralogy, porosity, pore shapes, and effective stress on elastic properties of limestones and dolomites in a wide 2-45% porosity range, we show that the Vernik-Kachanov rock physics model (RPM) can be successfully used in seismic reservoir characterization of carbonates worldwide. Unlike its alternatives relying on the ellipsoidal shapes with varying aspect ratio treated in the framework of the effective medium theories, this rock physics model adheres to the strict micromechanics principles (effective field theory) and allows us to take into account realistic pore shapes and separate them from the effects of cracks. Because of the very diverse pore geometries typically observed in carbonate lithologies, we subdivide, wherever feasible, the database into carbonate facies and analyze differences and similarities between them in terms of elastic modeling, which may be utilized in AVO inversion-based reservoir characterization efforts worldwide. To emphasize the need for solid rock physics modeling, we generate 1D synthetic scenarios that use our calibrated RPM, extending them into the domains of carbonate facies less represented in our database.
Presentation Date: Monday, October 12, 2020
Session Start Time: 1:50 PM
Presentation Time: 2:15 PM
Location: Poster Station 4
Presentation Type: Poster
