Lithofacies discrimination using support vector machines, rock physics and simultaneous
seismic inversion in clastic reservoirs in the Orinoco Oil Belt, Venezuela
Atilio Torres*, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Jorge Reveron, PDVSA-Intevep and Juan Infante
Universidad Central de Venezuela
Summary
Lithologic discrimination was performed in clastic
reservoirs in Orinoco Oil Belt, Venezuela, integrating rock
physics, simultaneous seismic inversion and support vector
machines. The rock physics analysis allowed to obtain
relation between lithologic facies and elastic properties in
reservoirs. Subsequently, through simultaneous seismic
inversion was possible to generate P and S wave
impedances and density volumes. Finally, combining the
previous two points was generated a lithofacies volume
using the algorithm of support vector machines as
classification tool. Results of this study permitted to
identify reservoir pay zones.
Introduction
One of the biggest problems in the Orinoco Oil Belts
reservoirs is the low acoustic impedance contrast between
sand and shale deposits. This circumstance forces to use
others elastic attributes besides the acoustic impedance,
which permit better lithological discrimination (Ovalles et
al., 2011).
Its well known that using prestack seismic inversion is
possible to obtain elastic properties volumes (P (AI) and S
(SI) wave impedances and density). The combination of
these results with rock physics, which permits to link
lithologies and elastic properties, and the use of
probabilistic methods, derives in lithological volumes in
order to define reservoir pay zones (Mukerji et al., 2001).
In this particular case, the low impedance contrast avoids
using conventional probabilistic methods (discriminant
analysis, Bayesian classification). To resolve this situation,
we use another classification algorithm, support vector
machines (SVM).
SVM is a statistics method with a huge success in
computation, generally is used in classification problems in
optical character recognition (OCR), data mining,
bioinformatics, etc. The application of this algorithm in
lithological discrimination using elastic attributes
represents a new point in comparison to other
investigations; this implies that the effectiveness of this
method in the present study will be a relevant factor to
point out in future works.
With all these antecedents mentioned, the main objective of
this work is to generate a lithofacies volume through elastic
properties volumes, and applying SVM as classification
algorithm. These results permit to identify reservoir pay
zones.
Reservoirs description
The area of study is located in Caria Field in Orinoco Oil
Belt, Venezuela. U sands of Oficina (Lower Miocene)
and Merecure (Oligocene) Formations, represent the main
reservoirs. Both Formations have a fluvial-deltaic origin,
with more fluvial influence in Merecure Formation.
These sand reservoirs are very clean and unconsolidated,
with a relative shallow depth (3500-4300 ft), porosities in a
range of 20-38% and permeabilities between 100-1800 mD.
Also, these reservoirs are saturated with heavy oil (10.3
API).
Rock physics
The goal of this phase is to find the elastic attributes that
provide a better lithological distinction between clean sand
and shaly deposits, this is important for SVM algorithm,
which requires to know the attributes and classes
(litofacies) to classify correctly the last ones. In addition,
Rock Physics Template (RPT) (Avseth et al., 2005) permits
to study the reservoirs properties at details, the idea is
linking elastic properties and petrophysical and
sedimentological data. The construction of the RPT in
unconsolidated sands considers three effective medium
models: Friable Sand Model (FSM) and Contact Cement
Model (CCM) (Dvorkin and Nur, 1996), and Constant
Cement Model (CoCM) (Avseth et al., 2000). In this case,
the elastic properties of the fluids (brine and heavy oil) are
very similar; consequently this study is focusing in
sedimentological and facies conditions, and not in fluid
type in the pores. For this purpose, models were deployed
in acoustic velocity versus total porosity crossplot, and
considerating 100% of water saturation.
Four wells were uses in this study, none had shear log,
therefore this was estimated applying Castagnas
methodology (1985), with the estimation of lineal relations
Vp-Vs in surrounding fields. Furthermore, for better shear
velocity estimation, Oficina and Merecure Formations
required individual rock physics studies (Figure 1 and 2).
Crossplot in Oficina Formation (Figure 1.a) shows an
overlap in the acoustic impedance values of sand and shaly
 Lithofacies discrimination using support vector machines, rock physics and simultaneous seismic inversion
facies, in effect is the density the best lithological
discriminator. Meanwhile, RPT in this case (Figure 1.b)
point out a preferential direction in sands (black arrows),
these directions was defined by Dvorkin and Gutierrezs
model (2002) as a shale lamination direction. This is
validated with core information, which provides that sands
usually have alternating shale lamination and dispersed
shale.
Figure 1: Oficina Formation: a) AI RHOB crossplot
(black polygon encloses differentiable sands); b) RPT
(black arrows indicate shale lamination).
Elastic Elastic behavior in Merecure Formation is
completely different from the previous. Here, we observe
Figure 2: Merecure Formation: a) AI RHOB crossplot; b) AI RHOB crossplot (only sands); c) RPT ; d) RPT (only sands).
Black polygons encloses clean differentiable sands and adjusted to friable sand model.
differentiable sands (black polygon) with low impedance
and density values (Figure 2.a), being this last attribute that
offers a better discrimination. Figures 2.b, and 2.d show
separation between brine sands and oil sands. In RPT
(Figure 2.d), oil sands respect FSM with high porosity,
while brine sands are fitted at CoCM with 1% or 2% of
cement and lower porosity. This difference is due to
sorting, oil sand are cleaner and with higher porosity and
permeability than more shaly brine sands.
Simultaneous seismic inversion
In order to create a litofacies volume, its necessary to
generate elastic attributes volumes (AI, SI, RHOB), where
the solution of SVM classification will be propagated.
These volumes are generated by prestack simultaneous
seismic inversion. Besides of the seismic data required,
algorithm is based in a priori model information, provided
by interpreted horizons and well logs. CRP gathers had
incident angle up to 40 on the target that permits to obtain
a more confident density volumen. The correlation between
inversion and well was above 80%, ensuring a good quality
control of the project.
Support vector machines
The idea of SVM algorithm is to generate a surface, named
hyperplane, which is able to separate two or more
populations previously categorized. The hyperplane
provides a mathematic equation (decision function),
capable to classify a new vector, after input data training
and its crossvalidation to verify the SVM predictability.
 Lithofacies discrimination using support vector machines, rock physics and simultaneous seismic inversion

The effectiveness of SVM resides in the fact to support

multidimensional input data (huge numbers of attributes).
In other hand, SVM decreases computation time in
comparison to other classification methods.

The mathematical formulation of SVM has been quite

studied (Cristianini et al., 2000; Schlkopf and Smola,
2000), this requires optimization and regularization of
objective function, also developing a complex vector and
matrix. In addition, SVM are divided into two main
branches: linear and nonlinear. In the lineal approach, the
classification is solved in the same input space, for
example, working with R3 data, the classifier hyperplane is
a plane, in the case of R2 data, a line represents the
separation of two populations.

For understanding graphically the linear SVM approach,

Figure 3 illustrates in R3 the classifier hyperplane in
combination with the populations categorized in Oficina
Formation. Its clear to note that the central hyperplane
separates clean sands from shaly facies, being density the
attribute with more influence in the differentiation. The two
planes parallel to the central are built by the closest vector
(samples) of each class. These vectors are called support
vectors and are necessary for SVM mathematical
formulation.
The nonlinear approach is more complex; the classification
solution is done in higher dimension space than input one.
In this spatial translation is necessary to introduce a kernel
function, which linearized the input function in the new
higher dimension space. For its mathematical simplicity,
the most used kernel function is the Gaussian.
Nevertheless, there are different types of kernel functions,
adapted to the problem and data management.
In this research, we employed the algorithm Proximal
Support Vector Machines (PSVM) (Fung and Mangasarian,
2001), which resolves the classification problem in a linear
equation systems that has demonstrated to work quickly
and effectivly. Input data was divided in different sets, in
order to prove the combination of elastic attributes to get a
better classification solution. Additionally, classification
solutions were estimated for each Formation.
Table 1: SVM linear and nonlinear results. The red boxes highlight the optimum classification for each Formation.
Figure 3: 3D visualization of elastic attributes and linear
classification SVM (Example in Oficina Formation).
Results of SVM training are shown in Table 1. The linear
method is applied to seven (7) attributes in Oficina
Formation and it validates a greater population percentage.
The increasing of the number of attributes validates more
elements, which does not happen in Merecure Formation.
In the case of nonlinear solution its the opposite. The
solution with three (3) attributes is more efficient in
Merecure Formation, however increasing the number of
attributes in the PSVM nonlinear algorithm does not
increase the validation; in fact Oficina Formation solution
is unstable. Logically this instability is related to data
characteristics, because Fung and Mangasarian (2001) had
success in different data sets with a high number of
attributes, however there are not references to the
application of SVM in elastic attributes. For these reason,
we have not a solid argument to explain the instability of
SVM algorithm for this case.
Despite these problems, optimal validations in both
Formations are quite favorable, with training and test
validations above 86%. These results give a high level of
confidence and credibility in SVM method, as lithofacies
classifier using elastic attributes.
 Lithofacies discrimination using support vector machines, rock physics and simultaneous seismic inversion

Litofacies volumes
After getting SVM classification solutions, decision
function are propagated in elastic properties volumes
generated through simultaneous inversion. Figure 4
illustrate sand spatial distributions in Oficina Formation.
The sand greatest accumulation is in the west of the field.
sands above are not identified by SVM possible due to lost
of predictability towards the south of the field, where is
blind well. Nevertheless, correlations of lithofacies were
acceptable, getting values in order of 70% for different two
blind wells.

Figure 4: 3D sands visualization in Oficina Formation.

In Merecure Formation case (Figure 5), which has more

fluvial characteristics, there is sand in almost whole field.
However, sand relative volume map identifies northwest
Figure 6: Lithofacies correlation in blind well. (Left: well
area with the biggest sand accumulation, also there is an
facies ; right: SVM facies classification)
orientation North-South that crosses wells F and D, which
coincides with sedimentation direction. This is an important
Conclusions
point to considerate, keep in mind that rock physics study
shows that these sands have a big possibility of oil
SVM algorithm classified lithofacies effectively using
accumulation.
elastic properties information. For this purpose, validations
were above 86%. These results proved that this method
could be an alternative to Bayesian classification, generally
employed in such studies.

By lithofacies volumes and sand relative volume maps,

after rock physics analysis, was possible to identify
reservoir pay zones. Oficina Formation presents higher
sand content in the west of the field, while in Merecure
Formation the pay zones are located in northwest. This last
Formation has a significant interest, because rock physics
analysis showed that sands are very clean and they have
high oil saturation.

Acknowledgments
Figure 5: 3D sands visualization in Merecure Formation.
The authors would like to thank PDVSA Intevep for their
Finally, Figure 6 deploys in a blind well the initial facies in cooperation in providing the data, support and permission
comparison to SVM facies in order to verify litofacies to publish this work.
volume predictability. Despite seismic resolution (70 ft), it
is possible to identify some thin sand intervals in Oficina
Formation. For Merecure Formation its possible to
correlate the big sand package around 3800 ft. The two
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