Bul, Aust. Soc. Explor. Geophys. (1883) 16, 81-90 Sandstone and Limestone Porosity Determination from Shear and Compressional Wave Velocity S. N. Domenico Tulsa Oklahoma USA Key words: seismic, velocity, shear wave, porosity Abstract Recent and ongoing development of seismic petroleum exploration methods for generating and recording shear ‘waves requires companion efforts to extract useful informa- tion from these data. Data examined in this study are previously published laboratory measurements of shear (S) ‘and compressional (P) wave velocity measurements on water- saturated sandstone, calcareous sandstone, dolomite, and limestone cores, as\ wall as laboratory measurements of porosity on the sandstone and limestone cores. Sandstone and limestone porosities range from 0.082 to 0.299 and from 0.006 to 0.229, respectively. Differential pressure was varied from 500 to 6000 pri, corresponding to approximate burial depths from 290 to 3450 m, respectively. ‘The above lithologies appear effectively separated by Poisson's ratio o or, equivalently, by the ratio of P to S- wave velocity. Rock types are bounded by the 90 percentile values of Poisson's ratio of 0.17 and 0.26 for 0.27 and 0.29 for dolomite, and 0.28 and 0.33 for The values for caleareous sandstones correspond to the upper sandstone range of values. Separation of sandstone and limestone appears to result from the difference in Poisson's ratio of the matrix material, namely, quartz, (0.056) and calcite (0.316), respectively. ‘An empirical function, 1/V = A + BY, was fitted by reares sion analysis to sandstone and limestone velocity (V, and Vp) versus porosity (9) values at each differential pressure. In this equation, A and B are constants at each pressure, A being approximately equal to the reciprocal of matrix velocity. Decreasing standard deviation indicates that the equation becomes an appreciably more accurate representa tion of the measured data as pressure increases. Corr coefficients for sandstone are significantly larger than those for limestone, and approach unity at high pressure. The constant A generally decreases slightly with increasing pressure; average values are near the reciprocal velocities of ‘quartz (sandstone averages) and calcite (limestone averages). ‘The constant B (the rate of change of reciprocal-velocity with porosity) is a critical measure of the sensitivity of velocity to porosity and, therefore, the usefulness of velocity in estimation of porosity. As pressure increases, B decreases nonlinearly for a given porosity, the largest ‘decrease occurring between 500 and about 2000 psi. Sand- stone S-wave B values are from two to five times greater Amoco Production Co, than all other values, indicating that sandstone S-wave velocity is by far the most sensitive to porosity variation, Least tensitive is the limestone P-wave velocity. Unfortunately, limestone S-wave velocity is less sensitive than sandstone P-wave velocity to porosity variation, ‘excopt at very low pressur Introduction Application of elastic shear waves (S-waves) In seismic petroleum exploration has developed considerably in the past few years. After a hiatus of several years, following the Initial development and testing of a hydraulic vibrator S.wave source (Cherry & Waters 1968; Erickson et af 1968), the Continental Oil Company developed an improved vibrator, The testing of ths vibrator was sponsored jointly by 13 petroleum companies. Seismic surveys were completed in 18 areas of the conterminous United States from February 197 to March 1978. Since then, several United States and European geophysical service companies, have begun to offer S-wave surveys. A second S-wave source developed concurrently with the latest vibrator source, and also proven effective, consists of three parallel Primacord (detonating cord) strings buried in shallow trenches a few inches apart. A vibrator Swave source recently developed by a French service company, Compagnie Générale de Geophysique {CGG), is shown in Fig. 1. The vibrating unit is attached to the front of @ heavy duty truck that is highly manoeuvr- able. At each source-point the vibrator unit is pressed hydraulically against the surface and vibrates at right angles to the seismic line, generating a swept-frequency SHwave tens of seconds long. An S-wave seismic section obtained ith this vibrator and, for comparison, a Pawave seismic section obtained on the same line with a vibrator Pavave source, taken from Garotta (1981), are shown in Fig. 2. Except for the central portion between the heavy vertical lines, corresponding to a wet ground surface, reflection ‘quality on the two sections is comparable. Velocity of S: waver generally is approximately one-half that of P-waves; therefore, the time scale of the S-wave section is twice that of the Pwave section. This survey demonstrated that the ratio of $ to Pawave interval velocities, derived from reflec: tion velocity spectra (Fig, 3), reliably indicated gross lithology in the intervals AB, BC, and CD (Fig. 2). This varied from limestone to sands and clays to chalk. 0314-287689/1200-0113 $02.00 © 1983 Blackwell Scientific Publications2 Domenico FIGURE 1 Vibrator Swave source. (Courtesy of Compagnie Générale de Geo- physique) ave section FIGURE 3 ‘A. more recent development that appears promising is, simultaneous Sand P-wave well logging. A well sonde, developed by OYO Instruments, Inc. of Japan, has been tested successfully to a depth of 480 m (Ogura etal, 1980). The sonde (Fig, 4a) consists of two geophones, each con: taining a horizontal and vertical sensor, and an electro. magnetic source that alternately generates S.waves of ‘opposite polarity. Identification of S-waves is facilitated by ‘comparison of signal traces from the horizontal sensor in each geophone (S-waves are of opposite polarity, whereas other waves are of the same polarity) and also by comparison fof these with signal traces from the vertical sensor. A typical recording is shown in Fig. 4b. Velocities are determined from travel-time differences of S waves recorded from the horizontal sensor and of Pawaves recorded from ‘the vertical sensor in each of the two geophones. The three recordings {two S-wave recordings of opposite polarity and, fone Pwave recording) are made sequentially and require about 5 s at each sonde position. A combination S and P.wave log to @ depth of 480 m and a corresponding geologic description are shown in Fig. 5. ‘The development of methods for generating and recording S-waves requires companion efforts to extract useful information from these emerging exploration techniques. Perhaps the foremost objectives are identification of rock lithology and porosity. In the following we will examine the feasibility of identifying sandstone and limestone, and ‘of determining the porosity of each, from S and P-wave velocities, This study, of course, is only a small beginning in the examination of many potential uses. Among these are identification of other lithologies, porosity type (e.. fractures), permeability, and pore fluid. In addition to velocities, relative $ and Pavave attenuation must be examined to assess its potential in identifying rock properties Basic data Data for this study are taken from Pickett (1963), These, data are laboratory S and P-wave velocity measurements on water-saturated sandstone, calcareous sandstone, dolomite and limestone cores, as well as laboratory porosity measure: ments on the sandstone and limestone cores. Differential pressure. was varied from 500 to 6000 psi. Sandstone porosities range from 0.092 to 0.299 and limestone Porosities range from 0.006 to 0.229. Precise measure- ‘ments on the sandstone and limestone cores were graciously supplied by Pickett (pers. comm.) P and Swave reflaction-derived velocity spectra (a) Apparent velocity versus reflection time, (b) Apparent velocity derived from reaction © (Fig.2) versus horizontal distance, (Courtesy of Compagnie Générale de Geophyaique!]Porosity determination from velocity (a) 7 Conducter gaxq se £8 cutee unt FIGURE 4 (a) S-wave wall logging sonde and surface equipment. (b) Typical signal traces for horizontal and vertical sensors: H, horizontal sensor: tial sensor; 1, geophone 1:2, goophone 2. (Courtesy of O¥O Histograms of the porosity measurements on 21 sandstone and 25 limestone cores are shown in Fig. 6. The number of ‘cores (samples) in each 0.025 porosity interval are plotted. Unfortunately, the porosities are not evenly distributed, especially the sandstone porosities, nearly halt of which are in the 0.175-0.2 interval. Approximately one-third of ‘the limestone porosities are in the 0.025-0.05 range. Needless to say, it is extremely difficult to acquire rock samples of like lithology, consolidation, etc., with a substantial range of porosities. Nevertheless, although the porosity distribution is considerably less than ideal, the Suite of sandstone and of limestone cores acquired by Pickett are unique in the wide range of porosities present, in samples which otherwise appear to be quite similar. Before proceeding with the discussions of data analyses, it is advisable to define differential pressure, mentioned above, more precisely and to describe its relationship to depth of burial, As illustrated in Fig. 7, differential pressure is the difference between lithostatic (overburden) pressure ‘and pore fluid pressure, Given a rate of increase of each pressure with depth, we may relate differential pressure to burial depth. A generally accepted nominal rate for litho- static pressure is 1 psi/ft (3.28 psi/m) of depth. Normal pore fluid pressure is equivalent to that exerted by 3 column of the pore fluid extending to the surface hydrostatic pressure). For our purposes we will assume that, the pore fluid pressure is normal and that the fluid is a Velocity (kn 5? Oe tance a a Geoiegy L Tutt Mucstone Tutt Combination Sand P.wave Jog obtained from the $ and Powave Togping sondo (Fig. 4a) and corresponding geologic section. (Courtesy (oF OVO Instruments Ine.) Nh 3 2 2 2 5 . OF recaey ip)? a3 wp" fr § sft 2 2 2 oo 7 33 Paroaty i) FIGURES Histograms of measured poresitios in a) 21 sandstone cores and 10) 25 limestone cores.