SC-12 | SEG DISC: Physics and Mechanics of Rocks: A Practical Approach by Manika Prasad
Society of Exploration Geophysicists
Sunday, 21 July 2019, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. | Denver, Colorado
Who Should Attend
Seismic imagers and interpreters who want to learn how fluids, stress, and other environmental effects change seismic signatures; Geophysicists who wish to derive rock properties and constrain well-to-seismic ties; Geologists and sedimentologists looking to develop predictive models of sedimentary environments and stratigraphic events; Reservoir engineers to build porosity, permeability, and fluid coverage models for reservoir simulations using 3D and 4D seismic data; Basin modelers and completions engineers to evaluate stresses from well log and seismic data; Geoscientists doing formation evaluation and well logging interpretations; Basin managers and team leaders who wish to evaluate accuracy of predictions and understand risk and errors in models
Objectives
The course is organized into two main sections:
Section I. Rock Physics Fundamentals
In this section, I will:
- Review fundamental principles underlying rock physics, and rock properties
- Investigate the effects of fluids on rock properties
- Derive basic rock physics correlations and explain why and how they work
- Review rock properties that can be mapped with remote sensing
Section II. Advanced Topics in Rock Physics
In this section, the student is introduced to:
- Poroelasticity
- Attenuation and dispersion
- Geomechanics
- Complex electrical conductivity and permeability
- Investigate the causes for complications and deviations from basic correlations
- Examine existing empirical and theoretical models
- Discuss selected case studies in rock physics.
Course Content
Rock physics is an interdisciplinary branch of geophysics that explains geophysical remote sensing data, such as seismic wave velocities or electrical conductivity in the context of mineralogy, fluid content and environmental conditions. Thus, rock physics interpretations often require inputs from physics, geology, chemistry, chemical engineering, and other fields. For example, seismic waves in cemented rocks travel faster than in loose sediments. Since the physical behavior of rocks controls their seismic response, rock physics brings a key knowledge that helps with the interpretation of rock properties, such as porosity, permeability, texture, and pressure. Rock physics employs indirect geophysical data, such as seismic impedance, sonic log velocities, laboratory measurements, and petrophysical information about porosity, fluid type and saturation in reservoir characterization, evaluation and monitoring. Typically, rock physics is used by anyone doing a monitoring survey to map fluids from 4D seismic; petroleum engineers doing reservoir simulations; geologists evaluating over-pressures and making basin models. For all such purposes, an understanding of wave propagation is required to relate seismic properties (e.g. velocity and attenuation) to physical properties of rocks and to evaluate seismic data in terms of subsurface petrophysical parameters. For example, an application of rock physics is seen in 4D seismic data (i.e. repeated seismic data acquired from the same field), where fluid saturation changes are evaluated from the changes in velocity using fluid-substitution models. Another rock physics application is for example to understand and predict the effect of clay minerals on load-bearing capacity and strength of rocks using fundamental knowledge about the properties of clay minerals (e.g. CEC, surface area, dispersability, charge, sorption, plasticity etc.), the clay water content, as well as the effects of their distribution within the rock. Thus, an effective prediction of rock properties from indirect measurements requires a solid understanding of the physical behavior of rocks under in situ conditions of pore and confining pressures, and fluids saturations.
During this one-day short course, I will provide the earth scientist and engineer with the fundamental basis of rock physics to describe the physical processes that govern the response of rocks to external stresses that are essential for reservoir characterization. The course will also offer practical guidance to help better analyze existing data. A major goal of this course is to offer practical instruction and provide working knowledge in the areas of rock physics and rock mechanics for rock characterization.
Fees
Professionals: $325
Students: $100
Limit: No Limit
CEU:
Includes: Breakfast and Book
Venue
Colorado Convention Center
700 14th St
Denver,
Colorado
80202
United States
Instructor