Combined effects of permeability and fluid saturation on seismic wave dispersion and attenuation in partially-saturated sandstone

Abstract

Knowledge of dispersion and attenuation is essential for better reservoir characterization and hydrocarbon identification. However, limited by reliable laboratory data at seismic frequency bands, the roles of rock and fluid properties in inducing dispersion and attenuation are still poorly understood. Here we perform a series of laboratory measurements on Bentheimer and Bandera sandstone under both vacuum-dry and partially water-saturated conditions at frequencies ranging from 2 to 600 Hz. At vacuum-dry conditions, the bulk dispersion and attenuation in Bandera sandstone with more clay contents are distinctly larger than those in Bentheimer sandstone, suggesting clay contents might contribute to the inelasticity of the rock frame. The partially water-saturated results show the combined effects of rock permeability and fluid saturation on bulk dispersion and attenuation. Even a few percent of gas can substantially dominate the pore-fluid relaxation by providing a quick and short communication path for pore pressure gradients. The consequent bulk dispersion and attenuation are negligible. Only as the samples are approaching fully water-saturated conditions, rock permeability begins to play an essential role in the pore-fluid relaxation. For Bandera sandstone with lower permeability, a partially relaxed status of pore fluids is achieved when the gas saturation is lower than 5%, accompanied by significant attenuation and dispersion.

Cited as: Wei, Q., Wang, Y., Han, D., Sun, M., Huang, Q. Combined effects of permeability and fluid saturation on seismic wave dispersion and attenuation in partially-saturated sandstone. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2021, 5(2): 181-190, doi: 10.46690/ager.2021.02.07

References

Adam, L., Batzle, M. L., Lewallen K. T. Seismic wave attenuation in carbonates. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2009, 114: B06208.

Batzle, M. L., Han, D. H., Hofmann, R. Fluid mobility and frequency-dependent seismic velocity-Direct measurements. Geophysics, 2006, 71(1): N1-N9. Biot, M. A. Theory of propagation of elastic waves in a fluid-saturated porous solid: II-Higher frequency range. Journal of the Acoustic Society of America, 1956, 28: 179-191.

Brown, J. M., Angel, R. J., Ross, N. L. Elasticity of plagioclase feldspars. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2016, 121: 663-675.

Chapman, S., Tisato, N., Quintal, B., et al. Seismic attenuation in partially saturated Berea sandstone submitted to a range of confining pressures. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2016, 121: 1664-1676.

Cleary, M. P. Elastic and dynamic response regimes of fluid-impregnated solids with diverse microstructures. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 1978, 14(10): 795-819.

Fjær, E. Relations between static and dynamic moduli of sedimentary rocks. Geophysical Prospecting, 2019, 67(1): 128-139.

Gassmann, F. Uber die Elastizitat poroser medien. Veirtel-jahrasschrift der Naturforschen-den Gesellschaft in Zurich, 1951, 96: 1-23.

Goodway, B., Monk, D., Perez, M., et al. Combined microseismic and 4D to calibrate and confirm surface 3D azimuthal AVO/LMR predictions of completions performance and well production in the Horn River gas shales of NEBC. The Leading Edge, 2012, 31(12): 1502-1511.

Heyliger, P., Ledbetter, H., Kim, S. Elastic constants of natural quartz. Journal of Acoustics Society of America, 2003, 114(2): 644-650.

Ijeje, J. J., Gan, Q., Cai, J. Influence of permeability anisotropy on heat transfer and permeability evolution in geothermal reservoir. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2019, 3(1): 43-51.

Klimentos, T., McCann, C. Relationships among compressional wave attenuation, porosity, clay content, and permeability in sandstones. Geophysics, 1990, 55: 998-1014.

Li, H., Wang, D., Gao, J., et al. Role of saturation on elastic dispersion and attenuation of tight rocks: An experimental study. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2020a, 125(4): e2019JB018513.

Li, H., Zhao, L., Han, D. H., et al. Experimental study on frequency-dependent elastic properties of weakly consolidated marine sandstone: Effects of partial saturation. Geophysical Prospecting, 2020b, 68(9): 2808-2824.

Li, Z., Duan, Y., Fang, Q., et al. A study of relative permeability for transient two-phase flow in a low permeability fractal porous medium. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2018, 2(4): 369-379.

Mavko, G., Jizba, D. Estimating grain-scale fluid effects on velocity dispersion in rocks. Geophysics, 1991, 56: 1940-1949.

Mavko, G., Mukerji, T., Dvorkin, J. The Rock Physics Handbook. Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Mavko, G., Nur, A. Wave attenuation in partially saturated rocks. Geophysics, 1979, 44: 161-178.

Mikhaltsevitch, V., Lebedev, M., Gurevich, B. Laboratory measurements of the effect of fluid saturation on elastic properties of carbonates at seismic frequencies. Geophysical Prospecting, 2016, 64(4): 799-809.

Murphy, M. Effects of partial water saturation on attenuation in Massilon sandstone and Vycor porous glass. The Journal of Acoustical Society of America, 1982, 71(6): 1458-1468.

Müller, T. M., Gurevich, B., Lebedev, M. Seismic wave attenuation and dispersion resulting from wave-induced flow in porous rocks-A review. Geophysics, 2010, 75: A147-A164. O’Connell, R. J., Budiansky, B. Viscoelastic properties of fluid-saturated cracked solids. Journal of Geophysical Research, 1977, 82: 5719-5740.

Pimienta, L., Borgomano, J. V. M., Fortin, J., et al. Elastic dispersion and attenuation in fully saturated sandstones: Role of mineral content, porosity, and pressures. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2017, 122: 9950-9965.

Pimienta, L., David, C., Sarout, J., et al. Evolution in seismic properties during low and intermediate water saturation: Competing mechanisms during water imbibition? Geophysical Research Letters, 2019, 46(9): 4581-4590.

Pimienta, L., Fortin, J., Guéguen, Y. Bulk modulus dispersion and attenuation in sandstones. Geophysics, 2015, 80(2): D111-D127. Pride, S. R., Berryman, J. G., Harris, J. M. Seismic attenuation due to wave-induced flow. Journal of Geophysical Research, 2004, 109: B01201.

Sarout, J., David, C., Pimienta, L. Seismic and microseismic signatures of fluids in rocks: Bridging the scale gap. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2019, 124: 5379-5386.

Spencer, J. W. Stress relaxations at low frequencies in fluid saturated rocks: Attenuation and modulus dispersion. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 1981, 42(C5): 1175-1180.

Spencer, J. W., Shine, J. Seismic wave attenuation and modulus dispersion in sandstones. Geophysics, 2016, 81(3): D211-D231.

Tisato, N., Quintal, B. Measurements of seismic attenuation and transient fluid pressure in partially saturated Berea sandstone: Evidence of fluid flow on the mesoscopic scale. Geophysical Journal International, 2013, 195: 342-351.

Tisato, N., Quintal, B. Laboratory measurements of seismic attenuation in sandstone: Strain versus fluid saturation effects. Geophysics, 2014, 79: WB9-WB14.

Wang, Y., Zhao, L., Han, D. H., et al. Micro-mechanical analysis of the effects of stress cycles on the dynamic and static mechanical properties of sandstone. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 2020, 134: 104431.

Yin, C. S., Batzle, M. L., Smith, B. J. Effects of partial liquid/gas saturation on extensional wave attenuation in Berea sandstone. Geophysical Research Letters, 1992, 19: 1399-1402.

Yin, H., Borgomano, J. V. M., Wang, S., et al. Fluid substitution and shear weakening in clay-bearing sandstone at seismic frequencies. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2019, 124: 1254-1272.

Zhao, L., Cao, C., Yao, Q., et al. Gassmann consistency for different inclusion-based effective medium theories: Implications for elastic interactions and poroelasticity. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2020, 125(3): e2019JB018328.

Zhao, L., Yuan, H., Yang, J., et al. Mobility effect on poroelastic seismic signatures in partially saturated rocks with applications in time-lapse monitoring of a heavy oil reservoir. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2017, 122: 8872-8891.