The main objectives of this project are to: (1) develop relationships between seismic measured properties (e.g. velocities) and laboratory measured properties (e.g. velocities, porosity, and saturation) of carbonate rocks; (2) establish relationships of seismic attenuation with the petrophysical properties (porosity and permeability) and the textural/mineralogical properties of the carbonate rocks; (3) determine compressional and shear wave anisotropy of carbonate rocks from rock samples and field measurements; and (4) link different scales of seismic measurements using both field and laboratory measurements to understand seismic measurements at different scales.

The above objectives have been achieved by combined use of seismic surveys and laboratory measurements on seismic velocities (both P and S waves), grain size, carbonate content, porosity, and density of carbonates rocks. Although the calibration of seismic survey data by laboratory measurements is difficult due to the difference in scale of measurement.

Papers published in this area
Al-Menhali, H., Vega, S., Ali, M., and Sirat, M., 2008, Geology and rock properties correlation: Outcrop analogue study of a Cretaceous reservoir, United Arab Emirates: GEO 2008, Abstract 118961. [pdf]
El Husseiny, H, Al Mesaabi, S. A., Vega, S., Ali, M., Weger, R. J., and Eberli, G. P., 2010, Correlation and integration of seismic velocities, rock properties, and pore structure of Wasia group rocks in the UAE: GEO 2010, Abstract 664240.

Figure 1. Outcrop and seismic correlation. The number inside the blue circles indicate the locations from which we took the core plugs, the dashed horizontal white and red lines refer to the boundary between different beds, the yellow arrow shows the total thickness of exposed rocks measured in the field, the red arrows refer to the reflections (peaks) in the seismic section while the diagram to the right demonstrates how the fracture density (brown, blue, red and green vertical lines) varies with depth. Note how the upper two seismic peaks (increase in velocity) are associated with drop in fracture density along the contact.

Figure 2. Matching the lab measurement from core plugs (including fracture density and compressional velocity) with seismic section to guide the outcrop-seismic correlation. The out crop is shown in the background. The dashed horizontal white lines refer to the boundary between different beds from which we have strong reflection event as well as changes in properties measured in the lab, the seismic section is shown in the right while the other diagrams to the left demonstrate how the fracture density and compressional velocity (brown, blue, red and green vertical lines) varies with depth. Note how the upper two seismic peaks (increase in velocity) are associated with drop in fracture density along the contact.

Figure 3. Demonstration of the shot gather (to the right) and the final stack (to the left) of the processed seismic profile which was acquired on top of an outcrop. Note that there are three main reflection events marked with blue, red and green dashed lines. We can notice that the reflections in the shot gather appear much stronger and more continuous compared to the final stack. This is due to the high sensitivity of shallow seismic to tiny variation and uncertainty in velocity model that is used to produce the stack.