Seismic impedance inversion and interpretation of a gas carbonate reservoir in the Alberta Foothills, western Canada

Abstract

Acoustic and simultaneous elastic impedance inversions of a 2D land seismic data set are performed to characterize a carbonate reservoir of Mississippian age in the Turner Valley Formation, in the Rocky Mountain foothills of western Canada. The inversions produce P‐wave and S‐wave impedance sections (I_pand I_s, respectively), from which Lamé parameter × density (λρ and μρ) sections are derived. The I_pdata provide a separation between the clastics and carbonates. The μρ data provide an estimate of porosity distribution within the dolomitized limestone target. Deviations from baseline curves for water‐saturated carbonates, of λρ versus porosity, λ/μ versus porosity, and I_sversus I_p, are interpreted as indicators of gas potential. These indicators all provide similar spatial patterns of areas of high gas potential and are consistent with the gas occurence observed in a well.