GEOPYHSICS 5 Flashcards
A field that satisfies the Laplace equation. The Laplace equation is equivalent in three dimensions to the inverse square law of gravitational or electrical attraction (in source-free regions; in regions with sources, it becomes Poisson’s equation). Examples of potential fields include the field of the gravity potential and static electric and magnetic fields.
potential field
Seismic events whose energy has been reflected once. Multiples, in contrast, are events whose energy has been reflected more than once. A goal of seismic data processing is to enhance primary reflections, which are then interpreted as subsurface interfaces.
primary reflection
In electromagnetic methods, to measure the variation of a property versus depth, including electrical, electromagnetic and magnetotelluric properties. Probing differs from profiling in that the goal of probing is to provide a record of vertical changes, whereas profiling documents lateral variations.
Probe/ sound
Alteration of seismic data to suppress noise, enhance signal and migrate seismic events to the appropriate location in space. Processing steps typically include analysis of velocities and frequencies, static corrections, deconvolution, normal moveout, dip moveout, stacking, and migration, which can be performed before or after stacking. Seismic processing facilitates better interpretation because subsurface structures and reflection geometries are more apparent.
Processing/ seismic processing
The phase that occurs after successful exploration and development and during which hydrocarbons are drained from an oil or gas field.
Production
A measure of the efficiency of seismic acquisition. Production can be expressed in terms of the number of lines, shots or lengths (km or miles) of data acquired in a given time.
Production
To measure the lateral variation of a property, such as gravity or magnetic fields. Probing, in contrast, is the term used to describe the measurement of vertical variations of a property in electromagnetic and other nonseismic geophysical methods.
Profile
Measuring thelateralvariation of a property, such as gravity or magnetic fields.Probing, in contrast, is the term used to describe the measurement of vertical variations of a property in electromagnetic and other nonseismic geophysical methods.
Profiling
A property of a sinusoidal plane wave equal to twice pi divided by the wavelength. Also known as the wavenumber, the propagation constant is fundamental to the mathematical representation of wavefields. It is the spatial equivalent of angular frequency and expresses the increase in the cycle of the wave (measured in radians) per unit of distance. In nondispersive media, the wavespeed is the ratio of the angular frequency to the propagation constant. The propagation vector has magnitude equal to the propagation constant and points in the direction the wave is traveling.
Propagation constant
A phenomenon of relative seismic velocities of strata whereby a shallow layer or feature with a high seismic velocity (e.g., a salt layer or salt dome, or a carbonate reef) surrounded by rock with a lower seismic velocity causes what appears to be a structural high beneath it. After such features are correctly converted from time to depth, the apparent structural high is generally reduced in magnitude.
Pull up
A phenomenon of relative seismic velocities of strata whereby a shallow layer or feature with a low seismic velocity (e.g., a shale diapir or a gas chimney) surrounded by rock with a higher seismic velocity causes what appears to be a structural low beneath it. After such features are converted from time to depth, the apparent structural low is generally reduced in magnitude. Hydrocarbon indicators can display velocity push-downs because the velocity of hydrocarbon is slower than that of rock.
Push-down
An elastic body wave or sound wave in which particles oscillate in the direction the wave propagates. P-waves are the waves studied in conventional seismic data. P-waves incident on an interface at other than normal incidence can produce reflected and transmitted S-waves, in that case known as converted waves.
P-wave/ Acoustic wave/ Compressional wave/ Dilatational wave
The dimensionless quality factor. It is the ratio of the peak energy of a wave to the dissipated energy. As waves travel, they lose energy with distance and time due to spherical divergence and absorption. Such energy loss must be accounted for when restoring seismic amplitudes to perform fluid and lithologic interpretations, such as amplitude versus offset (AVO) analysis. Q is also described as the reciprocal of attenuation, but that is not strictly correct because the attenuation coefficient has units of inverse length.
Q
A type of surface wave in which particles oscillate horizontally and perpendicularly to the direction of wave propagation.
Q wave/ Love wave
A subset of a 3D seismic survey comprising low fold or simplified processing (such as omitting dip moveout processing) that can be evaluated soon after acquisition.
quicklook
A log, or a display of several logs, that has been generated by a simple computation of log data. The quicklook is intended to make it easy to identify particular features in a section of log. The term is used for single curves designed, for example, to identify hydrocarbon zones, estimate porosity or identify lithology. Examples are Rwa, crossplot porosity, ratio method and apparent matrix density. The term is also used for a complete log containing some combination of quicklook curves, original logs and lithology display. In all cases the computations are based on simple models.
quicklook
Borehole seismic data processed on site in the field
quicklook
A type of surface wave in which particles oscillate horizontally and perpendicularly to the direction of wave propagation.
Q-wave
An array of sources or receivers radiating outward from a central point, usually a borehole.
radial array
A borehole seismic method in which a surface source transmits seismic energy from various locations to a receiver in a wellbore to locate high-velocity features such as salt domes.
radial refraction
A surveying technique used to identify local, high-velocity features such as salt domes, also called fan shooting.
radial refraction
Disturbances in seismic data that are not coherent (they lack a phase relationship between adjacent traces, unlike air waves and ground roll) and cannot be correlated to the seismic energy source. Random noise can be reduced or removed from data by stacking traces, filtering during processing or using arrays of geophones during acquisition.
random noise
A dilatation, or decrease in pressure and density of a medium as molecules are displaced by a P-wave. As P-waves pass through the Earth, the Earth undergoes compression and expansion. These changes in volume contribute to the positive and negative amplitudes of a seismic trace.
rarefaction
A representation of the direction of travel of a seismic wave.
ray