Integrating coherence and seismic inversion for imaging thin bed channel deposits

This paper describes the advantages of combining energyweighted coherent amplitude gradients, coherence and seismic inversion cubes, for imaging thin bed deposits. These features are related to distributary channel deltaic deposits associated with a transgressive Lower Miocene sequence, located in northwestern Colombia (South America). Because the rapid lateral variations and thickness below tuning resolution, these transgressive channel reservoirs are complicated to develop efficiently and it is difficult to characterize or successfully map them using conventional seismic attributes (e.g. RMS amplitude). Our coherence and energy-weighted coherent amplitude gradients volumes provides high resolution images of lateral variations within the seismic volume, illuminating channels and faults but provide little insight as to which seismic facies may be present. In contrast, our seismic inversion volumes is directly sensitive to lithology and porosity; when coupled with well control it can be used for lithologic and stratigraphic interpretations. These volumes present an unbiased image volume that allow interpreters and reservoir engineers to: 1) display stratigraphic geobodies, 2) compare producing intervals, and 3) predict reservoir continuity for an integrated reservoir characterization.