Prediction of Seismic Properties of Formations Containing Heavy Oil

F023 Prediction of Seismic Properties of Formations Containing Heavy Oil W.D. Pennington* (Michigan Technological University) SUMMARY Seismic monitoring of heavy oil formations can be aided by accurate models relating petrophysical properties of the formation to seismic velocities or elastic moduli. Formations containing heavy oil tend to have seismic velocities or moduli that are lower than predicted using rock-matrix models typically used in other types of reservoirs. Heavy oil is known to exhibit rigidity and the rock grains may be held in suspension within this “matrix” of hydrocarbon. The Hashin-Shtrikman and Kuster-Toksöz models are used to model the formation at Cold