Azimuthal Anisotropic Analysis

Multicomponent solutions for defining fractured reservoirs

Detecting, quantifying, and compensating for azimuthal anisotropy

WesternGeco has a broad portfolio of technologies targeted at detecting, quantifying, and compensating for azimuthal anisotropy. Interpretation of these analyses delivers detailed information on the anisotropy magnitude and directional variations. These, in turn, may relate to fracture density (fracture porosity) and orientation (directions of preferred permeability). Starting from the shallowest layer and working downward by layer stripping, we independently determine the anisotropy levels and correct for them during the processing sequence.

Supergather, common-offset ring, and 2C × 2C converted-wave Alford rotation analysis for analyzing and compensating for shear-wave azimuthal anisotropy.

Mode-converted anisotropic analysis

Shear waves are very sensitive to changes in azimuthal anisotropy, which may be induced by lithology, stress, or fractures because the shear wave is a transverse wave mode. Azimuthal anisotropy splits the reflected shear wave into two distinct orthogonal waves. This shear splitting, caused by changes in the subsurface, can be analyzed and compensated for in a layer-stripping approach using our pre- or poststack tools.

We offer a variety of both pre- and poststack tools for azimuthal anisotropy analysis using shear-wave information, including