Relationship Between Acoustic Properties and Petrofabric in Upper Devonian, Slave Point Formation at Sawn Hill Field, Alberta
Anne Watkins, Christopher G. St. C. Kendall
Using the carbonates from the Upper Devonian Slave Point formation at Sawn
Hill field, Alberta, as a data base, the relationship between these carbonate
rocks and their acoustic properties is discussed. This study was made to enable
better predictions of the distribution of carbonate plays and prospects in this
formation. The key to this prediction is identifying
the occurrence of porosity
and its relationship to the carbonate
depositional
and diagenetic facies of the
formations from
seismic
cross
sections
, and velocity and density logs.
In this study, petrographic image analysis (PIA) was used in place of
conventional petrographic methods to reduce the amount of subjectively and
qualitatively described data; specifically PIA was used to quantify the shape of
pores and carbonate grains, their size, roundness, sorting, and packing, as well
as the nature of their contacts, and their relationship to cements. The
preliminary results from the quantification of depositional
and diagenetic
fabric was statistically related to velocity and density logs. The results were
compared to those obtained through the more conventional methods, and confirm
how porosity and mineralogy are of major importance when considering the
acoustic behavior of carbonates.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91043©1986 AAPG Annual Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, June 15-18, 1986.