Quantification and correction of the Thomsens Delta Anisotropy for improved quantitative seismic interpretation in AMFO Field, Western Niger Delta

The Niger Delta is a sedimentary deposit with continuing sediment deposition to date. In a stratified earth, seismic waves tend to propagate faster along layers than across layer boundaries. Shales, due to the clay minerals they contain, exhibit similar behavior. As a result, velocities derived from surface seismic are often faster than well-derived velocities, causing depths of structures from surface seismic interpretations to be much shallower than their true depths. Reservoir characterization workflows such as amplitude-versus offset (AVO) analysis, seismic inversion and pore pressure prognosis, which make use of seismic velocities to accurately delineate and define exploration targets, would be seriously impacted if velocity anisotropy is not quantified and the seismically-derived velocities corrected. Accurate quantification and correction of velocity anisotropy requires the use of offset vertical seismic profile (VSP) data to aid the estimation of the Thomsen’s anisotropic parameters,   and  . Unfortunately, such data are rarely acquired in many exploration projects and when they are available, they are often limited in areal coverage. In this study, an integrated approach using well and seismic data, based on the degree to which check shot and stacking interval velocity trends diverge with increasing depths, was utilized to quantify and correct seismically-derived velocity in AMFO field for improved quantitative seismic interpretation. Estimated anisotropy is between 2 and 22%, and becomes apparent at about 1,100 m true vertical depth subsea (TVDss). Key words: Velocity anisotropy, interval velocity, vertical seismic profile (VSP), anisotropic parameters, well velocity.