Identification of Stratigraphic

Formation Interfaces using

Wavelet and Fourier Transforms
Raphael Ardyanto Sunardi
22313014
Objective interpretation?
Formation boundary
criteria is subjective
Different interpretation for
each interpreter
well log is treated with
signal processing methods
Objective,
apparently
Modification to Fourier transform was implemented for
identification of lithologic boundaries
Short-time Fourier transform
(STFT):
Segments signals using
windows
Combination of Wavelet transform
and Fourier transform was studied in
this paper to analyze SP and GR log to
identify stratigraphic interfaces
Wavelet transform (WT):
Uses wavelet function
containing both time and
frequency information
simultaneously
Discrete Fourier Transform
=
=0
1

2/
x =
=0
1

2/
Discrete Fourier
transform
Inverse discrete Fourier
transform
The depth in well log can be treated as time in
processing the SP or GR log as a signal
Transformed data can be used to select frequency bands
to filter SP or GR log
In this paper, Fast Fourier Transform is used to efficiently
calculate discrete Fourier transform of SP or GR log
Wavelet Transform
Provides varying time and frequency resolutions using
windows of different lengths
Consists of two kernel variables, phase (or location) and
scale, by utilizing wavelet function

, =
1

=
1

is called wavelet coefficients

is conjugate
complex of
a and b are scale and phase (or
location variables)
Continuous wavelet transform:
Shifting the wavelet function from variable
phase (b) and stretching the shape of
wavelet function from the scale (a)
Wavelet Transform
Types of wavelet transform depends on wavelet
functions used
Haar function
Daubechies function
Wavelet Transform
Discrete wavelet transform:
Signal x(t) is decomposed into several lower-resolution components,
approximation (cA) and detail wavelet coefficients (cD)
=

0
=

. ( )

1(2)

0(2)

0
=
1
2

1
2

1
=
1
2

1
2

is a scale function,
orthogonal to wavelet
function
is equivalent to the
phase b
Reconstruction of the original signal
x is obtained by the sum of inverse
WT of approximation (cA) and its
detail (cD)
Discrete Wavelet Transform

1 2
.

1
Inverse WT of detail wavelet coefficient
(cD) is used to reconstruct high-frequency
signal R
cD
Approximation response (low-pass filtering) and
detail response (high-pass filtering) can be
calculated at the same time
Approximation (cA) represents low-frequency
component of signal x
Detail wavelet coefficient (cD) represents high-frequency
component of signal x
Wavelet transform method
Well log data
(SP or GR)
Scale distributions
of wavelet
coefficients

Approximation
coefficients
(cA)
Detail
coefficients
(cD)
Stratigraphic
interfaces
Stratigraphic
interfaces
Identification of
interfaces
Continuous
wavelet transform
Discrete wavelet
transform
cA represents
low-pass filter
cD represents
high-pass filter
Haar function of
all scales is used
to identify
interfaces
Combination of wavelet
transform and Fourier
transform methods
Well log data
(SP or GR)
Result of the discrete wavelet transform
Noisy
data?
Detail coefficients (cD)
Reconstructed data
(R
cD
)
Spectrum of
reconstructed data(R
cDF
)
Modified spectrum of
reconstructed data (MR
cDF
)
Modified reconstructed
data (MR
cD
)
Logarithmic distribution
data (LR
cD
)
Approximation
coefficients (cA)
Approximation
coefficients (cA)
Detail
coefficients (cD)
Approximation
coefficients (cA)
Detail
coefficients (cD)
Stratigraphic interfaces
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
No Yes
Inverse wavelet transform
Fourier transform
Filtering
Inverse Fourier transform
log transform
Interface identification
Decomposition
Decomposition

= log
2

440
+ 69
Ideal well log data application of wavelet transform
method
Clean sand
formation
between 7420 and
7440 ft
Shale formation
above 7420 and
below 7440 ft
Ideal data has no
noise.
Therefore the method
of combining WT and FT
is not necessary to be
applied
Ideal well log data - application of wavelet
transform method
Applying continuous
wavelet transform
Wavelet coefficients

Ideal well log data - application of wavelet

transform method
Applying Discrete
wavelet transform
Detail coefficients cD
Field data
From core analysis, there
were four stratigraphic
units:
A-sand
B-sand
C-sand
D-sand
SP log shows only three
curve responses:
zone 1, zone 2, zone 3
GR log shows more than
four formations because
of noise addition
SP log data analysis
Applying continuous
wavelet transform
Four formations of
sand cannot be
clearly observed
Even the three
formation zones
observed in
conventional log
analysis cannot be
observed
SP log data analysis
Applying discrete
wavelet transform
Formation
stratigraphy are
shown from three
positive-negative
pairs of detail
coefficients cD
SP log data analysis
Applying WT and FT
combination
(1) Data was less noisy, cD
from single level
decomposition were
calculated
(2) High-frequency
component is obtained
using inverse WT of
wavelet coefficient cD
SP log data analysis
Applying WT and FT
combination
(3) RcD is transformed using
FFT to be analyzed
Dominant frequencies
are between 20-40 nHz
Chosen frequency
band is the center of the
spectrum, 30-31 nHz
SP log data analysis
Applying WT and FT
combination
(4) Inverse FFT is applied to
chosen frequency
band, obtaining
modified reconstructed
data MR
cDF
(5) Logarithmic transform
data is applied to
reconstructed data
The logarithmic distribution
shows four clear formation
stratigraphic zones
GR log data analysis
Applying continuous
wavelet transform
To much noise causing
the wavelet coefficients
become sparse
Not possible to
determine the formation
stratigraphic from these
sparse scales
GR log data analysis
Applying discrete
wavelet transform
The number of positive-
negative pairs of detail
coefficients is difficult to
be analyzed
If there is no core data, it
would be a painstaking
process to analyze this
noisy data
GR log data analysis
Applying combination of
WT and FT
(1) Three level decomposition
is applied to filter out the
noise and obtain detail
coefficients cD
(2) Reconstructed signal RcD
is obtained using inverse
wavelet transform
GR log data analysis
Applying combination of
WT and FT
(3) Dominant frequency is
chosen after FFT is
applied to RcD
Dominant frequencies
are between 0-20 and
30-45 nHz
(4) The strongest frequency
band is chosen, 8.5-10 nHz
GR log data analysis
Applying combination of
WT and FT
(5) Inverse FT is applied to the
chosen frequency bands
to reconstruct GR signal
(6) Logarithmic transform is
then applied to the
reconstructed GR signal
The logarithmic distribution
shows four clear formation
stratigraphic zones
Concluding remarks
Well log can be treated with signal
processing methods to minimize subjective
results
Result of wavelet transform is similar to
conventional well log interpretation, which
causes difficulties in identifying formation
boundaries
Combination of wavelet transform and
Fourier transform provides objective
identification of boundaries