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Introduction to Seismic Inversion Methods

Brian Russell

PART 7 - INVERSION APPLIED TO THIN BEDS

Part 7 - Inversion applied to Thin Beds

Page 7-

Intro4uction

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7.1

to Seismic Inversion

Methods

Brian

Russell

Thin Bed Analysis

One of the problemsthat we have identified in the inversion of seismic

traces is the loss of resolution caused by the convolution of the seismic
wavelet with the earth's reflectivity.
As the time separation between
reflection

coefficients

becomessmaller, the interference between overlapping

wavelets becomesmore severe.

effect

Indeed,

of reflection coefficients

in Figure 6.19 it was shownthat the

one sampleapart and of opposite sign is to

simply apply a phaseshift of 90 degrees to the wavelet. In fact, the effect

is

more of

a differentiation

of the wavelet,

which alters

the

amplitude

spectrumas wel1 as the phase spectrum. In this section we will look closer
at the effect
thin

of wavelets on thin

beds and how .effectively

we can invert

these

bed s.

The first
(1973).

comprehensivel'ook at thin bed effects was done by Widess

In this paper he used a model which has becomethe standard for

discussing thin beds, the wedgemodel. That is, consider a high velocity
laye6 encasedin a low velocity layer (or vice versa) and allow the thickness
of the layer to pinch out to zero. Next create the reflectivity responsefrom
the impedance,and convolvewith a wavelet. The thickness of the layer is
given in terms of two-waytime through the layer and is then related to the
dominantperiod of the wavelet. The usual wavelet used is a Ricker becauseof
the simpl i city of its shape.

Figure 7.1 is taken from Widess' paper and showsthe synthetic section as
the thickness of the layer

decreases

from twice

wavelet to 1/ZOth of the dominant period.

the dominant period of the

(Note that what is refertea to as a

wavelengthin his plot i s actually twice the dominantperiod). A few important

points can be noted from Figure 7.1.

First,

the wavelets start

interfering

with eackotherat a thicknessjust below two dominant

periods,but remain
Clistinguishable down to about one period.

Part 7 - Inversion

applied

to Thin Beds

Page 7-

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Introduction

to Seismic

Inversion

Methods

Brian

Figure 7.1

Effect

Russell

of bed thickness

on

reflection waveshape,where
(a) Thin-bed model,
(b) Wavelet shapesat top

PIOPAGA! ION I NdC

ACnOSS TK arO)
.

and bottom re fl ectors,

'-----).z _1

(c) Synthetic seismic

model, anU (d) Tuning

parameters

as measured

from

resul ting waveshape.

--t

(C)

5O

(D)

2.0

,.

THINBEDREGIME
J PEAK-TO-TROUGH/
AMPLITUDE

0.8

1.0

<
0.4

/
-0.4

, i

-40

\
.

. .

20

40

MS

TWO-WAY TRUE THICKNESS

(MILLISECONDS)

Figure 7.2

A typical detection and resolution chat used

to interpret bed thickness from zero phase seismic data.

('Hardage, 1986)
.

..

,,

Part 7 - Inversion applied to Thin Beds

-_-

_ .....

Page 7-

l.

Introduction

to Seismic

Inversion

Methods

Brian

Russell

Below a thicknessvalue of oneperiodthe waveletsStart merginginto a

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single wavelet,
increase

and an amplitude increase

is

observe.

This

amplitude

is a maximumat 1/4 period, and decreases from this point down... The

amplitude is appraochingzero at

1/0

period, but note that the resulting

waveform is a gO degree phase shifted version of the original wavelet.

A more quantitative way to measurethis information is to plot the peak

to trough amplitude difference and i sochron across the thin bed. This is done
in Figure 7., taken from Hardage (1986). This diagram quantifies what has
already been

seen qualitatively

the

seimsic

section.

That

is

that the

amplitude is a maximumat a thickness of 1/4 the wavelet dominant period,

also that this is the lower isochron limit.

considered

to

obtain fully

be

the thin bed threshhold,

resolved reflection

and

Thus, 1/4 the dominant period is

below which it

is

difficult

to

coefficients.

7.2 In.versionCamparison
of T.hinBees

To test out this theory, a

using

both

recursire

thin

bed model was set up and was inverted

inversion and maximum-likelihood

impedance model is shown in Figure

7.3,

aleconvolution.

and displays a velocity

The

decrease in

the thin bed rather than an increase. This simply inverts the polarity of
Widess' diagram. Notice that the wedge starts at trace 1 with a time
thickness

sample.

of

100 msec and thins down to a thickness of 2 msec,.or

The resulting

synthetic

seismogram is shownin Figure 7.4.

.one

time

A 20 Hz

'Ricker wavelet was usedto create the synthetic. Since the dominant period

(T) of a 20 Hz Ricker is 50 msec,the wedge hasa thicknessof 2T at trace 1,

T at trace 25, T/2 at trace 37, etc.

Parl'7 - 'inverslYn'ap'plled 1oThin'-Beds

.....

Page 7 --'4

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Introduction

to Seismic

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12

Inversion

16

Methods

20

24

Brian

28

32

36

40

44

Russell

48

lOO

200

3OO

400

500

Figure7.3 True impedance

fromwedge
model.

lOO

200
.

300

400

500

Figure 7.4

Wedgemodel reflectivity
20 HZ Ricker

convol ved with

wavelet.

Part 7 - Inversion applied to Thin BeUs

Page 7-

Introduction

to Seismic

First,

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the

Inversion

Methods

let us consider the effect

Brian

of

performing a recursire inversion on

wedgemodel. The inversion result is shownin Figure 7.5.

low frequency component

was not added into
better

show the effects

was also felt

little

of the initial

that the

information

with recursire

addition

inversion..

Note that the

the solution of Figure 7.5, to

recursire phase of the inversion.

of

to this test.

the

low frequency

the

thickness of

It

componentwould ado

Notice that there'are two major

First,

Russell

problems

the beU has only been

resolved downto about 25 msec, which is 1/2 of the dominantperiod. Remember,

that this is a two-way time,
has

been resolved

therefore

we say that the bed thickness itself

down to 12.5 msec,

or

1/4

period.

This

theoretical

resolution limit is the sameas that of Widess. Also, the top of the weUge
appears "pulled-up" at the right side of the plot as the inversion has trouble
with the interfering

wavelets.

that there are actually

recursire

inversion

A second problem is that, although we know

only three distinct

has estimate

at

velocity

least

units in the section, the

seven

in the vertical

=irection.

This

result

is Uue to the banu-limited

Uescriptively,

nature

of the Ricker

wavelet.

More

every wiggle on the section has been interpreted as a velocity.

Next,

consider

a maximum-likelihood inversion

constraint used was simply a

linear

ramp.

In

of

the

weOge.

The

this case, the shape of the

wedge has been much better

inversion.

That

is,

defined,

However, notice that

the maximum-likelihood

due to the broad-band

the resolution

inversion

inverted

has still

method also failed

bed thickness below 1/4 dominant period.

recursively

limit

nature

of

the

been observeU.

to

resolve

the

The "pUll-up" observedon the

section is also in evidence here.

In summary,even though sparse-spike methods give an output section that

is visually

more appealing than recursively

appear to be a way to break the

inverted sections, there does not

low resolution

limit

of 1/4 of the dominant

sei smic peri od.

Part 7 - Inversion applied to Thin Beds

Page 7-

mk

Introduction to Seismic Inversi.on Methods

12

16

20

24

28

Brian Russell

32

36

40

44

48

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300-

400.

Figure 7.5 Recursive inversion of wedgemodelshownin Figure 7.4.

'

12
16
' i '

20
' I i

24

28

32

36

40

44

48

100-..................
300

400

500

,,

Figure 7.6

Maximum-likelihoodderived impedanceof wedgemoUel

shown i n Figure 7.4.

Part 7 - Inversion applied to Thin Beds

Page 7-