Side lobes of wavelets impact identification of thin sand bodies

Recently, we found that side lobes of wavelets have a large impact on the identification of thin sand reservoirs when studying some gas fields in a basin in Northwest China. Reflections from the top of the H Formation, in which there are gas-bearing thin sand bodies, have the main wavelet lobe between two weak peak side lobes. The lower one always mixes with another peak reflected from the top of a thin sand reservoir. That makes it difficult to identify the sand reservoir. In order to solve this, many forward models were set up using typical well logs. 2D synthetic profiles were produced using Ricker wavelets to study the relationships between the effects of wavelet side lobes and thin sand position and frequency and between amplitude and the thin sand body. We developed the following conclusions: First, it is easier to identify thin sands in a shallower position. Second, a good way to tell sand body reflections from side lobes is by comparing profiles with different frequency windows. Third, it is helpful and effective to describe sand extent using amplitude attributes.