Pore-pressure detection sensitivities tested with time-lapse seismic data

In an exploration context, pore-pressure prediction from seismic data relies on the fact that seismic velocities depend on pore pressure. Conventional velocity analysis is a tool that may form the basis for obtaining interval velocities for this purpose. However, velocity analysis is inaccurate, and in this paper we focus on the possibilities and limitations of using velocity analysis for pore-pressure prediction. A time-lapse seismic data set from a segment that has undergone a pore-pressure increase of 5 to 7 MPa between the two surveys is analyzed for velocity changes using detailed velocity analysis. A synthetic time-lapse survey is used to test the sensitivity of the velocity analysis with respect to noise. The analysis shows that the pore-pressure increase cannot be detected by conventional velocity analysis because the uncertainty is much greater than the expected velocity change for a reservoir of the given thickness and burial depth. Finally, by applying amplitude-variation-with-offset (AVO) analysis to the same data, we demonstrate that seismic amplitude analysis may yield more precise information about velocity changes than velocity analysis.