Seismic Characterization of Fracture Rock Fabric in Mississippian Limestone, Payne County Oklahoma

Abstract

Fractures are pre-existing planes of weaknesses. They play a critical role in determining the production potential of reservoirs that are developed through lateral drilling and fracture stimulation, such as the Mid-Continent Mississippian limestone. Estimation of fracture density using geophysical methods, such as seismic, is desirable, but extremely challenging at the same time. Conventionally, a single seismic attribute such as amplitude or coherency has been proxy for fractures with limited success. This thesis demonstrates that multiple seismic attributes can be combined using statistical methods to yield a reliable fracture density map.