LTrace BLI Documentation

Bayesian Linear Inversion

The LTrace BLI plugin provides elastic seismic inversion using the linear Bayesian
methodology for estimating velocities or impedances and density. The software uses GPU
computation for accelerating the processing time, yielding close to real time results for 2D
sections. We provide a demo dataset based on F3_demo, the details of how to download it
are at the end of this manual.

Seismic Selection

The first section consists of selecting the seismic partial angle stacks to be used at the
inversion:

Input Seismic Volume: ​This field lists all the 3D volumes the user has in the workspace.

When the user selects the seismic volume and clicks on the right arrow green button, a
window is shown as follows:

The user is asked to specify the following parameters related to that partial angle stack:

Seismic Noise Level: ​Represents the seismic noise standard deviation. For low values, the
inversion results produce a synthetic seismic closer to the original seismic. High values
implies high noise, disfavoring the information coming from the partial stack selected. The
user must be careful to not lower the parameter too much, including noise on the inversion
results. This fact can be avoided observing two outputs: the inversion properties, it must
have a minimum of random characteristics and noise; and the seismic error, wich must have
the minimum consistent information. This parameter is used at the seismic noise covariance
matrix.
Angle:​ Angle in degrees that will be used to construct the forward model corresponding to
the partial stacked seismic cube. The angle is commonly the representative or average
angle of the partial stack.

Wavelet Scale Factor:​ Scaling factor of the wavelet. The parameter multiplies every sample
of the wavelet by the selected factor for correcting the wavelet energy.

The buttons manage and extract are standard OpendTect dialogs for wavelet managing and
extracting.

Trend Selection

In this section, the user needs to set the low frequency input trends of the properties. You
can choose the subselection range defining the inline, crossline and the time interval of
interest. In addition, you can use a horizon with an offset bellow and above and a random
line.

Trends VP, VS and RHOB: ​Low frequency background models for each property. These
are commonly obtained via well log interpolation, velocity analysis and other methods.
Ideally it contains the low frequency information that the seismic data lacks.

Volume subselection:​ Defines the inline, crossline and time ranges for the inversion. The
user must be careful to not select a volume range where there are no valid traces or
zeros-valued traces. Selecting an invalid interval may result in wrong properties estimation
or runtime errors. The user must select a time gate that encompass all the horizon and the
above and below shifts if using a horizon.

Run Using Horizons:​ The time interval defined by a horizon and its shifts up (-) and down
(+)

Run on a Random Line:​ Use a random line constructed by the user on OpendTect as the
trace gate.

Parameters

This section defines the prior model parameters.

Standard Deviations:​ The standard deviation value between Vp, Vs and Density, in units of
each property. With high values, the inversion result can differ more from the background
model while for low values, the result will be closer to the background model. These
parameters are used to define the prior model covariance matrix. The range of values is
usually [50,300],[20,200], and [0.01,0.1] for Vp, Vs and density respectively.

Correlation:​ The correlation between Vp, Vs and Density properties. These parameters
couple the properties results to each other. To ignore it, the user should set the correlations
to zero.

Vertical Correlation Distance:​ The correlation distance is the number of samples at the
vertical direction going into the vertical variogram model. This implementation uses a
standard gaussian variogram.

Horizontal Correlation Samples:​ Variogram correlation distance at the horizontal direction.

Note: this parameter is optional and impacts at the run time of the inversion. It depends on
the time gate selected, but the overhead is about 6 to 10 times.

Use Fatti Equation:​ This option sets the plugin to use Fatti equations for seismic modeling,
changing all fields and parameters related to Vp and Vs to Ip and Is.

Output synthetics instead of residuals:​ Check the box to output the synthetic seismic
instead of the residuals.

Quality Control

Open QC: ​(optional)​ ​Use this window to extract well log data that will be compared with the
inversion results. Select one or more wells, the corresponding Vp, Vs and density, the time
or depth gate and the log resampling method for the upscaling.
There are 3 options for vertical gate controlled by the Extract Between combobox. The first is
to use well markers created with OpendTect, which is the preferred one because each well
can have its own interest zone. The other options are to use a fixed depth or time range.

The user is then asked to match the mnemonics with the properties in the Quality Control
Match Logs dialog. There is an option to calculate the Vp/Vs log from the ones selected
above or the user can choose a log from the well data. The Vp/Vs plot is optional.

After setting up the QC, the user can run the inversion and the plots window will be shown.
Each time the user change the inversion parameters and click on the OK button to run the
inversion, the LTrace BLI Quality Control window will be updated with new inversion results.
The user can modify the log extraction parameters and extract the data again by clicking on
the Open QC button.

A new window is shown with the extracted and upscaled well logs along with the inversion
results:

The plots are shown for all wells selected at the Open QC window, controlled by the Select
Well combobox at the top. The right side correlation plots show the correlation between the
inversion and the extracted well logs. The user can see the correlations for all the wells
combined or only for the currently selected well by switching the radio buttons on top of the
correlation plots. A least squares fit line is also shown in red.

All the plots have zoom and pan controls. The user can zoom in/out either by selecting an
area with the left mouse button or using the scroll wheel. The middle mouse button is used
for panning and the right button resets to the original view.

Output Volumes

The last part is to set the name of output volumes for storing the inversion results.
Save plugin setup

The main plugin parameters can be loaded or saved by clicking in the respective buttons.
The parameters are saved in a .​json​ format file, which is readable with any text editor.

Running LTrace BLI

The LTrace Bayesian Linear Inversion runs on CPU or GPU. If your computer has an
NVIDIA® GPU, the plugin automatically identifies the hardware and performs the inversion
processing on the GPU. The progress window indicates if the inversion is being run on the
GPU or the CPU. Processing time at the GPU is about 4 to 6 times faster than on the CPU.

If the GPU is being used, a first progress bar will show the progress of loading the volumes
data into the GPU:

Next, the progress bar of the inversion itself will be shown, indicating at the bottom that the
inversion is being run on GPU:

Note on units
The BLI plugin is currently working only with a set of fixed units of measurement. For Vp and
Vs it is m/s, for Ip and Is it is g/cm​2​s and for density it is g/cm​3​. Usually other commonly used
units include kg/m​2​s and kg/m​3​ for impedances and density respectively. In these cases
there is a factor of 1000 that you need to apply to match the units accordingly.

Demo Dataset

LTrace have prepared a demo dataset with 3 angle stacks, well logs and low frequency
models for Vp, Vs and density based on the F3_demo dataset that comes with OpendTect.
To access the data go to ​ltrace.com.br/dataset
You will receive a download link in your email that you can use at any time.

Included in the dataset package, there is a sample parameters file that you can load and run
your first inversion easily. Filename: sample_parameters.json

Support

Developed by ​LTrace Geophysical Solutions

User/Software support: ​support@ltrace.com.br

Address:
Rodovia SC 401, Km 4
Saco Grande, Florianópolis - SC, Zip Code: 88032-005
Brazil

License disclaimer:
LTrace BLI is based in part on the work of the Qwt project (​http://qwt.sf.net​).