Vertical Seismic

Profiling (VSP)
M.Rashid Mansoor
 Outline
What is VSP ?
VSP vs Surface Seismic
VSP application
VSP Acquisition tools
VSP Survey types
ZVSP processing workflow
Corridor stack
Synthetic Seismogram
Q- estimation
Introduction
Definition: Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) is a geophysical method
used to image the subsurface of the earth. It involves recording
seismic waves generated by a source located at or near the surface and
detected by receivers placed in a borehole.
Why VSP?
Surface seismic VSP

Depth

Time

Time
Two Way Travel Time vs One Way Travel Time
 Surface Seismic VS Borehole Seismic

Time-Depth Cannot be Directly Related Direct Relation of Time Depth

Only Upgoing Body waves are Recorded Both up-going & Down-going waves are
Low Resolution recorded

 processing Can’t Perfectly remove multiples Relatively higher resolution

Wavelet Phase is Generally unknown Perfectly removes Multiples and detect depth
of occurrence.
Accurate wavelet phase.
Wave Field Types in VSP

Reflected upgoing
P-waves

Direct downgoing P-
waves
 Velocity Modelling

Corridor Stack

Surface Seismic Q-Analysis

Multiple Identification

Phase analysis
VSP Applications

Reservoir Monitoring

Seismic while drilling

Stand-Alone product

Offset VSP for Imaging

Cross well topography

VSP Data Acquisition Tools- Source Types

Offshore Onshore Passive

Drill bit
Vibroseis
Microseismics
Air Guns Explosive Hydraulic Fracturing
Berried Air guns Injection/producing
of fluids
VSP Data Acquisition Tools- Receivers

• The VSI* Versatile Seismic Imager tool Deliver

Seismic data from borehole to the surface.
• A tool design that focuses on data fidelity and quickly
adapts to changing survey.
• 3-Components (X,Y,Z) attached with Geophone
Accelerometer.
• Shaker: Evaluate geophone coupling response
• Single arm provides anchoring force for better
coupling between sensor and wall.
VSI Tool Specifications
Max Number of shuttles Up to 40
Max Temperature 175 degC
Max Pressure 20,000psi In standard; 25,000 psi for high pressure
Tool OD 85.7 mm In standard; 63.5 mm for slim hole version
Anchoring hole size 88.0-558.8 mm
Inter-shuttle spacing 8-100 ft
Sampling rate 1, 2, and 4 ms
Combinability GR, Caliper log in standard; all other wireline tools by special
switch
Frequency range 2-200 hz
Well Deviation No limitation
Types of VSP Surveys-Zero-offset VSP

Configuration:
◦ Source is placed Closely to the wellbore (40-120 m), and receivers are
placed at Regular interval within the well.

Objectives:
◦ True Vertical Velocities
◦ Corridor Stack
◦ Q-Estimation
◦ Multiple analysis
Types of VSP Surveys-Check Shot VSP

Configuration:
◦ Same Geometry as Zero offset, but receivers spacing is not regular but rather at
particular depth (formation tops).

Objectives:
◦ True vertical time at particular depth.
Types of VSP Surveys- Offset VSP

Configuration
◦Source is placed at a distance from the well.
◦Equally spaced Receivers are deployed at different depths in borehole

Objectives:
◦Increases Volume of sub-surface image.
◦Detect reflectors at distance from the well
◦Identification faulting and dip laterally
◦Possibility of Shear-waves analysis
Types of VSP Surveys- Walkaway VSP

Configuration:
◦ Receivers are stationary, source is moving away with Equal Interval.

Objectives:
◦ Shear-waves analysis
◦ Commonly used for imaging steeply dipping structures or to map faults
◦ AVO
◦ Anisotropy effects
Types of VSP Surveys- Walkabove VSP

Configuration:
◦ Source move Directly above the receivers

Objectives:
◦ True vertical time
◦ 2-D image of the region below the deviated geometry
◦ Correlation with Surface seismic image
Types of VSP Surveys- Cross-well VSP

Configuration:
◦ Both Source and Receivers are deployed down borehole

Objective
◦ Interval velocities
◦ Utilized to resolve production and development problems
especially in mature environments
Types of VSP Surveys- Reverse VSP

Configuration:
◦ Reverse Geometry, source in borehole and receivers deployed in the
surface

Objectives:
◦ Obtain high frequency data
Types of VSP Surveys- Multi-azimuthal VSP

Configuration:
◦ Source is moved Radially outward from the well bore along lines of
various directions

Objectives:
◦ Characterized and analyzes the direction and magnitude of Anisotropy
Types of VSP Surveys- 3 Dimensional VSP

Configuration:
◦ An extension of a standard orthogonal 3D where the sources are
placed in parallel lines in a grid above the borehole.
◦ 3D VSPs offer more high resolution images.
Zero-offset VSP Pre-Processing workflow

Upload 3C Vertical
Trace editing Time picking
raw clusters stacking

Static Bandpass
Time-Depth relation corrections filter
 ZVSP Processing workflow-Corridor stack

TAR
Deconvolution
• Decompose energies into • Transit time – • 1-D Trace at well
down-going and up-going transit time SRD location use to
• Boost Frequencies • Normalization corelate with
• Cluster shifting
• Multiple Removal • Enhance surface seismic
• Define phase Amplitudes

Decomposition of
Static Correction Corridor Stack
energies
Wavefield Decomposition
Downgoing wavefield Same Deconvoluting operator
contaminated with multiples and applied on upgoing wavefield
mixed phase wavelet
Corridor Stack

◦ Product of ZVSP upgoing energies

◦ Enhance signal close to the well
Synthetic Seismogram
◦ 1-D Trace use to corelate with surface seismic and corridor stack
◦ Product of Log data (Sonic and Density log)
◦ Acoustic impedance: is the product of density by seismic velocity, which varies between
different rock layers and is usually indicated by the symbol Z. The difference in acoustic
impedance between the rock layers affects the reflection coefficient.
◦ Reflection coefficient: is the graphic representation of a series of lithological layers.
◦ Convolution: is a mathematical operator, the well data added to the reflection coefficients is
convolved with the wavelet and generates a synthetic seismogram.
Synthetic Seismogram

Reflection coefficient=
Q-Factor estimation

◦ The element Q is the quality factor that describes

the anelastic attenuation of seismic waves.
◦ Represent as energy per cycle / energy loss per
cycle.
◦ VSP can isolate the down going propagating
energies at each depth, Q-factor can be directly
measured and observe it compensation effect.
◦ High Q value = Low Attenuation.
◦ Low Q Value = High Attenuation.
Q-Estimation layered Velocity model
Q Analysis methods
1. Classical Spectral Ratio: Compare the 2. Multi-Spectral Ratio: uses all possible pairs
decay of energy between top and bottom VSP of receivers to improve the statistical
Level significance of Q estimates
CONCLUSION
THANK YOU
 References

◦ Schlumberger, Fundamentals of Borehole Seismic Technology.

◦ SEG Library, Leading Edge Volume 24, 673-768)
◦ NPD FORCE Geophysical Methods Group, By: Rogelio Rufino (A&I Lead Borehole
Geophysicist).
◦ The VSP Corridor Stack - An Imperative Constraint in the Age of Machine Learning By
Richard Parker.