AVO (amplitude variation with offset):

Changes in the characteristics of seismic waves reflected can be interpreted

to get information about the thickness, porosity, velocity, density,
depositional history of a basin, rock type in a layer and even the nature of
the pore fluid. According to the authors of the journal Hydrocarbon detection
with AVO, the ultimate goal of AVO is pore fluid identification and therefore
the detection of hydrocarbon reservoirs. Early practical evidences for
hydrocarbons used bright spots, which is defined as streaks of unexpectedly
high amplitude on seismic section. However, it has been found that not only
pore fluids can cause large reflection coefficient. AVO which requires special
handling of data is used to distinguish lithology contrasts from fluid contrast.
A limitation of AVO analysis using only P-energy is its failure to yield a unique
solution. One common misinterpretation is the failure to distinguish between
a reservoir filled with gas and another one which has partial gas saturation.
Conventional seismic surveys deals exclusively with the reflection of
compressional waves. When a
compressional wave arrives
vertically, the reflection coefficient
is given by:

In which

2 V p 2 1 V p 1
2 V p 2 + 1 V p 1
is density, 1 and 2

signify the top and bottom layer.

The situation is more complicated
when the seismic wave arrives
obliquely. In this situation, the
Vp
reflection coefficient is a function of the angle of the incidence, density
and

Vs

. Understanding the dependence of reflection coefficient on these

factors makes it possible to distinguish

they have different densities and acoustic
velocity. AVO depends on the variation in seismic reflection amplitude with
change in distance between shotpoint and receiver. Figures 1 and 2 show the
relationship between the angle of incidence, offset and the seismic
amplitude in AVO.
FIGURE 1 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AND
OFFSET
between
oil, gas and water since

FIGURE 2 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OFFSET

AND AMPLITUDE

The AVO effect at any interface can be

quantified with Zoeppritz formulas. The
following example shows the AVO effect
predicted from logs in a gas field operated by
Texas-based Royal Oil and Gas.

FIGURE 3 QUANTITVE ZOEPPRITZ PREDICTION OF AVO EFFECT FOR THREE REFLCTIONS.

The trace recorded at zero offset (upper right) begins with relatively small
negative amplitude. As the offset increases, there is a slight change in the
amplitude. This represents the zones of the field which dont contain
hydrocarbons. For the gas sand zone (left), the amplitude doubles from
slightly negative to very negative as the offset increases. Oil has an AVO
effect similar to gas. In some cases, AVO can be used to distinguish between
oil and gas. The AVO signature for water is always different from oil and gas.
At the gas-water contact (lower right), amplitude changes significantly with
the offset but in the opposite direction. This difference between AVO
signature for gas and water makes AVO a hydrocarbon indicator.
In addition to AVO being a very powerful tool for hydrocarbons detection, it
can be used to show fluid changes as hydrocarbons are produced. Production
will result in fluid contacts movement. Seismic surveys shot at different times
can be analyzed for fluid changes. This is called time-laps AVO (4D AVO).

Getting information about fluid changes can affect the development and
production plans.

References:
Edward C, Scott L, Chuck S, Charles C and Steve S, 1993, Hydrocarbon
Detection with AVO, Oil field review, 42-50.
Yongi Li, Jonathan and Young Xu, 2007, Practical aspects of AVO modeling,
The leading edge, 295-311.
Mavko, G., Mukerji, T. and Dvorkin, J., 1998, Rock physics handbook: Tools for seismic
analysis in porous media: Cambridge University