Prediction of Shear Wave velocity for carbonate rocks

• Main Author: Wafa M. Al-Kattan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Baghdad/College of Engineering 2015-12-01
• Series: Iraqi Journal of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
• Subjects: shear wave velocity, elastic properties of rocks, sonic logs.
• Online Access: http://ijcpe.uobaghdad.edu.iq/index.php/ijcpe/article/view/32

In many oil fields only the BHC logs (borehole compensated sonic tool) are available to provide interval transit time (Δtp), the reciprocal of compressional wave velocity VP.    To calculate the rock elastic or inelastic properties, to detect gas-bearing formations, the shear wave velocity VS is needed. Also VS is useful in fluid identification and matrix mineral identification.    Because of the lack of wells with shear wave velocity data, so many empirical models have been developed to predict the shear wave velocity from compressional wave velocity. Some are mathematical models others used the multiple regression method and neural network technique.    In this study a number of empirical models were considered to predict VS from VP. The models had been correlated and a general equation, based on statistical method, was established for carbonate rocks.    The proposed equation, then, was examined using log data and good results observed.