Salt-induced stress anomalies: an explanation for variations in seismic velocity and reservoir quality

ABSTRACT Accurate rock property prediction is often a critical success factor for wells targeting hydrocarbons. This applies not only to reservoir porosity and permeability affecting productivity directly, but also to acoustic velocity, seismic time-to-depth conversion and depth prognosis. A detailed analysis of variation in the overburden rock velocity in the Southern North Sea has shown that Triassic velocity variations of up to 18% occur within short distances (e.g.