Book Review

A Petroleum Geologist’s Guideto Seismic Reflection

Geofluids (2012) 12, Ashcroft, W. Wiley-

Blackwell, Chichester, UK, 241 pp.

This excellent book provides a com-

prehensive picture of reflection seis-

mology, its hydrocarbon applications,

and areas of future research. It con-

tains an up-to-date discussion of the

fundamentals of reflection seismology

as it applies to hydrocarbon explora-

tion. Its uniqueness, breadth, and

inclusiveness will appeal to petroleum

geologists, petroleum geophysicist,

petroleum engineers, and those inter-

ested in exploration geophysics.

At the end of each chapter, there

are tutorials that emphasize and reen-

force the concepts that are stressed in

each chapter. This reenforcement is

tremendously enhanced by the soft-

ware that accompanies the book. This

software has been written in a manner

that students can easily understand

and apply.

This book enables the reader to

understand the fundamentals of seis-

mic reflection without the need for

prior experience in geophysical explo-

ration. The references provided can

help those interested in additional

information. These references are

recent and include up-to-date tech-

nology.

The book is divided into two parts:

Part l ‘Basic topics and 2D interpreta-

tion,’ and Part ll is ‘Seismic input to

reservoir characterization.’ Both parts

are, indeed, in need of each other the

fundamentals and the advance,

respectively.

Chapter 1 begins by introducing

the major exploration methods used

in petroleum geophysics (gravity sur-

veys, aeromagnetic surveys, electro-

magnetic surveys, and seismic surveys)

and their appropriate applications in

hydrocarbon exploration. However,

seismic reflection is the most impor-

tant methods because of its historical

success in the petroleum exploration

and recent advances in seismic data

acquisition, processing and interpreta-

tion technology.

In chapter 2, ‘Geophysical signal

description’ sets the stage for the fun-

damentals of signal physics, by defin-

ing key terms, seismic wavelet, and its

characteristics in time and frequency

domain using fourier transform.

In chapter 3, ‘Data acquisition’

locating hydrocarbons using seismic

methods is a routine procedure that

produces maximum benefits when

each step is carefully planned in light

of all available information. Thus, a

planning and information review step

is always worthwhile prior to under-

taking any other activity. The acquisi-

tion of seismic data (Land and Sea) is

then the next logical procedure in the

exploration sequence. This chapter

reviews the techniques, procedures,

and equipment from which field seis-

mic surveys are formulated and here

possible illustrative materials are pre-

sented.

In chapter 4, ‘Seismic wave propa-

gation,’ the major types of seismic

waves (P-wave, S-wave, Surface –

wave) are presented by describing

their modes of propagation, factors

that affect their velocities, and their

amplitudes as waves travels between

different media. Fundamentals of the

major laws that govern wave propaga-

tion are fully described (Snell’s Law,

Huygens’s Principles).

In chapter 5, ‘The process of reflec-

tion,’ the emphasis is on the concept

of horizontal resolution (Fresnel

zones). The author discusses the

importance of using the theory of

wave propagation as opposed to ray

theory utilizing Huygens principle to

explain the spatial resolution concept

and its effect on seismic interpreta-

tion. Quantitative examples are dem-

onstrated and structural examples are

given so the reader can visualize the

Fresnel zone. Moreover, the previous

chapters utilized primary reflections in

which the seismic energy travels

directly from surface to reflector and

back to surface. This chapter includes

introduction to a seismic noisy multi-

ple reflections, their causes, and types

are presented with schematic diagrams

and their quantitative predictions.

In Chapter 6, ‘Velocity analysis,

common midpoint (CMP) stacking

and post-stack migration’ seismic

images are crucial to today’s explora-

tion and reservoir monitoring. The

chapter coherently presents the

main components of seismic imaging,

these are: velocity analysis, CMP

stacking, and poststack migration.

Methods of obtaining different types

of velocities from well and seismic

data with associated errors are well

explained and emphasized graphically

and quantitatively. The data process-

ing step of migration is explained

and used as a compliment to the

horizontal resolution (Fresnel zones).

The author shows examples of how

the process of migration, which relo-

cates dipping reflections, causes a

focusing of the image by reducing

the effective Fresnel zone diameter

to about half of the dominant wave-

length of the wavelet. Different types

of migration approach (algorithms)

are presented with seismic section

examples.

In Chapter 7, ‘Interpretation of

two dimensional (2D) surveys for

structure,’ the fundamental of seis-

mic data interpretation with emphasis

on 2D is presented. The author

takes you through the process of

seismic interpretation step-by-step

starting by explaining how to tie

wells to seismic data by building syn-

Geofluids (2012) 12, 197–198 doi: 10.1111/j.1468-8123.2011.00359.x

� 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

thetic seismograms from sonic logs

and ending by time-to-depth conver-

sion. Errors associated with 2D seis-

mic data processing are introduced.

Many 2D seismic sections are

attached to this chapter for a reader

to practice seismic interpretations.

Fundamentals of 2D seismic interpre-

tation are also applied to 3D seismic

interpretation.

In Chapter 8, ‘Better images of the

subsurface,’ seismic imaging of the

earth’s subsurface is complex and dif-

ficult computational tasks. The author

presents different advanced methods

for solving important seismic explora-

tion problems. The chapter starts by

introducing the prestack time migra-

tion (PSTM) section as a solution to

eliminate reflection point dispersal

because of dipping strata. Although

PSTM is helpful in tackling such an

issue, a limitation of PSTM is its

inability to handle lateral velocity vari-

ations because of lateral facies varia-

tion and complexities. Prestack Depth

Migration (PSDM) Section has been

introduced in this chapter which can

handle lateral velocity variation that

PSTM cannot. However, PSDM

needs an accurate velocity model to

overcome such an issue. Two

approaches for building velocity have

been introduced, the velocity-depth

model based on layers and velocity-

depth model based on tomography.

A final velocity refinement method

for better subsurface imaging is

accomplished by taking into account

the anisotropic effect of the subsur-

face geology. Finally, this chapter

emphasizes 3D seismic data migration

and interpretation. Both items are

fully explained and graphically illus-

trated. This chapter is truly a fantastic

one in helping us understand how we

can modify our practice to more fully

realize the potential inherent in our

seismic data.

In this chapter 9, the sources of seis-

mic noise and the process of their elim-

ination are addressed. An overview of

the current digital filtering techniques

used in shaping the seismic wavelet is

emphasized. The relationship between

the seismic signal in time and frequency

domain is explained. The processes of

cross-correlation, correlation, convolu-

tion, and deconvolution are introduced

in a smooth fashion. Wavelet process-

ing (shaping), which is a critical part of

seismic inversion, has been introduced.

Method of wavelet extraction and

inverse filter design is stressed. Finally,

the application of the inverse filter to

the seismic section to output zero-

phase section is explained. This chapter

is indeed a unique one!!

Chapter 10, ‘Refining reservoir

architecture from seismic data,’ is

intended to provide you with some

hands-on experience in recognizing

and interpreting depositional

sequences associated with the rise and

fall of sea level using 3D seismic data.

This started by illustrating the art of

picking seismic sequence boundaries

on a seismic time section and the rec-

ognition of the sequence boundaries

from the reflection configuration

within a depositional sequence

(amplitude geometry) and how the

results can be presented using state of

the art software for 3D seismic col-

ored sections. Vertical seismic profiles

are also introduced in this chapter to

emphasis their significance in seismic

data processing, calibration, and cor-

relation with the seismic section.

Additionally, the author introduces

3D seismic attribute extraction over

geological structures using dip, azi-

muth, edge detection maps, coherency,

and curvature to illuminate the pres-

ence of faults and associated fractures

in the zone of interest (reservoir).

The chapter ends by highlighting the

importance of seismic forward model-

ing and inversion.

In Chapter 11, ‘Seismic input to

mapping reservoir properties,’ Ash-

croft recognizes the need for educa-

tion and further research in amplitude

versus offset (AVO), and the author

has compiled an all-encompassing

treatment of this versatile technology

including an insights and methods for

4C ⁄ 4D reservoir monitoring and

characterization approach. In addition

to providing a general introduction

to the subject and a review of the

current state of the art, this chapter

provides useful reference materials

and data plus original contributions

at the leading edge of AVO technolo-

gies.

This book is designed for explora-

tionists who would like to learn how

reflection seismology can provide

insight in both frontier plays and

prospect-scale structure and stratigra-

phy. It is presented as a professional

class with basic theory, discussion, and

demonstrations. Amazingly enough,

the book includes current and possible

future developments in time-lapse

seismology, multicomponent seismol-

ogy, and integrated reservoir charac-

terization. The reviewer will definitely

use this book in his upcoming gradu-

ate classes in reflection seismology and

reservoir geophysics.

Jamal M. Assad

Visiting Professor of Geophysics

Department of Earth and

Environmental Science, New Mexico

Institute of Mining and Technology,

801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM

87801, USA

Email: jassad@ees.nmt.edu

198 BOOK REVIEW

� 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Geofluids, 12, 197–198

Volume 12, Number 2, May 2012ISSN 1468-8115

Geofluids

This journal is available online at Wiley Online Library. Visit onlinelibrary.wiley.com to search the articles and register for table of contents and e-mail alerts.

Geofluids is abstracted/indexed in Chemical Abstracts

CONTENTS

123 Geodynamically induced variations in the emission of CO2 gas at San Faustino (Central Apennines, Italy)J. Heinicke, G. Martinelli and L. Telesca

133 Numerical simulations of amethyst geode cavity formation by ballooning of alteredParaná volcanic rocks, South AmericaL.A. Hartmann, J.T.N. Medeiros and L.T. Petruzzellis

142 Stress-induced temperature variations in groundwater of the Monferrato area (north-western Italy)S. de Gregorio, C. Federico, S. Cappuzzo, R. Favara, G. Giudice, S. Gurrieri and E. Boschi

150 The stress regime of the Western Canadian Sedimentary BasinJ.S. Bell and S.E. Grasby

166 Relationship of brines in the Kinnarot Basin, Jordan-Dead Sea Rift ValleyP. Möller, C. Siebert, S. Geyer, N. Inbar, E. Rosenthal, A. Flexer and M. Zilberbrand

182 Regional groundwater flow and interactions with deep fluids in western Apennine:the case of Narni-Amelia chain (Central Italy)F. Frondini, C. Cardellini, S. Caliro, G. Chiodini and N. Morgantini

197 Book Review

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