How reliable is statistical wavelet estimation?

Abstract

Well logs often are used for the estimation of seismic wavelets. The phase is obtained by forcing a well-derived synthetic seismogram to match the seismic, thus assuming the well log provides ground truth. However, well logs are not always available and can predict different phase corrections at nearby locations. Thus, a wavelet-estimation method that reliably can predict phase from the seismic alone is required. Three statistical wavelet-estimation techniques were tested against the deterministic method of seismic-to-well ties. How the choice of method influences the estimated wavelet phase was explored, with the aim of finding a statistical method which consistently predicts a phase in agreement with well logs. It was shown that the statistical method of kurtosis maximization by constant phase rotation consistently is able to extract a phase in agreement with seismic-to-well ties. A statistical method based on a modified mutual-information-rate criterion was demonstrated to provide frequency-dependent phase wavelets where the deterministic method could not. Time-varying statistical wavelets also were estimated with good results — a challenge for deterministic approaches because of the short logging sequence. It was concluded that statistical techniques can be used as quality control tools for the deterministic methods, as a way of extrapolating phase away from wells, or to act as standalone tools in the absence of wells.