Petroleum Geophysics for Engineers Course

Heather Bedle

This course, Petroleum Geophysics for Engineers, provides a foundational introduction to the principles and practical applications of geophysics in the petroleum industry, with a focus on seismic data interpretation. It covers the entire seismic workflow from data acquisition to advanced interpretation methods, highlighting how seismic data helps characterize reservoirs and supports exploration and development decisions. The course emphasizes the integration of geophysical and petroleum engineering practices through case studies and interdisciplinary approaches. Students will learn about seismic wave theory, acoustic impedance, and how subsurface geological features are revealed through seismic techniques. They will also gain awareness of the limitations of seismic data and the importance of combining it with other data sources for accurate interpretation.Read more...

Who Should Take This Course
• Geologists and geophysicists new to seismic
• Petroleum engineers seeking geophysics basics
• Energy professionals interested in seismic data
• Engineering teams working on reservoir characterization

What You Will Learn
• Fundamentals of seismic wave theory
• Seismic data acquisition and processing steps
• Integration of seismic data with engineering data
• Techniques for seismic interpretation and analysis

Why This Course Works
• To improve reservoir characterization skills
• To reduce uncertainty in exploration decisions
• To communicate results clearly across disciplines
• To understand subsurface structures and stratigraphy

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Course contents

    Chapter 1 - Fundamentals of Seismic Data for Reservoir Characterization

    01-01 - Seismic Reflection Principles for Reservoir Detection (15 min.)  Sample Lesson

    01-02 - Reservoir Rock Physics and Wave Propagation (13 min.)

    01-03 - Seismic Wavelets and Signal Characteristics (9 min.)

    01-04 - Acoustic Impedance, Reflection Coefficients and Seismic Resolution (17 min.)

    01-05 - Seismic Acquisition Methods (16 min.)

    01-06 - Basics of the Seismic Processing Workflow (16 min.) Quiz

    Chapter 2 - Structural and Stratigraphic Reservoir Interpretation

    02-01 - Structural Mapping from Seismic Data (15 min.)

    02-02 - Sequence Stratigraphy in Seismic Data (12 min.)

    02-03 - Reservoir Facies Identification (11 min.)

    02-04 - Seismic Attributes for Reservoir Characterization (10 min.)

    02-05 - Advanced Structural Analysis Using Geometric Attributes (13 min.)

    02-06 - Frequency-Based Analysis using Spectral Decomposition (6 min.)

    02-07 - Integrated Analysis of Structural and Stratigraphic Reservoirs (22 min.) Quiz

    Chapter 3 - Overview of Seismic Analysis Techniques for Reservoir Properties

    03-01 - Direct Hydrocarbon Indicators and Amplitude Analysis (24 min.)

    03-02 - AVO Analysis for Fluid and Lithology Prediction (12 min.)

    03-03 - Reservoir Property Prediction through Seismic Inversion (10 min.)

    03-04 - Time-Lapse Seismic for Production Monitoring (12 min.) Quiz

    Chapter 4 - Applied Seismic Interpretation for Reservoir Insights

    04-01 - Near-Surface Characterization and Drilling Risk Assessment (16 min.)

    04-02 - Fluvial-Deltaic Reservoir Systems (12 min.)

    04-03 - Deepwater Reservoir Architecture (12 min.)

    04-04 - Carbonate Platform Architecture in Seismic (12 min.)

    04-05 - Unconventional Resource Plays (11 min.)

    04-06 - AI/ML Applications in Reservoir Production (16 min.) Quiz