SEISMIC VELOCITY AS A FUNCTION OF DEPTH AND GEOLOGIC TIME* L. Y. FAUSTY ABSTRACT Velocity data are compiled from measurements of nearly 1,009,009 feet of section in 500 well surveys in the United States and Canada, Average velocities for shale and sandstone sections are arranged by depth and geologic age. Deviations from the mean values are attributed to lithologte variations. "he variations of velocity with depth and time are studied independently in order to de velop a quantitative relationship. Tt is concluded that the velocity for an average shale and sand see tion is given by the equation V= 125.3 (ZT)"®, where V is velocity in feet per second, Z isdepth in fect, and T'isage in years, Velocities in limestone show less definite evidence of increase with age and depth INTRODUCTION ‘This paper is concerned with a study of the velocities of longitudinal seismic waves in sedimentary rocks as a function of the depth of overburden and the geologic age of such rocks. The data have been derived from more than soo veloc ity surveys in the files of Amerada Petroleum Corporation. Velocities are tabu- lated for solid limestone sections and for sections of sand and shale. Except for a brief reference to the limestone velocities the paper is concerned with the study of velocity in sections of shale and sand. The effect of lithologic variations has been minimized by averaging all measurements at the same depth and age. These velocities are reported together with some discussion of the devia- tions observed. There is a general agreement with the previous work of Weath- erby and Faust (1935). The latter portion of the paper is concerned with the formulation of a quantitative relationship between velocity, depth of burial and geologic time since deposition of the sediments. ‘The data are presented both graphically and in tabular form. ME; SUREMENTS OF VELOCITY Selection of Data The values of velocity to be presented in the tables have been accumulated over a period of fifteen years and are derived from measurements of approx mately 1,000,000 feet of section. It is assumed that velocity, »=/(Z, T, L) where Z is depth, T is elapsed time since deposition and L represents other variables, chiefly lithology. Numerical values can be assigned to Z and T but the variations of L such as limestone, shale and sandstone appear at present to be incom- mensurable. An attempt will be made to hold lithology constant while considering the relationship of velocity to the other variables. The follow down as the basis of selection for the present study: g Tules were laid * Manuscript received by the Editor December 18, r950. tf Amerada Petroleum Corporation, Tulsa, Oklahoma. 192SEISMIC VELOCITY AS FUNCTION OF DEPTH AND GEOLOGIC TIME 193 Interval of Measurement An interval of 1,000 feet was chosen as the standard for measurement. Any values derived from the measurement of shorter intervals were questioned be- cause the errors of measurement assume increasing importance and variations lithology tend to obscure the relationship of velocity to depth and geologic time. Since most surveys are conducted with shot points located about 800 to 1,000 feet from the top of the well, ray curvature would result in an error at depths less than 2,000 feet. To avoid this error the first interval below the surface was extended from the bottom of the shot hole, or a datum plane quite close to that depth, usually about 50 feet, to 2,000 feet. Below 2,000 feet the error caused by ray curvature is small. Lithologic Variations Shale and sand were accepted as representing equivalent sections. The terms and” and “sandstone” are used interchangeably in this paper. No limestone sections of 50 feet or more were allowed in the measurement of 1,000-foot shale and sand sections, and the limestone velocities reported were for solid lime sec- tions with no appreciable breaks. All sections indicated as “calcareous” were climinated. This resulted for example in the rejection of most Pennsylvanian velocity measurements in Kansas and all but the bottom 1,000 feet of Black Shale in West ‘Texas. If shale and sand were to have been reported separately most of the data used would have been rejected since changes from shale to sand occur generally in much shorter intervals than the usual 500-foot interval of veloc- ity measurements. Haskell (1941) has shown variations in the rate of velocity increase for sand- stone and shale in Tertiary sections and has reported somewhat higher velocities for sandstone. While some data are given in this paper in general confirmation of Haskell, larger variations in velocity have been found which are probably caused by different degrees of cementation. It was decided therefore to average all velocity measurements of non-calcareous sections of the same age and depth range with the expectation that the value so derived would best represent the velocity of an average shale and sand section. Weighting When an interval velocity measurement was accepted it was given equal weight with each of the other values in the same age and depth range in the deter- mination of the mean values. A moderately high standard for acceptable quality of the seismic records was adopted. As a result of following the above rules, about 300 velocity surveys yielded one or more accepted values, Travel times were corrected to the vertical in the usual manner. The interval velocity for each depth interval was computed by dividing the difference in depth AZ of the top and bottom of the section measured by the difference in vertical times AY for those depths. No values were derived from time depth curves.194 L. ¥, FAUST Tapur 4 CompiteD VELOCITY MEASUREMENT AND CONCLUSIONS FOR SHALE AND SAND SECTIONS: Mean Dept Time Intreal ' Maximum — aay 20 VmatzTs Mea Daphnia NES Np Uerton Mere stiuon "jee 20" PPA oe ion ec ; tet) fet) Gee) eisery Wels Weds lets) age “Piaget eed ECLA) Gee) TERTIARY (POST BOCENF) beg noe a Sie pe CFE MN 288 rarer HS pee he SS gas SES BO GEM BS ie 3S RS Nes UN Soe 2 CREM he 8S fio Hes ib ge fo SEEM pas PES se fee cis Sys Eke ie Siig BE pe HOS eh BES eth Se pss PS Se gee ho ekE OR He sie rece ‘oy tee SE OS Suis ois 8 HS Re GY aS 8888S SE ESR SR SEE % Bee RES EOCENE MLAS sox sto nose 7.380 Taso 105 MENT 6, aoe 1,060 8yfe0 Bt ase ee) gegen nL e 5 Sibo0 93819 $500 ‘Mi SE SE Be BHR Iu Fee 02s 1050 56 Sao aso Hs 400 1,000 304 9,500 oho 2,500 iste 1000 201 tos199 10,380 3,500 angeo Hoo lege oss rerbio 4,500 332 NSS SE HOB IPRs Bes $8 SE Hig ths o's ee Hise lose Bikse Bs tage ate > =D SNS pe ts as ts lisp Mee, t | B = = 5 USS ug AS $f uk mt tw = 5 5 Bae ine es 4 sy ier | Me = Bip Me 8 ross AS US SM ee BgS I fase hes P28 7 TON e wise ges yi E38 if ne ie 8 188 poof ° me fs fie 188 i = Hee $588 8 18 a Hes hs HES 28 tooth Sige Seco “res nap er SOR SS AS HOR : PS Ne $8 OBS : PS ee BFR 8 : Eso CSB 1S HR y a2 ESR PRS g : pes tes ag nls go F foo eso se se fos : gis Kes a Nef BG ls L igo Hes let Mee f 38 : Hise eo oho SP Wo? 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