A COMPARISON OF LABORATORY AND FIELD MEASUREMENTS OF P-WAVE ANISOTROPY

P-wave velocity anisotropy determined from a cross-hole survey at the Imperial College borehole test site compares favorably with that measured in the laboratory on core from the holes. The holes penetrate a layered sequence of sandstones, shales and carbonates of the Namurian Upper Limestone Group. The Laboratory measurements of the vertical and horizontal velocities of core samples indicate that the shales exhibit P-wave anisotropies of over 20% but that the sandstones and limestones are only slightly anisotropic. These discrete measurements have been used in combination with wireline data to produce a log of P-wave anisotropy. Including the anisotropic information vastly improves the match between observed and synthetic traveltimes from the cross-hole data set. This implies that there is little frequency dependence of intrinsic P-wave anisotropy. Inversion of the cross-hole traveltimes highlights the need for good angular coverage in order to resolve the anisotropy parameters. The observed P-wave anisotropy of the field data is due to the combined effect of sedimentary layering and the intrinsic anisotropy of the rocks. The intrinsic anisotropy is found to be the dominant factor.