Constrained three-parameter AVO inversion and uncertainty analysis

Jonathan E. Downton, Laurence R. Lines

Bayes' theorem is used to derive a three-parameter non-linear AVO inversion. Geologic constraints based on available well-control or rock-physical relationships are incorporated to help stabilize the solution. Parameter uncertainty estimates arise naturally as part of the derivation and provide estimates of the reliability of the different parameters. The resulting parameter and uncertainty estimates may be transformed to a variety of elastic and rock-physical AVO attributes popular in the literature using a transform matrix.