Is AVO the seismic signature of lithology? A case history of Ship Shoal-South Addition

Many times we’ve heard, “I’ve tried amplitude-versus-offset (AVO) and it doesn’t work in my area.” Before casting AVO aside, let’s look at the process one more time. AVO analysis is actually a two-step process. The first step relates the seismic response (CDP gather) to the rock’s velocity, density and Poisson’s ratio; the second step relates these rock properties to the lithologies (sand, shale, etc.).