Summary Velocity and attenuation are important rock properties for hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation. Although seismic wave velocities and its relationships to rock properties are relatively well understood, seismic wave attenuation studies are still rare, in part due to the theoretical and experimental difficulties involved. Nevertheless, it seems that the attenuation properties are sensitive to rock and fluid type, partial saturation, presence of cracks in rock samples and other parameters which dimensions are smaller than the resolution of the seismic method. Laboratory measurements of attenuation under well-controlled conditions are useful to obtain qualitative insights on the wave propagation process and its relationships with rock and fluid properties. Some results from the study of the viscoelastic behavior of a turbidite reservoir of Campos Basin, offshore Brazil, and its relationships to facies attributes are reported here.