On the other hand, time migration schemes show low sensitivity to migration velocity errors and can be used as an intermediate step in seismic data processing for imaging seismic data. Threecomponent and threedimensional seismic imaging. Geophysical companies profile the sea floor and use sound to create images thousands of feet below the subsurface. Matarese earth resources laboratory department of earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences massachusetts institute oftechnology cambridge, ma 029 abstract fast algorithms exist for performing traveltime modeling, even in three dimensions. An overview of depth imaging in exploration geophysics. Standard migration techniques typically take into account only the first term of these respective series, which is the single scattering assumption ubiquitous in seismic imaging. Tradi tional holography, which uses a single source, is a method to reconstruct wavefronts from the phase and amplitude infor mation of the scattered wave field. Seismic design specification for buildings, structures. Seismic imaging technology seismic imaging is considered key to reduce risk and cost in exploratory as well as development drilling. Concepts and applications in 3d seismic imaging by biondo biondi. Our general interest is imaging with underside reflections.
In addition to providing information about subsurface formations, the indirect detection of dense contaminants including dense nonaqueous phase liquids dnapls may be possible from the seismic data. Cggs seismic imaging experts emphasize 4d timelapse signal through optimizing seismic processing for 4d differences and minimizing 4d noise, providing clear monitoring of. However, academic research and teaching have struggled to keep up with the 3 d revolution. Husky energy senior fellow in exploration geophysics associate professor and consultant, memorial university john hogg. One of the most powerful geophysical technologies is 3d seismic. The free gas zone beneath gas hydrate bearing sediments and its link to fluid flow. Multicomponent processing and transforms monday afternoon, october 24th offline imaging using 3component seismic data ye zheng and robert r. For the love of physics walter lewin may 16, 2011 duration.
This book, 3 d seismic imaging, aimes at helping academic seismology to catchup with industrial practices by introducing the theory of seismic imaging from the 3 d perspective. A mathematical view of re ection seismic imaging, as practiced in the petroleum industry. Two dimensional geophysical imaging techniques have recently allowed for 2d imaging of mountain permafrost. Concepts and applications in 3d seismic imaging geoscienceworld. This technology allows chevron scientists to see beneath the earths surface more clearly and accurately than ever before. Pdf 3 d seismic interpretation download full pdf book.
In the third part, i present a method to improve the image resolution by mitigating attenuation. In the past decade, 3 d reflection seismology has almost entirely replaced 2d seismology in the seismic industry. In this paper we study two approaches to seismic imaging. Fault correlation, horizon tracking, horizon flattening, and some image processing techniques can be adapted to the interactive environment to help improve interpretation. Km is still used in optimization schemes where cheap inexact iterations are useful. We assess the feasibility of highresolution seismic depth imaging in deep water based on a. It is the main imaging tool for hydrocarbon mapping, and is increasingly being used for medical, earthquake, and engineering applications.
The primary objective of this course is to provide a broad and intuitive understanding of seismic imaging concepts and methods that enables geoscientists to make the appropriate decisions during acquisition, processing, imaging, and interpretation projects. Jones1 and ian davison2 abstract seismic imaging of evaporite bodies is notoriously difficult due to the complex shapes of steeply dipping flanks, adjacent overburden strata, and the usually strong acoustic impedance and velocity contrasts at the sedimentevaporite interface. Geo manager new ventures, encana corporation now at burlington resources. Jan 10, 2015 four decades ago, exxonmobil pioneered an exploration technology called 3 d seismic, which uses sound waves to form sharp threedimensional images of underground formations, facilitating the. N o 109 is the number of output image points n i 108 is the number of input data traces f 30 is the number of cyclespointtrace f n o n i. Challenges in seismic imaging and reservoir characterization. The conventional seismic 2d technique provides an erroneous image of the subsurface, if the subsurface varies perpendicularly to the 2d seismic recording. Four decades ago, exxonmobil pioneered an exploration technology called 3d seismic, which uses sound waves to form sharp threedimensional images of underground formations, facilitating the. The application of 2d seismology is mostly limited to. Imaging techniques in seismic geomorphology jim bock1 and vladimir rybakov2. Diffraction tomography and multisource holography applied to. Show the formula for kirchho migration directly from the imaging condition 4.
Recording 3 d surveys has become the norm, instead of the exception. Due to the complicated field layout, timeconsuming preprocessing was necessary to create. An overview of depth imaging in exploration geophysics john etgen1, samuel h. Biondi and others published 3 d seismic imaging find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Nov 21, 2012 for the love of physics walter lewin may 16, 2011 duration. How 3d seismic imaging revolutionized the drilling industry. In fact, the first use of groundpenetrating radar was to determine a glaciers depth in 1929. Thus, image uncertainty quanti cation is an important, albeit challenging task. These gains are not only tallied through advances in casing, drill string or cutting technologies but also through the unsung technologies that have been recently employed and of them, 3d seismic imaging has seen the greatest returns on investment. Introduction threedimensional 3 d seismic exploration is capable of providing the most complete subsurface picture of any surfacebased geophysical technique. Recently, however, 3 d seismic imaging techniques are used where a fully comprehensive prospect evaluation is desired or where mine planning issues need to be addressed eaton et al. Recently, however, 3d seismic imaging techniques are used where a fully comprehensive prospect evaluation is desired or where mine planning issues need to be addressed eaton et al. This conventional approach to 3d survey design is limited by an incomplete understanding of the differing properties of the many geometries that can be used in 3d seismic surveys.
From industry selective targeting to academic systematic research part ii michael enachescu, ph d, p. Seismic imaging of continents and their margins research school. Pdf the 3 d velocity structure of the deep mantle has been recently inferred from imaging procedures such as migration, tomography, stacking, and. By developing the theory of seismic imaging from basic principles, the authors relate the different models of seismic propagation, reflection and imaging thus providing links to reflectivitybased imaging on the one hand and to nonlinear seismic inversion on the other. Preprocessing of the seismic data included manual traveltime picking and assignment. Introduction to seismic imaging alison malcolm department of earth, atmospheric and planetary sciences mit august 20, 2010. The interactive environment with powerful 3d visualization tools provides an efficient means for interpretation of the sheer volume of 3d migrated seismic data. The interactive environment with powerful 3 d visualization tools provides an efficient means for interpretation of the sheer volume of 3 d migrated seismic data. However, academic research and teaching have struggled to keep up with the 3d revolution.
In this thesis, i focus on two uncertainty sources that a ect seismic imaging. Distributed computing of seismic imaging algorithms arxiv. Chevrons proprietary seismic imaging technology helped the company achieve an exploration discovery rate of 66 percent in 2014. In particular, the sampling requirements for optimal prestack imaging were not properly taken into account. Introduction to marine seismic technologies a challenge under the sea because nearly a third of all oil produced today comes from offshore wells and most of the worlds untapped oil reserves are in deepwater environments, the future of energy is intimately tied to seismic data. Advanced seismic imaging techniques characterize the alpine fault. Using seismic imaging to map formations below the seafloor. N o 109 is the number of output image points n i 108 is the number of input data traces f 30 is the number of cyclespointtrace f n o n i 3 x 1018 cycles 30 cpuyears. Imaging the subsurface with 2d and 3d seismic data. In seplib3d, to describe the irregular data geometry, we associate each seismic trace with a trace header, as.
In addition to providing excellent structural images, the dense sampling of a 3 d survey makes it possible to map reservoir quality and the distribution of oil and gas. Gray2, and yu zhang3 abstract prestack depth migration is the most glamorous step of seismic processing because it transforms mere data into an. In the 1970ties and 80ties, many tests of highresolution seismic imaging methods for mineral exploration have had only limited success. Seismic modeling studies based on field analogues represent an important tool to close the scale gap between observations from outcrops and seismic data and to support seismic interpretation. Cggs seismic imaging experts emphasize 4d timelapse signal through optimizing seismic processing for 4d differences and minimizing 4d noise, providing clear monitoring of productionrelated reservoir changes. In addition to providing excellent structural images, the dense sampling of a 3d survey makes it possible to map reservoir quality and the distribution of oil and gas. Pdf the 3d velocity structure of the deep mantle has been recently inferred from imaging procedures such as migration, tomography, stacking, and. Between segments 2 and 3, and also between segments 3 and 4, overlapping geophones were used to align the records. Seismic design specification for buildings, structures, equipment, and systems.
Using vertical seismic profile vsp data to define where selected thinbed gas reservoirs were positioned in a 3d seismic data volume, we created horizon slices through this 3d image that showed the reflection amplitude behavior across the depositional surfaces where targeted thinbed reservoirs were located. The reconstructed wave front can give a threedimensional3d image. In the past decade, 3d reflection seismology has almost entirely replaced 2d seismology in the seismic industry. Pdf seismic imaging methods are currently used to produce images of the earths subsurface. The process of imaging through modeling the velocity structure is a form of inversion of seismic data, and the term inversion is often used to imply building a velocity model which is iteratively improved until it and the seismic data are optimally in agreement. Biondi and others published 3d seismic imaging find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Concepts and applications in 3d seismic imaging seg distinguished instructor series no. Using vertical seismic profile vsp data to define where selected thinbed gas reservoirs were positioned in a 3 d seismic data volume, we created horizon slices through this 3 d image that showed the reflection amplitude behavior across the depositional surfaces where targeted thinbed reservoirs were located.
This book, 3d seismic imaging, aimes at helping academic seismology to catchup with industrial practices by introducing the theory of seismic imaging from the 3d perspective. Technical report 3d seismic imaging of an active margin. We are now ready to represent the seismic imaging operation in terms of matrixvector algebra. The oilfield industry over the past several years has been making vast leaps in drilling efficiency.