Wide‐azimuth angle gathers for anisotropic wave‐equation migration

Extended common‐image‐point gathers (CIP) constructed by wide‐azimuth TI wave‐equation migration contain all the necessary information for angle decomposition as a function of the reflection and azimuth angles at selected locations in the subsurface. The aperture and azimuth angles are derived from the extended images using analytic relations between the space‐ and time‐lag extensions using information which is already available at the time of migration, i.e. the anisotropic model parameters. CIPs are cheap to compute because they can be distributed in the image at the most relevant positions, as indicated by the geologic structure. If the reflector dip is known at the CIP locations, then the computational cost can be reduced by evaluating only two components of the space‐lag vector. The transformation from extended images to angle gathers is a planar Radon transform which depends on the local medium parameters. This transformation allows us to separate all illumination directions for a given experiment, or between different experiments. We do not need to decompose the reconstructed wavefields or to choose the most energetic directions for decomposition. Applications of the method include illumination studies in complex areas where ray‐based methods fail, and assuming that the subsurface illumination is sufficiently dense, the study of amplitude variation with aperture and azimuth angles.     

Double plane‐wave reverse‐time migration

We develop a new time‐domain reverse‐time migration method called double plane‐wave reverse‐time migration that uses plane‐wave transformed gathers. Original shot gathers with appropriate data acquisition geometry are double slant stacked into the double plane‐wave domain with minimal slant stacking artefacts. The range of plane‐wave components needed for migration can be determined by estimating the maximum time dips present in shot gathers. This reduces the total number of input traces for migration and increases migration efficiency. Unlike the pre‐stack shot‐profile reverse‐time migration where the number of forward propagations is proportional to the number of shots, the number of forward propagations needed for the proposed method remains constant and is relatively small even for large seismic datasets. Therefore, the proposed method can improve the efficiency of the migration and be suitable for migrating large datasets. Double plane‐wave reverse‐time migration can be performed for selected plane‐wave components to obtain subsurface interfaces with different dips, which makes the migration method target oriented. This feature also makes the method a useful tool for migration velocity analysis. For example, we are able to promptly obtain trial images with nearly horizontal interfaces and adjust velocity models according to common image gathers. Seismic signal coming from steeply dipping interfaces can be included into the migration to build images with more detailed structures and higher spatial resolution as better velocity models become available. Illumination compensation imaging conditions for the proposed method are also introduced to obtain images with balanced amplitudes.     

Image‐domain wavefield tomography with extended common‐image‐point gathers

Waveform inversion is a velocity‐model‐building technique based on full waveforms as the input and seismic wavefields as the information carrier. Conventional waveform inversion is implemented in the data domain. However, similar techniques referred to as image‐domain wavefield tomography can be formulated in the image domain and use a seismic image as the input and seismic wavefields as the information carrier. The objective function for the image‐domain approach is designed to optimize the coherency of reflections in extended common‐image gathers. The function applies a penalty operator to the gathers, thus highlighting image inaccuracies arising from the velocity model error. Minimizing the objective function optimizes the model and improves the image quality. The gradient of the objective function is computed using the adjoint state method in a way similar to that in the analogous data‐domain implementation. We propose an image‐domain velocity‐model building method using extended common‐image‐point space‐ and time‐lag gathers constructed sparsely at reflections in the image. The gathers are effective in reconstructing the velocity model in complex geologic environments and can be used as an economical replacement for conventional common‐image gathers in wave‐equation tomography. A test on the Marmousi model illustrates successful updating of the velocity model using common‐image‐point gathers and resulting improved image quality.     

Extended imaging conditions for wave‐equation migration

Wavefield‐based migration velocity analysis using the semblance principle requires computation of images in an extended space in which we can evaluate the imaging consistency as a function of overlapping experiments. Usual industry practice is to assemble those seismic images in common‐image gathers that represent reflectivity as a function of depth and extensions, e.g., reflection angles. We introduce extended common‐image point (CIP) gathers constructed only as a function of the space‐ and time‐lag extensions at sparse and irregularly distributed points in the image. Semblance analysis using CIP's constructed by this procedure is advantageous because we do not need to compute gathers at regular surface locations and we do not need to compute extensions at all depth levels. The CIP's also give us the flexibility to distribute them in the image at irregular locations aligned with the geologic structure. Furthermore, the CIP's remove the depth bias of common‐image gathers constructed as a function of the depth axis. An interpretation of the CIP's using the scattering theory shows that they are scattered wavefields associated with sources and receivers inside the subsurface. Thus, when the surface wavefields are correctly reconstructed, the extended CIP's are characterized by focused energy at the origin of the space‐ and time‐lag axes. Otherwise, the energy defocuses from the origin of the lag axes proportionally with the cumulative velocity error in the overburden. This information can be used for wavefield‐based tomographic updates of the velocity model, and if the velocity used for imaging is correct, the coordinate‐independent CIP's can be a decomposed as a function of the angles of incidence.     

Investigating a time‐shift extended imaging condition in a Kirchhoff pre‐stack depth migration algorithm

Extracting true amplitude versus angle common image gathers is one of the key objectives in seismic processing and imaging. This is achievable to different degrees using different migration techniques (e.g., Kirchhoff, wavefield extrapolation, and reverse time migration techniques) and is a common tool in exploration, but the costs can vary depending on the selected migration algorithm and the desired accuracy. Here, we investigate the possibility of combining the local‐shift imaging condition, specifically the time‐shift extended imaging condition, for angle gathers with a Kirchhoff migration. The aims are not to replace the more accurate full‐wavefield migration but to offer a cheaper alternative where ray‐based methods are applicable and to use Kirchhoff time‐lag common image gathers to help bridge the gap between the traditional offset common image gathers and reverse time migration angle gathers; finally, given the higher level of summation inside the extended imaging migration, we wish to understand the impact on the amplitude versus angle response. The implementation of the time‐shift imaging condition along with the computational cost is discussed, and results of four different datasets are presented. The four example datasets, two synthetic, one land acquisition, and a marine dataset, have been migrated using a Kirchhoff offset method, a Kirchhoff time‐shift method, and, for comparison, a reverse time migration algorithm. The results show that the time‐shift imaging condition at zero time lag is equivalent to the full offset stack as expected. The output gathers are cleaner and more consistent in the time‐lag‐derived angle gathers, but the conversion from time lag to angle can be considered a post‐processing step. The main difference arises in the amplitude versus offset/angle distribution where the responses are different and dramatically so for the land data. The results from the synthetics and real data show that a Kirchhoff migration with an extended imaging condition is capable of generating subsurface angle gathers. The same disadvantages with a ray‐based approach will apply using the extended imaging condition relative to a wave equation angle gather solution. Nevertheless, using this approach allows one to explore the relationship between the velocity model and focusing of the reflected energy, to use the Radon transformation to remove noise and multiples, and to generate consistent products from a ray‐based migration and a full‐wave equation migration, which can then be interchanged depending on the process under study.     

Directional‐oriented wavefield imaging: a new wave‐based subsurface illumination imaging condition for reverse time migration

The key objective of an imaging algorithm is to produce accurate and high‐resolution images of the subsurface geology. However, significant wavefield distortions occur due to wave propagation through complex structures and irregular acquisition geometries causing uneven wavefield illumination at the target. Therefore, conventional imaging conditions are unable to correctly compensate for variable illumination effects. We propose a generalised wave‐based imaging condition, which incorporates a weighting function based on energy illumination at each subsurface reflection and azimuth angles. Our proposed imaging kernel, named as the directional‐oriented wavefield imaging, compensates for illumination effects produced by possible surface obstructions during acquisition, sparse geometries employed in the field, and complex velocity models. An integral part of the directional‐oriented wavefield imaging condition is a methodology for applying down‐going/up‐going wavefield decomposition to both source and receiver extrapolated wavefields. This type of wavefield decomposition eliminates low‐frequency artefacts and scattering noise caused by the two‐way wave equation and can facilitate the robust estimation for energy fluxes of wavefields required for the seismic illumination analysis. Then, based on the estimation of the respective wavefield propagation vectors and associated directions, we evaluate the illumination energy for each subsurface location as a function of image depth point and subsurface azimuth and reflection angles. Thus, the final directional‐oriented wavefield imaging kernel is a cross‐correlation of the decomposed source and receiver wavefields weighted by the illuminated energy estimated at each depth location. The application of the directional‐oriented wavefield imaging condition can be employed during the generation of both depth‐stacked images and azimuth–reflection angle‐domain common image gathers. Numerical examples using synthetic and real data demonstrate that the new imaging condition can properly image complex wave paths and produce high‐fidelity depth sections.     

Improving the gradient of the image‐domain objective function using quantitative migration for a more robust migration velocity analysis

Migration velocity analysis aims at determining the background velocity model. Classical artefacts, such as migration smiles, are observed on subsurface offset common image gathers, due to spatial and frequency data limitations. We analyse their impact on the differential semblance functional and on its gradient with respect to the model. In particular, the differential semblance functional is not necessarily minimum at the expected value. Tapers are classically applied on common image gathers to partly reduce these artefacts. Here, we first observe that the migrated image can be defined as the first gradient of an objective function formulated in the data‐domain. For an automatic and more robust formulation, we introduce a weight in the original data‐domain objective function. The weight is determined such that the Hessian resembles a Dirac function. In that way, we extend quantitative migration to the subsurface‐offset domain. This is an automatic way to compensate for illumination. We analyse the modified scheme on a very simple 2D case and on a more complex velocity model to show how migration velocity analysis becomes more robust.     

Pre-stack Kirchhoff depth migration local space-shift imaging condition: synthetic and data examples

Extracting accurate common image angle gathers from pre-stack depth migrations is important in the generation of any incremental uplift to the amplitude versus angle attributes and seismic inversions that can lead to significant impacts in exploration and development success. The commonly used Kirchhoff migration outputs surface common offset image gathers that require a transformation to angle gathers for amplitude versus angle analysis. The accuracy of this transformation is one of the factors that determine the robustness of the amplitude versus angle measurements. Here, we investigate the possibility of implementing an extended imaging condition, focusing on the space-lag condition, for generating subsurface reflection angle gathers within a Kirchhoff migration. The objective is to determine if exploiting the spatial local shift imaging condition can provide any increase in angle gather fidelity relative to the common offset image gathers. The same restrictions with a ray-based approach will apply using the extended imaging condition as both the offset and extended imaging condition method use travel times derived from solutions to an Eikonal equation. The aims are to offer an alternative ray-based method to generate subsurface angle gathers and to understand the impact on the amplitude versus angle response. To this end, the implementation of the space-shift imaging condition is discussed and results of three different data sets are presented. A layered three-dimensional model and a complex two-dimensional model are used to assess the space shift image gathers output from such a migration scheme and to evaluate the seismic attributes relative to the traditional surface offset common image gathers. The synthetic results show that the extended imaging condition clearly provides an uplift in the measured amplitude versus angle over the surface offset migration. The noise profile post-migration is also improved for the space-lag migration due to the double summation inside the migration. Finally, we show an example of a space-lag gather from deep marine data and compare the resultant angle gathers with those generated from an offset migration and a time-shift imaging condition Kirchhoff migration. The comparison of the real data with a well log shows that the space-lag result is a better match to the well compared to the time-lag extended imaging condition and the common offset Kirchhoff migration. Overall, the results from the synthetics and real data show that a Kirchhoff migration with an extended imaging condition is capable of generating subsurface angle gathers with an incremental improvement in amplitude versus angle fidelity and lower noise but comes at a higher computational cost.     

Wavefield tomography based on local image correlations

The estimation of a velocity model from seismic data is a crucial step for obtaining a high‐quality image of the subsurface. Velocity estimation is usually formulated as an optimization problem where an objective function measures the mismatch between synthetic and recorded wavefields and its gradient is used to update the model. The objective function can be defined in the data‐space (as in full‐waveform inversion) or in the image space (as in migration velocity analysis). In general, the latter leads to smooth objective functions, which are monomodal in a wider basin about the global minimum compared to the objective functions defined in the data‐space. Nonetheless, migration velocity analysis requires construction of common‐image gathers at fixed spatial locations and subsampling of the image in order to assess the consistency between the trial velocity model and the observed data. We present an objective function that extracts the velocity error information directly in the image domain without analysing the information in common‐image gathers. In order to include the full complexity of the wavefield in the velocity estimation algorithm, we consider a two‐way (as opposed to one‐way) wave operator, we do not linearize the imaging operator with respect to the model parameters (as in linearized wave‐equation migration velocity analysis) and compute the gradient of the objective function using the adjoint‐state method. We illustrate our methodology with a few synthetic examples and test it on a real 2D marine streamer data set.     

Image enhancement by multi‐parameter characterization of common image gathers

We present an innovative approach for seismic image enhancement using multi‐parameter angle‐domain characterization of common image gathers. A special subsurface angle‐domain imaging system is used to generate the multi‐parameter common image gathers in a summation‐free image space. The imaged data associated with each common image gathers depth point contain direction‐dependent opening‐angle image contributions from all the available incident and scattered wave‐pairs at this point. Each direction‐dependent opening‐angle data can be differently weighted according to its coherency measure. Once the optimal migration velocity is used, it is assumed that in the actual specular direction, the coherency measure (semblance) along reflection events, from all available opening angles and opening azimuths, is larger than that along non‐specular directions. The computed direction‐dependent semblance attribute is designed to operate as an imaging filter which enhances specular migration contributions and suppresses all others in the final migration image. The ability to analyse the structural properties of the image points by the multi‐parameter common image gather allows us to better handle cases of complicated wave propagation and to improve the image quality at poorly illuminated regions or near complex structures. The proposed method and some of its practical benefits are demonstrated through detailed analysis of synthetic and real data examples.     

Anisotropy signature in reverse‐time migration extended images

Reverse‐time migration can accurately image complex geologic structures in anisotropic media. Extended images at selected locations in the Earth, i.e., at common‐image‐point gathers, carry rich information to characterize the angle‐dependent illumination and to provide measurements for migration velocity analysis. However, characterizing the anisotropy influence on such extended images is a challenge. Extended common‐image‐point gathers are cheap to evaluate since they sample the image at sparse locations indicated by the presence of strong reflectors. Such gathers are also sensitive to velocity error that manifests itself through moveout as a function of space and time lags. Furthermore, inaccurate anisotropy leaves a distinctive signature in common‐image‐point gathers, which can be used to evaluate anisotropy through techniques similar to the ones used in conventional wavefield tomography. It specifically admits a V‐shaped residual moveout with the slope of the “V” flanks depending on the anisotropic parameter η regardless of the complexity of the velocity model. It reflects the fourth‐order nature of the anisotropy influence on moveout as it manifests itself in this distinct signature in extended images after handling the velocity properly in the imaging process. Synthetic and real data observations support this assertion.     

Migration velocity analysis using pre‐stack wave fields

Using both image and data domains to perform velocity inversion can help us resolve the long and short wavelength components of the velocity model, usually in that order. This translates to integrating migration velocity analysis into full waveform inversion. The migration velocity analysis part of the inversion often requires computing extended images, which is expensive when using conventional methods. As a result, we use pre‐stack wavefield (the double‐square‐root formulation) extrapolation, which includes the extended information (subsurface offsets) naturally, to make the process far more efficient and stable. The combination of the forward and adjoint pre‐stack wavefields provides us with update options that can be easily conditioned to improve convergence. We specifically use a modified differential semblance operator to split the extended image into a residual part for classic differential semblance operator updates and the image (Born) modelling part, which provides reflections for higher resolution information. In our implementation, we invert for the velocity and the image simultaneously through a dual objective function. Applications to synthetic examples demonstrate the features of the approach.     

Kirchhoff积分叠前时间偏移全方位角度道集生成方法与实现

方位角度域共成像点道集能够客观反映地下介质的速度、各向异性参数异常以及振幅随角度变化（AVA）和裂缝信息。传统Kirchhoff PSTM通常输出偏移距域共成像点道集,对于速度分析、各向异性分析、AVA分析、裂缝识别等均存在诸多不便。本文提出了基于走时梯度的Kirchhoff叠前时间偏移全方位角度集输出方法并提出工业上切实可行的实现方案。通过走时场梯度计算波场传播方向矢量,形成能够反映观测系统参数和波场传播情况的全方位角度域共成像点道集。为了在大规模地震数据Kirchhoff积分叠前时间偏移中输出全方位角度道集,本文给出基于输入道方式的偏移实现方法,采用逐条inline线进行线偏移成像,从而大大降低了全方位角度道集输出对计算机内存的压力,显著提高了Kirchhoff积分时间偏移输出全方位角度道集的可行性。三维盐丘模型测试和海上某区块三维实际资料试验证明了本文方法的正确性。      

Application of the virtual refraction to near‐surface characterization at the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site‡

Seismic interferometry is a relatively new technique to estimate the Green's function between receivers. Spurious energy, not part of the true Green's function, is produced because assumptions are commonly violated when applying seismic interferometry to field data. Instead of attempting to suppress all spurious energy, we show how spurious energy associated with refractions contains information about the subsurface in field data collected at the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site. By forming a virtual shot record we suppress uncorrelated noise and produce a virtual refraction that intercepts zero offset at zero time. These two features make the virtual refraction easy to pick, providing an estimate of refractor velocity. To obtain the physical parameters of the layer above the refractor we analyse the cross‐correlation of wavefields recorded at two receivers for all sources. A stationary‐phase point associated with the correlation between the reflected wave and refracted wave from the interface identifies the critical offset. By combining information from the virtual shot record, the correlation gather and the real shot record we determine the seismic velocities of the unsaturated and saturated sands, as well as the variable relative depth to the water‐table. Finally, we discuss how this method can be extended to more complex geologic models.     

基于Hilbert变换的全波场分离逆时偏移成像

逆时偏移方法利用双程波算子模拟波场的正向和反向传播,通常采用互相关成像条件获得偏移剖面,是一种高精度的成像方法.但是传统的互相关成像条件会在偏移结果中产生低频噪声;此外,如果偏移速度中存在剧烈速度变化还可能进一步产生偏移假象.为了提高逆时偏移的成像质量,可在成像过程中先对震源波场和检波点波场分别进行波场分离,然后选择合适的波场成分进行互相关成像.本文基于Hilbert变换,推导了可在偏移过程中进行上下行和左右行波场分离的高效波场分离公式以及相应的成像条件,结合Sigsbee 2B合成数据,给出了不同波场成分的互相关成像结果.数值算例结果表明,采用本文提出的高效波场分离算法以及合理的波场成分互相关成像条件可以获得高信噪比的成像结果.     

单程波角度域内压制多次波偏移假象

多次波偏移中的假象主要来自于不同地震事件之间的互相关,由于这种互相关满足成像条件,很难直接在偏移过程中去除.但是对于准确的速度模型,真实的成像结果在角度域内应该是平直的.根据这个判断准则,可以在角度域内移除多次波偏移中的假象.本文以数据自相关偏移为例,提出了在单程波多次波偏移中移除假象的主要流程:首先在在单程波偏移过程中高效地提取角度域共成像点道集,然后对角度域共成像点道集应用高分辨率的抛物线型Radon变换,用合适的切除函数处理后,反变换回到角度域,最后叠加各个角度成分,得到偏移结果.Marmousi模型的合成数据测试表明,这种方法可以很好地压制多次波偏移过程中产生的假象,有效地提高成像结果的信噪比.     

The form of the reflection operator and extended image gathers for a dipping plane reflector in two space dimensions

The reflection operator for a simple flat‐lying interface can be thought of as the set of all its plane‐wave reflection coefficients or as the set of virtual surveys with sources and receivers along the interface. When there is dip, however, it is necessary to include the varying effects of propagation between the virtual‐survey level and the interface. Hence, step one in this paper is to derive the reflection operator for a dipping plane interface as observed at a datum level some distance away. The key assumption is that the aperture at the datum level is sufficient to characterize the reflector properties around a particular point. This translates into an assumption that the dip is moderate, though no explicit small‐angle approximation is required. The second step is to find the apparent reflection operator that would relate data that have been extrapolated from the datum towards and possibly beyond the reflector using an assumed migration velocity. This apparent reflection operator is closely related to extended common‐image gathers. The apparent reflection operator may be analysed asymptotically in terms of rays and other signals, shedding light on the structure of extended image gathers. In keeping with the virtual‐survey idea, the results are considered in a subsurface space‐time or slowness‐time domain at various extrapolation levels around the interface. An important distinction is drawn between using subsurface midpoint‐offset coordinates and the wavefield coordinates of the incident and reflected waves. The latter reveal more clearly the effects of dip, because they lead to a more asymmetric apparent reflection operator. Properties such as an up‐dip shift of a traveltime minimum and its associated curvature theoretically provide information about the reflector location and dip and the migration‐velocity error. The space‐time form of the reflection operator can be highly intricate around the offset‐time origin and it was described for a simple flat interface in a background paper. To avoid a layer of mathematics, the reflection‐operator formulas presented here are in the intermediate space‐frequency domain. They are analysed by considering their stationary‐phase and branch‐point high‐frequency contributions. There is no Born‐like assumption of weak reflector contrast and so wide‐angle, total reflection and head‐wave effects are included. Snell’s law is an explicit part of the theory. It is hoped that the work will therefore be a step towards the goal of unifying amplitude‐versus‐offset, imaging and waveform inversion.     

用于AVO分析的振幅保真平面波叠前时间偏移

To support amplitude variation with offset （AVO） analysis in complex structure areas, we introduce an amplitude-preserving plane-wave prestack time migration approach based on the double-square-root wave equation in media with little lateral velocity variation. In its implementation, a data mapping algorithm is used to obtain offset-plane-wave data sets from the common-midpoint gathers followed by a non-recursive phase-shift solution with amplitude correction to generate common-image gathers in offset-ray-parameter domain and a structural image. Theoretical model tests and a real data example show that our prestack time migration approach is helpful for AVO analysis in complex geological environments.     

叠前地震数据的平面波深度偏移法

提出了一套基于平面波分解的波动方程叠前地震数据深度偏移方法. 通过对共炮点道集和共偏移距道集地震数据的平面波分解，分别得到适用于单平方根波场外推方程和双平方根波场外推方程的共ps（炮点坐标平面波参数）平面波道集和共ph（偏移距坐标平面波参数）平面波道集. 在对共炮点道集和共偏移距道集地震数据的平面波分解时，不需要进行通常意义下的τ p变换计算. 通过对共ps平面波道集和共ph平面波道集的偏移效果对比，我们认为在速度弱横向变化介质中，两种平面波道集偏移方法的效果相当，但对于速度强横向变化介质，共ps平面波道集偏移方法的效果要优于共ph平面波道集偏移方法. 在计算效率方面，共ps平面波道集偏移方法与共ph平面波道集偏移方法基本相同.     

角度域弹性波Kirchhoff叠前深度偏移速度分析方法

为提高地震成像结果的准确性并真实反映实际地震波场在介质中的传播特性,应该充分利用多分量地震数据的矢量特征进行弹性波成像,其中,最为棘手的问题是纵横波偏移速度场的确定,为此,本文提出了直接利用多分量地震数据进行弹性波角度域偏移速度分析的方法.基于空移成像条件的弹性波Kirchhoff偏移方程提取了弹性波局部偏移距域共成像...