Effective elimination of subharmonic ghost events from vibroseis data

Harmonic or subharmonic noise is often present in vibroseis data as reverberation‐like, laterally coherent bands occurring parallel to and before or after, the main events. Such periodic noise is typically generated during the standard correlation process when the actual source signal travelling through the subsurface is, for whatever reason, different from the desired source signal, i.e., the pilot‐sweep controlling the baseplate and used for correlation. A typical cause can be that harmonic or subharmonic frequency partials are generated in addition to the vibroseis sweep's desired fundamental frequencies. These harmonics produce strong ‘ghost events’ during correlation of the geophone trace with the pilot‐sweep, originating from additional correlations between the fundamental and harmonic frequencies. Especially subharmonic ‘ghosts’ will overlap with ‘good’ fundamental signals, since for typically used up‐sweeps they are folded to later traveltimes, where the signal/noise‐ratio is already lower, thus aggravating or preventing a reliable interpretation of possible later reflections. Here, a method is introduced to remove these unwanted noise trains (with only negligible impact on the fundamental signal) by transforming the seismogram traces into a so‐called ‘(sub)harmonic domain’. In this domain, the respective harmonic noise portions are focused and separated from the fundamental signals, enabling easier detection and appropriate suppression. After back‐transformation to the x‐T domain, the records are free from the corresponding harmonic contamination and can then be processed as usual. The method operates in a data‐driven fashion, i.e., the traces are not uniformly processed but are processed depending upon their actual (sub)harmonic content. The decontamination procedure can be applied universally, i.e., to uncorrelated/correlated and/or vertically unstacked/stacked data either in a manual, semiautomated or fully automated manner. The method works perfectly for synthetic vibroseis traces with or without harmonic/subharmonic portions. The application to real, crustal‐scale vibroseis records that were acquired in 2006 in the Dead Sea region, Israel and that were severely contaminated by subharmonic ground‐roll ghosts covering reflectivity from the basement to the Moho, shows the robustness and success of the presented method.     

Orthogonal vibroseis sweeps

Vibroseis is a method that imparts coded seismic energy into the ground. The energy is recorded with geophones and then processed using the known (coded) input signal. The resulting time‐domain representation of vibroseis data is an impulsive wavetrain with wavelet properties consistent with the coded input signal convolved with the earth's reflectivity series. Historically, vibratory seismic surveys collect data from one source location at a time, summing one or more sources at each location. We present a method of designing orthogonal sweeps using the concept of combisweeps. The orthogonal sweeps allow simultaneous recording and later separation of two or more unique source locations. Orthogonality of sweeps permits separation of the data into unique source‐location field records by a conventional correlation procedure. The separation power of the orthogonal sweeps is demonstrated by a comparison between separated data and data acquired with one vibrator. Separation noise was at a negligible level for our demonstration data sets when two vibrators were located 50 m to 200 m apart. Coincident generation and recording of two vibroseis sweeps at different locations would allow almost double the amount of data to be recorded for a given occupation time and requires only half the storage medium.     

Vibroseis deconvolution: a comparison of cross-correlation and frequency-domain sweep deconvolution

Ideally, traditional vibroseis processing produces a band-limited zero-phase Klauder wavelet through cross-correlation of the sweep with the recorded signal. An alternative wavelet processing method involves deconvolving the sweep from the recorded vibroseis trace. This deconvolution can be achieved through frequency-domain division. We compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of sweep deconvolution versus cross-correlation on synthetic and real data.     

SIMULTANEOUS VIBROSEIS RECORDING1

An experiment was undertaken at BP's Fulbeck Geophysical test site to compare the viability of various simultaneous vibroseis recording techniques, which are often recommended as a means of improving data acquisition production rates for 3D seismic surveys. Of particular interest were: (a) the ability to separate the signals from each source during processing, (b) the generation and suppression of harmonics and (c) the effects of any source interaction. Two vibrators were deployed with a baseplate separation of 10 m, about a borehole containing a vertical array of geophones. Our analysis concentrated on the groundforce signals measured at each vibrator and the far-field signatures measured using a vertical geo-phone at a depth of 204 m. By comparing single vibrator records with similar but separated records from a simultaneous recording sequence, signal separability, harmonic suppression and vibrator interaction could be fully studied. Separated far-field signatures from simultaneous vibroseis methods using combinations of up and downsweeps exhibited unsuppressed harmonics and substantial energy from the undesired source which leaked through the correlation process. The ‘up/down’ method was capable of separating the signal from each source by only 12.7 dB, and is therefore unsuitable as a field technique. The variphase simultaneous vibroseis methods studied afforded some harmonic suppression and gave signal separations of about 30.0 dB. Use of variphase simultaneous vibroseis methods will compromise the quality of the data recorded, when compared with single-source acquisition methods. None of the simultaneous vibroseis methods tested provided adequate signal separation and, therefore, cannot be recommended as data acquisition techniques. The ‘alternate sweeping’ method coupled with multispread recording will give the desired improvement in data acquisition rates, while preserving the necessary quality of our seismic data.     

消除滑动扫描地震数据中谐波干扰的反相关方法(英文)

滑动扫描技术是高效、高保真、环保的可控震源勘探技术之一,是下一组震源不必等待上一组震源震动结束即可开始震动的高效采集方法。该技术由于缩短了相邻两炮的等待时间,使得生产效率得到显著提高。但是后一炮的谐波畸变与前一炮的基波信号混叠在一起,不易分离,在相关后的地震记录上形成了严重的谐波干扰,降低了地震资料的质量。本文提出一种反相关方法来压制滑动扫描地震数据中的谐波干扰。该方法首先把地面力信号分解为基波和各阶谐波分量;然后将后一炮的相关前数据分别与各分量相关,只选取正时间轴中对应分量的自相关部分,利用各分量的反相关算子提取各阶谐波信息;最后从前一炮数据中减去提取出的高阶谐波,得到压制谐波后的地震记录。该方法对有效信号影响小,可同时处理相关前和相关后数据,而且算法简单稳定,计算效率高。本文分别对理论模型和实际数据进行处理,验证了该方法消除谐波干扰的有效性。     

Elimination of ghost noise in vibroseis data by deconvolution

A deconvolution approach is presented to process uncorrelated vibroseis data. The recorded ground force signal, known to be a better correlator for the vibrogram than the pilot sweep itself, is used to deconvolve rather than to correlate the vibrogram. In such a way the ghost sweep (correlation noise), produced by severe harmonic distortions in the ground force signal both at negative and positive correlation times if such a signal is used as the correlator, is eliminated automatically. This type of deconvolution can eliminate the ghost sweep caused by both the upsweep or by the downsweep signal. Synthetic and real data are used to demonstrate the application of the deconvolution procedure. The results are compared with the traditional correlation procedure and show the superiority of the deconvolution approach.     

Vibroseis productivity: shake and go

We use both model and field data to compare three methods for increasing vibroseis productivity and decreasing acquisition costs. The first method, HFVS (high-fidelity vibratory seismic), allows us to separate the responses from individual vibrators when multiple vibrators are operating simultaneously. The data quality of the separated records is superior to that of conventional correlated data because they are processed with measured ground-force signals, but the number of sweeps must be greater than or equal to the number of vibrators. The second method, cascaded sweep, eliminates the listening time between multiple sweeps and partially mitigates harmonic noise observed at later times on near-offset traces. Finally, a combined method, continuous-HFVS (C-HFVS), allows source separation with a single, long, segmented sweep. Separation is as good as with HFVS and interference noise is limited to times near the end of a sweep-segment length. All three methods produce acceptable seismic images for post-stack and prestack amplitude interpretation.
The choice of which option to use depends upon the area being investigated. HFVS has numerous benefits, especially when fine sampling is required to mitigate static problems and elevation changes. Due to the ability to separate individual responses, fine sampling can be achieved without sacrificing productivity. For deeper targets, cascaded sweep can be more efficient but data quality suffers from harmonic noise. C-HFVS, which combines features of HFVS and cascaded sweep, has the potential to result in the highest productivity, without sacrificing either fine sampling or data quality.     

Harmonic by harmonic removal technique for improving vibroseis data quality

In this paper, an improved method is presented to reduce vibrator harmonic distortion, one harmonic at a time and the method is illustrated with both simulated and field data. This method improves on the previous method that treated all the harmonics at once. The significant contribution in this procedure is a considerable reduction for the harmonics without any alteration for the weakest signals possibly present in positive and negative times. The core of the proposed technique depends on an accurate simulation for all the harmonics one by one existing in the positive and negative times of the data after cross‐correlation with the fundamental sweep and then subtracting the simulated harmonics from the original data using an optimization procedure. The steps and mathematical equations of the procedure are explained in detail in the body of the article in the section titled ‘harmonic by harmonic attenuation procedure’. Accordingly, a well‐developed procedure for enhancing the vibroseis data quality in both down‐ and up‐sweep data is illustrated. The procedure was tested on both synthetic and field data sets.     

疏松地表可控震源高频畸变分析及改善方法

针对可控震源高频拓展,一些使用者只是简单提高高频截止频率,出现了较多问题,如在沙漠、草场等疏松地表区域会出现高频畸变,严重影响了资料品质.为此,从高频段畸变现象入手,建立可控震源与地表振动模型,深入研究了震源振动输出力信号.分析表明高频段重锤与平板加速度之间产生较大相位差,造成可控震源系统过载是产生高频畸变的原因,并进一步提出了高频优化能量补偿扫描技术的方法改善高频畸变,通过试验对比说明了该方法能够提高高频输出信号的稳定性,降低高频畸变,也为以后解决类似问题提供帮助.     

The use of pseudorandom sweeps for vibroseis surveys

Pseudorandom vibroseis sweeps have long been suggested as an alternative to standard linear sweeps due to their potential for having superior orthogonality, a lower likelihood for infrastructure damage, and increased low‐frequency content. In the past, they were also attractive as they have a better autocorrelation shape, although that is less important today. Their use has been limited but the increasing popularity of simultaneous acquisition techniques has rekindled interest as they offer the ability to reduce interference noise. A wide variety of methods for generating pseudorandom sweeps have been developed over the last 45 years. This paper gives an overview of the motivations for their use before classifying and describing the different sweep types. Finally, the sweeps will be compared in terms of their major attributes including their suitability for simultaneous surveys.     

Using the Wiener–Levinson algorithm to suppress ground-roll

In land seismic surveys, the seismic data are mostly contaminated by ground-roll noise, high amplitude and low frequency. Since the ground-roll is coherent with reflections and depends on the source, the spectral band of seismic signal and ground-roll always overlap, which can be clearly seen in the spectral domain. So, separating them in time or frequency domain commonly causes waveform distortions and information missing due to cut-off effects. Therefore, the combination of these factors leads to search for alternative filtering methods or processes. We applied the conventional Wiener–Levinson algorithm to extract ground-roll from the seismic data. Then, subtracting it from the seismic data arithmetically performs the ground-roll suppression. To set up the algorithm, linear or nonlinear sweep signals are used as reference noise trace. The frequencies needed in creating a reference noise trace using analytical sweep signal can be approximately estimated in spectral domain. The application of the proposed method based on redesigning of Wiener–Levinson algorithm differs from the usual frequency filtering techniques since the ground-roll is suppressed without cutting signal spectrum. The method is firstly tested on synthetics and then is applied to a shot data from the field. The result obtained from both synthetics and field data show that the ground-roll suppression in this way causes no waveform distortion and no reduction of frequency bandwidth of the data.     

REDUCTION OF HARMONIC DISTORTION IN VIBRATORY SOURCE RECORDS*

Due to non-linear effects, the swept frequency signals (sweeps) transmitted into the subsurface by vibrators are contaminated by harmonics. Upon correlation of the recorded seismograms, these harmonics lead to noise trains which are particularly disturbing in the case of down-sweeps. The method described in this paper—which can be regarded as a generalization of Sorkin's approach to the suppression of even order harmonics—allows elimination, from the final vibratory source seismogram, of harmonics of the sweep up to any desired order. It requires that not one single signal but rather a series of M signals is employed where each signal has an initial phase differing from that of the previous one of the series by the phase angle 2πM. Prior to stacking, the seismograms generated with the different signals have to be brought into the form they would have if they had been generated with the same signal. The method seems also to be capable of reducing the correlation noise if sign-bit recording techniques are used.     

COMBISWEEP—A CONTRIBUTION TO SWEEP TECHNIQUES*

Nonlinear sweeps have often successfully been employed in the 1960s. However, this area of sweep technology has been neglected since the introduction of digital recording techniques in the Vibroseis system. Now the advent of computerized recording instruments yields a new economical possibility of forming approximately nonlinear sweeps by combining several linear sweeps with or without time gaps to a “Combisweep”. The total duration of a Combisweep may be as long as the maximum available recording time, for example 32 s. Beside the attenuation of correlation noise, the new method has further merits, such as the weighting of predetermined frequency ranges, in order to effect a certain kind of optimum filtering on the emitter side, or in order to compensate to some degree for frequency dependent absorption. In all these applications the Combisweep is considered as one signal in the correlation process. But by correlating with the individual sweeps or a partial combination of them and by applying automatic switching at predetermined times within the gaps between the individual sweeps additional possibilities arise, such as obtaining in one run with a twenty-four channel recording unit twenty-four traces with small distances between vibrators and geophones for shallow reflections and another twenty-four traces with larger distances for deeper reflections. Various Combisweeps and their applications are presented.     

SIGNAL ENHANCEMENT OF VIBRATORY SOURCE DATA IN THE PRESENCE OF ATTENUATION*

Amplitude spectra of input FM signals used in the vibratory source method of seismic exploration often show undesirable oscillations near the initial and terminal frequencies. These oscillations have an effect on the correlation background and distort the output signal. Considerable improvement in reducing the amplitude of these oscillations is obtained using a proper taper fuction. Attention is given to the relation between the tapering time and bandwidth of the spectrum. Analyses of the spectra of the received data from vibratory sources show considerable attenuation in comparison with the original field sweep. Since the matched filtering process will result in a series of waveforms which have the shape of the autocorrelation of the input signal, consideration is given to the autocorrelation function and its zero-lag coefficient of the FM signal in the presence of attenuation. A method has been developed which compensates for the attenuation and recovers the distortion of waveforms when the received data is correlated. The design of a waveform shaping filter for vibratory source data is given to reduce the influence of phase distortion on the received waveforms as well as to increase S/N ratio resolution. Parameters used for this filter are based on the properties of the FM signal and its autocorrelation function. Several examples from field data are presented to illustrate the methods. The results indicate that the use of the above techniques yields sections with good frequency resolution and improved S/N ratio.     

Elimination of source-generated noise from correlated vibroseis data (the ‘ghost-sweep’ problem)

The most common noise-reduction methods employed in the vibroseis technique (e.g. spike and burst reduction, vertical stacking) are applied in the field to reduce noise at a very early stage. In addition, vibrator phase control systems prevent signal distortions produced by non-linearity of the source itself. However, the success of these automatic correction methods depends on parameter justification by the operator and the actual characteristics of the distorting noise. More specific noise-reduction methods (e.g. Combisweep (Trade mark of Geco-Prakla), elimination of harmonics) increase production costs or need uncorrelated data for the correction process. Because the field data are usually correlated and vertically stacked in the field to minimize logistical and processing costs, it is not possible to make subsequent parameter corrections to optimize the noise reduction after correlation and vertical stacking of a production record. The noise-reduction method described here uses the final recorded, correlated and stacked vibroseis field data. This method eliminates signal artifacts caused e.g. by incorrect vibroseis source signals being used in parameter estimation when a frequency–time analysis is combined with a standard convolution process. Depending on the nature of the distortions, a synthetically generated, nearly recursive noise-separation operator compresses the noise artifact in time using a trace-by-trace filter. After elimination of this compressed noise, re-application of the separation operator leads to a noise-corrected replacement of the input data. The method is applied to a synthetic data set and to a real vibroseis field record from deep seismic sounding, with good results.     

Elimination of Noise Caused by Spikes and Bursts in Vibroseis Data

—Seismic recording systems without a telemetry system have often been affected by electromagnetic induced spikes or bursts, which lead to strong data distortions combined with the correlation process of the vibroseis method. Partial or total loss of the desired seismic information is possible if no automatic spike and burst reduction is available in the field prior to vertical stacking and correlation of the field record.¶Currently, combined with the use of modern telemetry recording systems, the most common noise reduction methods in vibroseis techniques (e.g., spike and burst reduction, diversity stack) are already applied in the field to reduce noise in a very early state. The success of these automatic correction methods depends on the fundamental principles of the recording situation, the actual characteristic of the distorting noise and the parameter justification by the operator. Since field data are usually correlated and already vertical stacked in the field to minimize logistical and processing costs, no subsequent parameter corrections are possible to optimize the noise reduction after correlation and vertical stacking of a production record.¶The noise reduction method described in this paper uses final recorded and stacked vibroseis field data at the correlated or uncorrelated stage of processing. The method eliminates signal artifacts caused by spikes or bursts combined with a standard convolution process. A modified correlation operator compresses the noise artifact in time using a single trace convolution process. After elimination of this compressed noise, re-application of the convolution process leads to a noise-corrected replacement of the input data. The efficiency of the method is shown with a synthetic data set and a real vibroseis field record. Furthermore, several thousand records from a 2-D deep seismic reflection project could be corrected with good results using this method.     

多震源地震正演数值模拟技术

常规地震采集技术因受相邻时间激发炮之间时间间隔的制约而存在采集周期过长,采集成本过高的问题,而多震源同步激发地震采集技术可以克服这方面的缺陷,但存在着波场过于复杂的问题,地震正演模拟技术可以帮助我们提高对这种复杂波场的认识水平,为此采用2D弹性波方程交错网格高阶有限差分格式,开发了多震源同步激发波场正演数值模拟技术,能够模拟任意多个同步激发震源的弹性波波场,震源函数可以是雷克子波,也可以是可控震源扫描信号,且同步激发震源之间可以有随机时差.模型试算结果分析表明,该技术既是一项高精度的多震源正演模拟技术,也是一项高效率的地震正演数值模拟技术.     

A COMPARISON OF STATISTICAL AND DETERMINISTIC WIENER DECONVOLUTION OF DEEP-TOW SEISMIC DATA*

Wiener ‘spiking’ deconvolution of seismic traces in the absence of a known source wavelet relies upon the use of digital filters, which are optimum in a least-squares error sense only if the wavelet to be deconvolved is minimum phase. In the marine environment in particular this condition is frequently violated, since bubble pulse oscillations result in source signatures which deviate significantly from minimum phase. The degree to which the deconvolution is impaired by such violation is generally difficult to assess, since without a measured source signature there is no optimally deconvolved trace with which the spiked trace may be compared. A recently developed near-bottom seismic profiler used in conjunction with a surface air gun source produces traces which contain the far-field source signature as the first arrival. Knowledge of this characteristic wavelet permits the design of two-sided Wiener spiking and shaping filters which can be used to accurately deconvolve the remainder of the trace. In this paper the performance of such optimum-lag filters is compared with that of the zero-lag (one-sided) operators which can be evaluated from the reflected arrival sequence alone by assuming a minimum phase source wavelet. Results indicate that the use of zero-lag operators on traces containing non-minimum phase wavelets introduces significant quantities of noise energy into the seismic record. Signal to noise ratios may however be preserved or even increased during deconvolution by the use of optimum-lag spiking or shaping filters. A debubbling technique involving matched filtering of the trace with the source wavelet followed by optimum-lag Wiener deconvolution did not give a higher quality result than can be obtained simply by the application of a suitably chosen Wiener shaping filter. However, cross correlation of an optimum-lag spike filtered trace with the known ‘actual output’ of the filter when presented with the source signature is found to enhance signal-to-noise ratio whilst maintaining improved resolution.     

Vibroseis deconvolution: A comparison of pre and post correlation vibroseis deconvolution data in real noisy data

Vibroseis is a source used commonly for inland seismic exploration. This non-destructive source is often used in urban areas with strong environmental noise. The main goal of seismic data processing is to increase the signal/noise ratio where a determinant step is deconvolution. Vibroseis seismic data do not meet the basic minimum-phase assumption for the application of spiking and predictive deconvolution, therefore various techniques, such as phase shift, are applied to the data, to be able to successfully perform deconvolution of vibroseis data.This work analyzes the application of deconvolution techniques before and after cross-correlation on a real data set acquired for high resolution prospection of deep aquifers. In particular, we compare pre-correlation spiking and predictive deconvolution with Wiener filtering and with post-correlation time variant spectral whitening deconvolution. The main result is that at small offsets, post cross-correlation spectral whitening deconvolution and pre-correlation spiking deconvolution yield comparable results, while for large offsets the best result is obtained by applying a pre-cross-correlation predictive deconvolution.