Handling dip discrimination phenomenon in common‐reflection‐surface stack via combination of output‐imaging‐scheme and migration/demigration

In the application of a conventional common‐reflection‐surface (CRS) stack, it is well‐known that only one optimum stacking operator is determined for each zero‐offset sample to be simulated. As a result, the conflicting dip situations are not taken into account and only the most prominent event contributes to any a particular stack sample. In this paper, we name this phenomenon caused by conflicting dip problems as ‘dip discrimination phenomenon’. This phenomenon is not welcome because it not only leads to the loss of weak reflections and tips of diffractions in the final zero‐offset‐CRS stacked section but also to a deteriorated quality in subsequent migration. The common‐reflection‐surface stack with the output imaging scheme (CRS‐OIS) is a novel technique to implement a CRS stack based on a unified Kirchhoff imaging approach. As far as dealing with conflicting dip problems is concerned, the CRS‐OIS is a better option than a conventional CRS stack. However, we think the CRS‐OIS can do more in this aspect. In this paper, we propose a workflow to handle the dip discrimination phenomenon based on a cascaded implementation of prestack time migration, CRS‐OIS and prestack time demigration. Firstly, a common offset prestack time migration is implemented. Then, a CRS‐OIS is applied to the time‐migrated common offset gather. Afterwards, a prestack time demigration is performed to reconstruct each unmigrated common offset gather with its reflections being greatly enhanced and diffractions being well preserved. Compared with existing techniques dealing with conflicting dip problems, the technique presented in this paper preserves most of the diffractions and accounts for reflections from all possible dips properly. More importantly, both the post‐stacked data set and prestacked data set can be of much better quality after the implementation of the presented scheme. It serves as a promising alternative to other techniques except that it cannot provide the typical CRS wavefield attributes. The numerical tests on a synthetic Marmousi data set and a real 2D marine data set demonstrated its effectiveness and robustness.     

共偏移距道集平面波叠前时间偏移与反偏移

在Dubrulle提出的共偏移距道集频率波数域叠前时间偏移的基础上,提出了共偏移距道集频率波数域叠前时间偏移与反偏移一对共轭算子.讨论了该对算子的变孔径实现过程.并把该对共轭算子串连起来实现了叠前地震数据的规则化处理.指出最小二乘意义下的叠前地震数据规则化会得到更好的效果.v(z)介质模型和Marmousi模型的数值试验结果表明,方法理论正确、有效.     

利用CFP技术解决复杂近地表问题综述

复杂近地表条件会降低地震数据的质量,通常采用基于地表一致性的时移静校正消除其影响.但静校正与速度是密不可分的,而确定复杂近地表速度是非常困难的.基于CFP技术处理复杂近地表问题时避免了对速度的直接操作,使得静校正和速度的确定相互独立.首先根据叠前数据估算出波场的传播算子,然后依据等时原理在DTS模板中进行算子更新,再用这些更新的算子重建基准面和实现近地表单程时间成像.获得正确的算子振幅也是重建基准面的关键.     

CRS-stack-based seismic imaging considering top-surface topography

In this case study we consider the seismic processing of a challenging land data set from the Arabian Peninsula. It suffers from rough top‐surface topography, a strongly varying weathering layer, and complex near‐surface geology. We aim at establishing a new seismic imaging workflow, well‐suited to these specific problems of land data processing. This workflow is based on the common‐reflection‐surface stack for topography, a generalized high‐density velocity analysis and stacking process. It is applied in a non‐interactive manner and provides an entire set of physically interpretable stacking parameters that include and complement the conventional stacking velocity. The implementation introduced combines two different approaches to topography handling to minimize the computational effort: after initial values of the stacking parameters are determined for a smoothly curved floating datum using conventional elevation statics, the final stack and also the related residual static correction are applied to the original prestack data, considering the true source and receiver elevations without the assumption of nearly vertical rays. Finally, we extrapolate all results to a chosen planar reference level using the stacking parameters. This redatuming procedure removes the influence of the rough measurement surface and provides standardized input for interpretation, tomographic velocity model determination, and post‐stack depth migration. The methodology of the residual static correction employed and the details of its application to this data example are discussed in a separate paper in this issue. In view of the complex near‐surface conditions, the imaging workflow that is conducted, i.e. stack – residual static correction – redatuming – tomographic inversion – prestack and post‐stack depth migration, leads to a significant improvement in resolution, signal‐to‐noise ratio and reflector continuity.     

Prestack Kirchhoff time migration of 3D coal seismic data from mining zones

Conventional seismic data processing methods based on post‐stack time migration have been playing an important role in coal exploration for decades. However, post‐stack time migration processing often results in low‐quality images in complex geological environments. In order to obtain high‐quality images, we present a strategy that applies the Kirchhoff prestack time migration (PSTM) method to coal seismic data. In this paper, we describe the implementation of Kirchhoff PSTM to a 3D coal seam. Meanwhile we derive the workflow of 3D Kirchhoff PSTM processing based on coal seismic data. The processing sequence of 3D Kirchhoff PSTM includes two major steps: 1) the estimation of the 3D root‐mean‐square (RMS) velocity field; 2) Kirchhoff prestack time migration processing. During the construction of a 3D velocity model, dip moveout velocity is served as an initial migration velocity field. We combine 3D Kirchhoff PSTM with the continuous adjustment of a 3D RMS velocity field by the criteria of flattened common reflection point gathers. In comparison with post‐stack time migration, the application of 3D Kirchhoff PSTM to coal seismic data produces better images of the coal seam reflections.     

CRS-stack-based residual static correction

In the case of onshore data sets, the acquired reflection events can be strongly impaired due to rough top‐surface topography and inhomogeneities in the uppermost low‐velocity layer, the so‐called weathering layer. Without accounting for these influences, the poor data quality will make data processing very difficult. Usually, the correction for the top‐surface topography is not perfect. The residuals from this correction and the influence of the weathering layers lead to small distortions along the reflection events. We integrated a residual static correction method into our data‐driven common‐reflection‐surface‐stack‐based imaging workflow to further eliminate such distortions. The moveout‐corrected traces and the stacked pilot trace are cross‐correlated to determine a final estimate of the surface‐consistent residual statics in an iterative manner. As the handling of top‐surface topography within the common‐reflection‐surface stack is discussed in a separate paper in this special issue, the corresponding residual static correction will be explained in more detail. For this purpose, the results obtained with a data set from the Arabian Peninsula will be presented.     

The common focal point and common reflection surface methodologies: subsets or complements?

The common focal point (CFP) method and the common reflection surface (CRS) stack method are compared. The CRS method is a fast, highly automated procedure that provides high S/N ratio simulation of zero‐offset (ZO) images by combining, per image point, the reflection energy of an arc segment that is tangential to the reflector. It uses smooth parametrized two‐way stacking operators, based on a data‐driven triplet of attributes in 2D (eight parameters in 3D). As a spin‐off, the attributes can be used for several applications, such as the determination of the geometrical spreading factor, multiple prediction, and tomographic inversion into a smooth background velocity model. The CFP method aims at decomposing two‐way seismic reflection data into two full‐aperture one‐way propagation operators. By applying an iterative updating procedure in a half‐migrated domain, it provides non‐smooth focusing operators for prestack imaging using only the energy from one focal point at the reflector. The data‐driven operators inhibit all propagation effects of the overburden. The CFP method provides several spin‐offs, amongst which is the CFP matrix related to one focal point, which displays the reflection amplitudes as measured at the surface for each source–receiver pair. The CFP matrix can be used to determine the specular reflection source–receiver pairs and the Fresnel zone at the surface for reflection in one single focal point. Other spin‐offs are the prediction of internal multiples, the determination of reflectivity effects, velocity‐independent redatuming and tomographic inversion to obtain a velocity–depth model. The CFP method is less fast and less automated than the CRS method. From a pointwise comparison of features it is concluded that one method is not a subset of the other, but that both methods can be regarded as being to some extent complementary.     

An integrated method for resolving the seismic complex near-surface problem

We describe an integrated method for solving the complex near‐surface problem in land seismic imaging. This solution is based on an imaging approach and is obtained without deriving a complex near‐surface velocity model. We start by obtaining from the data the kinematics of the one‐way focusing operators (i.e. time‐reversed Green's functions) that describe propagation between the acquisition surface and a chosen datum reflector using the common‐focus‐point technology. The conventional statics solutions obtained from prior information about the near surface are integrated in the initial estimates of the focusing operators. The focusing operators are updated iteratively until the imaging principle of equal traveltime is fulfilled for each subsurface gridpoint of the datum reflector. Therefore, the seismic data is left intact without any application of time shifts, which makes this method an uncommitted statics solution. The focusing operators can be used directly for wave‐equation redatuming to the respective reflector or for prestack imaging if determined for multiple reflecting boundaries. The underlying velocity model is determined by tomographic inversion of the focusing operators while also integrating any hard prior information (e.g. well information). This velocity model can be used to perform prestack depth imaging or to calculate the depth of the new datum level. We demonstrate this approach on 2D seismic data acquired in Saudi Arabia in an area characterized by rugged topography and complex near‐surface geology.     

Seismic data interpolation using generalised velocity‐dependent seislet transform

Data interpolation is an important step for seismic data analysis because many processing tasks, such as multiple attenuation and migration, are based on regularly sampled seismic data. Failed interpolations may introduce artifacts and eventually lead to inaccurate final processing results. In this paper, we generalised seismic data interpolation as a basis pursuit problem and proposed an iteration framework for recovering missing data. The method is based on non‐linear iteration and sparse transform. A modified Bregman iteration is used for solving the constrained minimisation problem based on compressed sensing. The new iterative strategy guarantees fast convergence by using a fixed threshold value. We also propose a generalised velocity‐dependent formulation of the seislet transform as an effective sparse transform, in which the non‐hyperbolic normal moveout equation serves as a bridge between local slope patterns and moveout parametres in the common‐midpoint domain. It can also be reduced to the traditional velocity‐dependent seislet if special heterogeneity parametre is selected. The generalised velocity‐dependent seislet transform predicts prestack reflection data in offset coordinates, which provides a high compression of reflection events. The method was applied to synthetic and field data examples, and the results show that the generalised velocity‐dependent seislet transform can reconstruct missing data with the help of the modified Bregman iteration even for non‐hyperbolic reflections under complex conditions, such as vertical transverse isotropic (VTI) media or aliasing.     

双平方根方程三维叠前深度偏移

从双平方根（DSR）形式的波动方程出发，基于沉降观测概念和地震波扰动理论，介绍了深度域的DSR全偏移算子及共成像道集的生成方法. 根据三维地震数据的方位角特征，通过对全偏移算子的稳相近似，依次导出了适应于零方位角道集、Cross line共偏移距道集以及共偏移距矢量道集的偏移算子. 理论分析与合成数据的数值试验表明，DSR全偏移算子、共方位角偏移算子对介质速度变化的适应性很强，而其余两种偏移算子仅适用于缓变速情况.     

基于短算子设计的黏性介质叠前时间偏移

为了提高频域黏性介质叠前时间偏移的计算效率,本文采用加权最小平方方法设计高精度的、最优时域褶积短算子,发展了一套表驱动的时域黏性介质叠前时间偏移方法.该方法将大量的逐频率补偿运算转化为少量的时域褶积运算,并将走时,振幅表和补偿褶积短算子系数表的计算过程与补偿成像过程相剥离,提高了时域算法的计算效率;通过控制最大的补偿因...     

频率-空间域有限差分法叠前深度偏移

为了处理横向强变速介质中的深度成像问题,本文提出一种基于共炮道集的优化系数的傍轴近似方程叠前深度偏移算子,并在基于反射系数估算的成像条件下,可实现叠前深度偏移成像.该算子具有方程阶数低且能对陡倾角成像的特征,并采用有限差分法波场延拓,能适应速度场的任意变化.当在频率-空间域进行计算时,相对于纯粹的时间-空间域有限差分算法有计算效率高、成像方便的优点.脉冲响应测试和对Marmousi模型进行的叠前深度偏移结果表明,该偏移方法在强横向变速情况下具有非常好的成像效果.     

地表旋转控制照明叠前深度偏移

基于炮集数据的常规叠前深度偏移波场外推的计算量非常大,控制照明叠前深度偏移是基于快速的组合炮技术,通过在目的层上控制震源波场,高效实现对地质目标的高质量成像. 组合炮所需的合成算子,由在目的层定义的震源波场反向外推到地表建立. 本文提出一种更快速的地表旋转控制照明方法,直接在地表对震源波场进行面向目标的照明控制,实现目标区域高质量成像. 该方法只需对某一核合成算子进行简单的几何旋转建立合成算子函数,避免了复杂的波场外推. 这种新的控制照明方法与快速的一般组合炮偏移效率相同,但对复杂目标区域的成像能力显著增强. 应用本文方法对Marmousi模型进行计算,得到深层复杂构造非常理想的成像结果.     

基于单程波方程的角度域保幅偏移(英文)

传统叠前深度偏移只能够提供地下的构造信息,但工业界在需要构造信息的同时还要与地下界面反射系数成比例的振幅信息。最近几年,基于单程波方程的保幅叠前深度偏移算法有了一定的发展,但是,基于炮域、单程波的保幅型叠前深度偏移必须应用反褶积型的成像条件,这种成像条件在构造复杂、速度变化剧烈的地区会出现不稳定现象。基于角度域的保幅深度偏移克服了这一不稳定性缺点的同时,还域的保幅深度偏移,模型和实际资料的试算分析验证该思路方法的正确性和有效性。     

EFFICIENT 2D AND 3D SHOT RECORD REDATUMING1

In order to make 3D prestack depth migration feasible on modern computers it is necessary to use a target-oriented migration scheme. By limiting the output of the migration to a specific depth interval (target zone), the efficiency of the scheme is improved considerably. The first step in such a target-oriented approach is redatuming of the shot records at the surface to the upper boundary of the target zone. For this purpose, efficient non-recursive wavefield extrapolation operators should be generated. We propose a ray tracing method or the Gaussian beam method. With both methods operators can be efficiently generated for any irregular shooting geometry at the surface. As expected, the amplitude behaviour of the Gaussian beam method is better than that of the ray tracing based operators. The redatuming algorithm is performed per shot record, which makes the data handling very efficient. From the shot records at the surface‘genuine zero-offset data’are generated at the upper boundary of the target zone. Particularly in situations with a complicated overburden, the quality of target-oriented zero-offset data is much better than can be reached with a CMP stacking method at the surface. The target-oriented zero-offset data can be used as input to a full 3D zero-offset depth migration scheme, in order to obtain a depth section of the target zone.     

3D simultaneous joint PP‐PS prestack seismic inversion at Schiehallion field,United Kingdom Continental Shelf

A workflow for simultaneous joint PP‐PS prestack inversion of data from the Schiehallion field on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf is presented and discussed. The main challenge, describing reasonable PS to PP data registration before any prestack or joint PP‐PS inversion, was overcome thanks to a two‐stage process addressing the signal envelope, then working directly on the seismic data to estimate appropriate time‐variant time‐shift volumes. We evaluated the benefits of including PS along with PP prestack seismic data in a joint inversion process to improve the estimated elastic property quality and also to enable estimation of density compared with other prestack and post‐stack inversion approaches. While the estimated acoustic impedance exhibited a similar quality independent of the inversion used (PP post‐stack, PP prestack or joint PP‐PS prestack inversion) the shear impedance estimation was noticeably improved by the joint PP‐PS prestack inversion when compared to the PP prestack inversion. Finally, the density estimated from joint PP and PS prestack data demonstrated an overall good quality, even where not well‐controlled. The main outcome of this study was that despite several data‐related limitations, inverting jointly correctly processed PP and PS data sets brought extra value for reservoir delineation as opposed to PP‐only or post‐stack inversion.     

Parsimonious 3D post-stack Kirchhoff depth migration

Parsimonious post‐stack migration is extended to three dimensions. By tracing single rays back along each incident wave direction (as determined by a local slant stack at the receivers), the ray tracing can be embedded in the migration. This approach significantly reduces the computer time and disk space needed because it is not necessary to build and save image time maps; 3D migration can be performed on a workstation or personal computer rather than using a supercomputer or cluster. The location of a reflector in the output image is defined by tracing a zero‐offset ray to the one‐way traveltime (the image condition); the orientation of the reflector is defined as a surface perpendicular to the raypath. The migration impulse response operator is confined to the first Fresnel zone around the estimated reflection point, which is much smaller than the large isochronic surface in traditional Kirchhoff depth migration. Additional efficiency is obtained by applying an amplitude threshold to reduce the amount of data to be migrated. Tests on synthetic data show that the proposed implementation of parsimonious 3D post‐stack Kirchhoff depth migration is at least two orders of magnitude faster than traditional Kirchhoff migration, at the expense of slightly degraded migration image coherence. The proposed migration is expected to be a useful complement to conventional time migrations for fast initial imaging of subsurface structures and for real‐time imaging of near‐offset sections during data acquisition for quality control.     

面炮成像、控制照明与AVA道集

基于波场延拓的叠前深度偏移是实现复杂构造地质体成像的最可靠方法,但存在着计算量大、对观测系统适应性差等缺点.面炮偏移是波动方程实现精确叠前成像的另一类方法,具有较高的计算效率,不存在偏移孔径问题,而且可以通过控制照明方法,解决平面波在目标区域的能量补偿问题.本文采用面炮成像技术进行叠前深度偏移,通过对面炮震源下行波场的质量控制和优选射线个数和范围,以达到最佳的成像效果.采用控制照明技术,较大地提高了目标地层的成像精度.与此同时,得到振幅随入射角变化(AVA)道集,有利于叠前振幅解释和储层岩性预测.数据实验表明面炮成像技术是一种快速有效的方法,其成像精度与单平方根算子的共炮点道集偏移和双平方根算子的共中心点道集偏移相当,但在计算速度上要快得多,而且易于并行计算.     

Estimation and application of near‐surface full waveform redatuming operators

Land seismic data quality can be severely affected by near‐surface anomalies. The imprint of a complex near‐surface can be removed by redatuming the data to a level below the surface, from where the subsurface structures are assumed to be relatively smooth. However, to derive a velocity‐depth model that explains the propagation effects of the near‐surface is a non‐trivial task. Therefore, an alternative approach has been proposed, where the redatuming operators are obtained in a data‐driven manner from the reflection event related to the datum. In the current implementation, the estimation of these redatuming operators is done in terms of traveltimes only, based on a high‐frequency approximation. The accompanying amplitudes are usually derived from a local homogeneous medium, which is obviously a simplification of reality. Such parametrization has produced encouraging results in the past but cannot completely remove the near‐surface complexities, leaving artefacts in the redatumed results. In this paper we propose a method that estimates the redatuming operators directly from the data, i.e., without using a velocity model, in a full waveform manner, such that detailed amplitude and phase variations are included. The method directly outputs the inverse propagation operators that are needed for true‐amplitude redatuming. Based on 2D synthetic data it is demonstrated that the resulting redatuming quality is improved and artefacts are reduced.