VSP地震干涉成像及应用研究

受井中检波器串级数局限,垂直地震剖面（VSP）反射波成像范围窄,且不能对井中最浅接收点上方区域有效成像.虽然多次波成像能扩大成像范围,但在实际应用中尚有诸多困难和挑战.本文根据Wapenaar的地震干涉理论,基于上下行波场分离技术,研发了VSP地震干涉成像方法.该方法将VSP自由表面多次波重建为在地表震源位置激发（虚震源）接收的拟地面地震反射波,然后偏移成像,以达到对多次波间接成像的目的.通过数值模型实验,测试了VSP干涉成像的极限分辨率,并讨论了主要采集参数的影响,结果表明：该方法的垂向和水平极限分辨率分别达约10 m和20 m,且能分辨深度达6500 m处的50 m×100 m溶洞;采用12至24道井中检波器串采集的VSP资料,其干涉成像结果显著优于VSP反射波成像,与相应的地面地震成像效果相当.将本文方法应用于新疆地区采集的VSP资料,结果表明：与VSP反射波成像相比,成像同相轴更加连续,成像范围显著扩大;与地面地震成像相比,成像结果相当,尤其在浅中部甚至更好.新方法不仅无需进行井中接收点静校正,且能显著增大成像范围,有利于成像同相轴的追踪对比、地震属性提取和地质解释,尤其对中国新疆地区深部缝洞型储层的成像,具有广泛的实际应用前景.

     

基于虚源估计的复杂上覆地层下地震相干成像

在上覆地层比较复杂的情况下,常规地震勘探方法常常难以得到好的成像.本文研究了基于地震相干避开复杂上覆地层对地震波的影响,利用VSP数据估计地震虚源直接对目的地层进行成像的方法.在地震相干成像过程中,震源子波对分辨率有比较大的影响,尤其是存在薄层的条件下,两个非常近的反射同相轴将无法辨认.利用估计出虚源地震子波的性质,对该子波进行整形压制其旁瓣,从而提高成像的分辨率.针对典型模型的数值试验结果表明,对于复杂上覆地层情形,通过从VSP数据估计的虚源数据能够较好的对目的地层进行成像.     

Walkaway VSP数据的联合相干成像(英文)

本文将相干成像用于WVSP数据的一次反射波和下行地表多次波的成像中,通过对叠加次数分布的分析,发现一次反射波相干成像的成像范围小但在井位置处的叠加次数高;下行地表多次波相干成像的成像范围大而在井位置处的叠加次数少。基于此,本文尝试利用一种WVSP的联合相干成像方法来解决这一问题。该方法利用WVSP的直达波与下行地表多次波和直达波与一次反射波来进行联合相干成像。这种联合相干成像方法在有效拓宽成像面积的同时增加了覆盖次数(特别是在井旁),使干涉记录中的虚假同相轴得到了有效地压制,提高了成像剖面的信噪比,使成像结果更加可靠。正演模拟得到的WVSP合成记录和野外实际采集到的WVSP数据处理结果均表明这种方法的有效性。     

Joint interferometric imaging of walkaway VSP data

In this paper, we image the subsurface reflectors by interferometric imaging using primary and downgoing first-order free-surface related multiple reflections in walkaway VSP data. By analyzing the stack fold distribution, we find that primary-direct interferometric imaging has a smaller image range, but its stack fold is higher near the well while ghost-direct interferometric imaging is the opposite. We try to solve this problem by the joint interferometric imaging of walkaway VSP data, combining primary-direct interferometric imaging with ghost-direct interferometric imaging. In this way, we can effectively widen the imaging range, simultaneously increase the fold (especially near the well), suppress spurious interference, and improve the image SNR, so that we can get a more credible image. Test results on synthetic walkaway VSP data and field data show that joint interferometric imaging is very effective.     

地震相干偏移与数据自参照偏移的关系

地震相干偏移和数据自参照偏移是最近几年发展起来的地震成像新方法,并且已在地震勘探研究领域开始应用.该方法在VSP（垂直地震剖面）中的应用尤其值得关注,因为它部分地解决了一些在地面反射地震方法中难以解决的问题.地震相干偏移是用地震数据的互相关处理后的数据进行偏移,而数据自参照偏移则不必在偏移前对数据进行互相关处理,而是通过记录数据中的两个不同部分波场的延拓来互相参照进行偏移.二者的优点都是在偏移运算中可以不考虑原始震源位置、激发时间以及地震波初始传播路径.本文从偏移成像的理论出发分析了这两类算法,发现二者在成像原理上是一致的.本文还通过一个二维VSP多次波偏移的数值模拟实验,比较和归纳了这两类算法在实际应用中的特点.     

Poststack diffraction imaging using reverse‐time migration

We propose a method for imaging small‐scale diffraction objects in complex environments in which Kirchhoff‐based approaches may fail. The proposed method is based on a separation between the specular reflection and diffraction components of the total wavefield in the migrated surface angle domain. Reverse‐time migration was utilized to produce the common image gathers. This approach provides stable and robust results in cases of complex velocity models. The separation is based on the fact that, in surface angle common image gathers, reflection events are focused at positions that correspond to the apparent dip angle of the reflectors, whereas diffracted events are distributed over a wide range of angles. The high‐resolution radon‐based procedure is used to efficiently separate the reflection and diffraction wavefields. In this study, we consider poststack diffraction imaging. The advantages of working in the poststack domain are its numerical efficiency and the reduced computational time. The numerical results show that the proposed method is able to image diffraction objects in complex environments. The application of the method to a real seismic dataset illustrates the capability of the approach to extract diffractions.     

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.     

Diffraction imaging by prestack reverse‐time migration in the dip‐angle domain

Prestack image volumes may be decomposed into specular and non‐specular parts by filters defined in the dip‐angle domain. For space‐shift extended image volumes, the dip‐angle decomposition is derived via local Radon transform in depth and midpoint coordinates, followed by an averaging over space‐shifts. We propose to employ prestack space‐shift extended reverse‐time migration and dip‐angle decomposition for imaging small‐scale structural elements, considered as seismic diffractors, in models with arbitrary complexity. A suitable design of a specularity filter in the dip‐angle domain rejects the dominant reflectors and enhances diffractors and other non‐specular image content. The filter exploits a clear discrimination in dip between specular reflections and diffractions. The former are stationary at the specular dip, whereas the latter are non‐stationary without a preferred dip direction. While the filtered image volume features other than the diffractor images (for example, noise and truncation artefacts are also present), synthetic and field data examples suggest that diffractors tend to dominate and are readily recognisable. Averaging over space‐shifts in the filter construction makes the reflectors? rejection robust against migration velocity errors. Another consequence of the space‐shift extension and its angle‐domain transforms is the possibility of exploring the image in a multiple set of common‐image gathers. The filtered diffractions may be analysed simultaneously in space‐shift, scattering‐angle, and dip‐angle image gathers by means of a single migration job. The deliverables of our method obviously enrich the processed material on the interpreter's desk. We expect them to further supplement our understanding of the Earth's interior.     

基于低频信息补偿的数据驱动Marchenko成像

基于常规地震干涉法和地震超越干涉法,提出了SI和BSI的结合方法SIBSI,即在SI被动源低频信息提取的基础上,重构主动源BSI地震数据,并利用BSI进行格林函数重构和面向目标的Marchenko成像.研究了基于频率优势的主动源低频重构方法,在完整保留了主动源信号高频信息的基础上,有效重构了低频信息,拓宽了地震数据的频带范围.讨论了含有自由表面多次波的地震数据在Marchenko成像中应用的方法.设计了一个含有高阻抗地层的模型,在该模型上使用SI低频信息重构BSI主动源地震数据,最后与纯主动源地震数据的格林函数重构和Marchenko成像进行了对比,证明了本文所提出方法的有效性、抗噪性以及在提高成像效果中的优势.

     

Imaging pre‐existing natural fractures using microseismic data

In hydraulic fracturing treatments, locating not only hydraulic fractures but also any pre‐existing natural fractures and faults in a subsurface reservoir is very important. Hydraulic fractures can be tracked by locating microseismic events, but to identify the locations of natural fractures, an additional technique is required. In this paper, we present a method to image pre‐existing fractures and faults near a borehole with virtual reverse vertical seismic profiling data or virtual single‐well profiling data (limited to seismic reflection data) created from microseismic monitoring using seismic interferometry. The virtual source data contain reflections from natural fractures and faults, and these features can be imaged by applying migration to the virtual source data. However, the imaging zone of fractures in the proposed method is strongly dependent on the geographic extent of the microseismic events and the location and direction of the fracture. To verify our method, we produced virtual reverse vertical seismic profiling and single‐well profiling data from synthetic microseismic data and compared them with data from real sources in the same relative position as the virtual sources. The results show that the reflection travel times from the fractures in the virtual source data agree well with travel times in the real‐source data. By applying pre‐stack depth migration to the virtual source data, images of the natural fractures were obtained with accurate locations. However, the migrated section of the single‐well profiling data with both real and virtual sources contained spurious fracture images on the opposite side of the borehole. In the case of virtual single‐well profiling data, we could produce correct migration images of fractures by adopting directional redatuming for which the occurrence region of microseismic events is divided into several subdivisions, and fractures located only on the opposite side of the borehole are imaged for each subdivision.     

Effects of aperture on Marchenko focussing functions and their radiation behaviour at depth

A focussing function is a specially constructed field that focusses on to a purely downgoing pulse at a specified subsurface position upon injection into the medium. Such focussing functions are key ingredients in the Marchenko method and in its applications such as retrieving Green's functions, redatuming, imaging with multiples and synthesizing the response of virtual sources/receiver arrays at depth. In this study, we show how the focussing function and its corresponding focussed response at a specified subsurface position are heavily influenced by the aperture of the source/receiver array at the surface. We describe such effects by considering focussing functions in the context of time-domain imaging, offering explicit connections between time processing and Marchenko focussing. In particular, we show that the focussed response radiates in the direction perpendicular to the line drawn from the centre of the surface data array aperture to the focussed position in the time-imaging domain, that is, in time-migration coordinates. The corresponding direction in the Cartesian domain follows from the sum (superposition) of the time-domain direction and the directional change due to time-to-depth conversion. Therefore, the result from this study provides a better understanding of focussing functions and has implications in applications such as the construction of amplitude-preserving redatuming and imaging, where the directional dependence of the focussed response plays a key role in controlling amplitude distortions.     

Seismic interferometry by tangent‐phase correction

We present a modified interferometry method based on local tangent‐phase analysis, which corrects the cross‐correlated data before summation. The approach makes it possible to synthesize virtual signals usually vanishing in the conventional seismic interferometry summation. For a given pair of receivers and a set of different source positions, a plurality of virtual traces is obtained at new stationary projected points located along the signal wavefronts passing through the real reference receiver. The position of the projected points is estimated by minimizing travel times using wavefront constraint and correlation‐signal tangent information. The method uses mixed processing, which is partially based on velocity‐model knowledge and on data‐based blind interferometry. The approach can be used for selected events, including reflections with different stationary conditions and projected points with respect to those of the direct arrivals, to extend the interferometry representation in seismic exploration data where conventional illumination coverage is not sufficient to obtain the stationary‐phase condition. We discuss possible applications in crosswell geometry with a velocity anomaly and a time lapse.     

Seismic time‐lapse imaging using interferometric least‐squares migration: Case study

Seismic time‐lapse surveys are susceptible to repeatability errors due to varying environmental conditions. To mitigate this problem, we propose the use of interferometric least‐squares migration to estimate the migration images for the baseline and monitor surveys. Here, a known reflector is used as the reference reflector for interferometric least‐squares migration, and the data are approximately redatumed to this reference reflector before imaging. This virtual redatuming mitigates the repeatability errors in the time‐lapse migration image. Results with synthetic and field data show that interferometric least‐squares migration can sometimes reduce or eliminate artifacts caused by non‐repeatability in time‐lapse surveys and provide a high‐resolution estimate of the time‐lapse change in the reservoir.     

Seismic interferometry experiment in a shallow cased borehole using a seismic vibrator source‡

We present the results of a seismic interferometry experiment in a shallow cased borehole. The experiment is an initial study for subsequent borehole seismic surveys in an instrumented well site, where we plan to test other surface/borehole seismic techniques. The purpose of this application is to improve the knowledge of the reflectivity sequence and to verify the potential of the seismic interferometry approach to retrieve high‐frequency signals in the single well geometry, overcoming the loss and attenuation effects introduced by the overburden. We used a walkaway vertical seismic profile (VSP) geometry with a seismic vibrator to generate polarized vertical and horizontal components along a surface seismic line and an array of 3C geophones cemented outside the casing. The recorded traces are processed to obtain virtual sources in the borehole and to simulate single‐well gathers with a variable source‐receiver offset in the vertical array. We compare the results obtained by processing the field data with synthetic signals calculated by numerical simulation and analyse the signal bandwidth and amplitude versus offset to evaluate near‐field effects in the virtual signals. The application provides direct and reflected signals with improved bandwidth after vibrator signal deconvolution. Clear reflections are detected in the virtual seismic sections in agreement with the geology and other surface and borehole seismic data recorded with conventional seismic exploration techniques.     

高铁地震数据干涉成像技术初探

高铁运行会引起铁轨的震动,从而产生地震波向地下介质中传播,通过研究该地震波可对高铁沿线的地质情况进行持续监测.与常规地震勘探中的震源相比,高铁地震中的震源较为复杂,为移动震源,而地震干涉技术可以通过地震记录间的相互干涉,消除震源的影响,因此可利用地震干涉技术对高铁地震信号进行处理并成像.本文通过分析研究,总结出地震干涉方法在处理高铁地震数据时的关键技术问题：不同于常规地震干涉中先干涉后叠加的干涉成像方式,高铁地震移动源的特点使得干涉顺序变为先叠加后干涉,由此带入了大量震源串扰噪声;初步提出两种解决高铁地震干涉成像的思路：通过对高铁地震信号的处理,使高铁变相"提速"或"降速",给出了"提速"或"降速"后各自的成像思路,并给出了数据处理的技术设想.     

Review paper: Virtual sources and their responses,Part II: data‐driven single‐sided focusing

In Part I of this paper, we defined a focusing wave field as the time reversal of an observed point‐source response. We showed that emitting a time‐reversed field from a closed boundary yields a focal spot that acts as an isotropic virtual source. However, when emitting the field from an open boundary, the virtual source is highly directional and significant artefacts occur related to multiple scattering. The aim of this paper is to discuss a focusing wave field, which, when emitted into the medium from an open boundary, yields an isotropic virtual source and does not give rise to artefacts. We start the discussion from a horizontally layered medium and introduce the single‐sided focusing wave field in an intuitive way as an inverse filter. Next, we discuss single‐sided focusing in two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional inhomogeneous media and support the discussion with mathematical derivations. The focusing functions needed for single‐sided focusing can be retrieved from the single‐sided reflection response and an estimate of the direct arrivals between the focal point and the accessible boundary. The focal spot, obtained with this single‐sided data‐driven focusing method, acts as an isotropic virtual source, similar to that obtained by emitting a time‐reversed point‐source response from a closed boundary.     

高速列车移动震源地震记录

地球上的环境噪声作为被动震源已被用于地球内部结构研究,在地球科学与工程方面取得了良好的应用效果.随着人类活动频繁加剧,由移动交通工具产生的交通噪声,已经成为一种特别需要关注的环境噪声被动震源.高速运行列车产生的交通噪声,相比其他交通噪声能量强,连续稳定,并且具有可重复性,特别是近十几年来,中国高速铁路发展迅速,形成了覆盖中国大陆的高速铁路网络,为大范围、长期观测高速列车产生的交通噪声并研究其应用提供了基础.我们利用地震勘探检波器,分别采集高速列车运行产生的地震记录以及相同位置无高速列车运行的环境噪声,对地震记录信号以及环境噪声进行了频谱分析以及地震波干涉等处理.频谱分析结果显示,高速列车运行产生的地震信号能量约是环境噪声能量的10³倍,而地震信号频率成分与高速列车运行速度相关.我们分别对高速列车运行产生的地震信号与环境噪声进行了地震波干涉处理,重建出地震初至波以及续至波信息,经过初步分析,重建的初至波地震波场揭示了地表地震波传播特征,而续至波波场十分复杂.高速列车作为一种移动被动震源产生的地震记录具有应用潜力.     

Feasibility of borehole ambient noise interferometry for permanent reservoir monitoring

The analysis of seismic ambient noise acquired during temporary or permanent microseismic monitoring campaigns (e.g., improved/enhanced oil recovery monitoring, surveillance of induced seismicity) is potentially well suited for time‐lapse studies based on seismic interferometry. No additional data acquisition required, ambient noise processing can be automatized to a high degree, and seismic interferometry is very sensitive to small medium changes. Thus there is an opportunity for detection and monitoring of velocity variations in a reservoir at negligible additional cost and effort. Data and results are presented from an ambient noise interferometry study applied to two wells in a producing oil field in Romania. Borehole microseismic monitoring on three component geophones was performed for four weeks, concurrent with a water‐flooding phase for improved oil recovery from a reservoir in ca. 1 km depth. Both low‐frequency (2 Hz–50 Hz) P‐ and S‐waves propagating through the vertical borehole arrays were reconstructed from ambient noise by the virtual source method. The obtained interferograms clearly indicate an origin of the ambient seismic energy from above the arrays, thus suggesting surface activities as sources. It is shown that ambient noise from time periods as short as 30 seconds is sufficient to obtain robust interferograms. Sonic log data confirm that the vertical and horizontal components comprise first arrivals of P‐wave and S‐waves, respectively. The consistency and high quality of the interferograms throughout the entire observation period further indicate that the high‐frequency part (up to 100 Hz) represents the scattered wave field. The temporal variation of apparent velocities based on first‐arrival times partly correlates with the water injection rate and occurrence of microseismic events. It is concluded that borehole ambient noise interferometry in production settings is a potentially useful method for permanent reservoir monitoring due to its high sensitivity and robustness.     

Advanced three-dimensional seismic imaging of deep supercritical geothermal rocks in Southern Tuscany

The seismic K-Horizon is the key to gaining understanding on the deep supercritical geothermal rocks in Southern Tuscany. The K-Horizon is hosted in metamorphic rocks, which cause strong seismic wavefield scattering resulting in a poor signal-to-noise ratio. Our study aims to reveal high-resolution seismic images of the K-Horizon below a geothermal field in Southern Tuscany, using an advanced three-dimensional seismic depth imaging approach. The key seismic pre-processing steps in the time domain include muting a large amount of persistent noise based on the statistical analysis of the seismic amplitudes, and tomostatics technique to correct for static effects. We carried out seismic depth imaging using Kirchhoff Pre-Stack Depth Migration and Fresnel Volume Migration techniques. Each migration technique was tested with constant and heterogeneous three-dimensional velocity models. Due to the difficulties in determining emergent angles for this low signal-to-noise ratio data set, the migration results with the heterogeneous three-dimensional velocity model show less coherent reflections compared to the migration results using the constant velocity model. Both velocity models however lead to relatively the same structure and depth of the K-Horizon, indicating the similarity of the average velocities along the wave propagation paths in both velocity models. With both velocity models Fresnel Volume Migration yields the K-Horizon with better reflection coherency and higher signal-to-noise ratio than standard Kirchhoff Pre-Stack Depth Migration. Nevertheless, both migration techniques have been able to reveal the K-Horizon with relatively high resolution and provide a reliable basis for geothermal rock characterization as well as steering of the first geothermal well penetrating the K-Horizon.     

Angle-domain imaging of relative impedance perturbation

Impedance is a physical parameter that plays an important role in seismic data processing and interpretation. A relative impedance perturbation (the ratio of the impedance perturbation and the impedance for the background models) imaging method in depth domain based on the reflection wave equation is proposed. Under the small perturbation assumption, primary wave and high-frequency approximation condition, a linear propagation equation of the primary reflection waves based on the relative impedance perturbation was first derived. On this basis, we further derived the imaging formula of the relative impedance perturbation using a linear inversion theory. Then, the source–receiver bidirectional illumination compensation was used to improve the image quality of the subsurface structures. The image result obtained by this method can be used to estimate the relative impedance perturbation. In the angle domain, the extracted near-angle-domain image gather with amplitude compensation can estimate the relative impedance perturbation, and the far-angle image gather provides the estimation of the relative velocity perturbation (the ratio of the velocity perturbation and the background velocity). Finally, several numerical tests demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.