Patent · US Expired

Seismic velocity estimation method

US5258960A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
2References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 27, 1992
Grant dateNov 2, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 27, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01V2210/52
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for detecting errors in estimated seismic velocities used in a normal moveout correction of a gather of traces selected from conventional, common midpoint seismic data. Zero offset reflectivity and amplitude versus offset slope traces are derived from the NMO corrected gather. Analytic traces are calculated for the zero offset reflectivity and amplitude versus offset slope traces. The analytic zero offset reflectivity trace is multiplied by the complex conjugate of the analytic slope trace and the imaginary part of the product indicates estimated velocity errors. The velocity error indicator is used to correct the velocity estimates so that the normal moveout process may be reperformed without the errors caused by incorrect velocity estimates. Alternatively, the velocity error indicator itself is plotted on a seismic section as an indicator of characteristics of subsurface earth formations.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.