Method for determining seismic velocities
US5978314A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 21, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 2, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 21, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01V1/303
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method for determining a substantially optimal NMO velocity function for use in stacking a CMP gather of seismic data traces. The method begins with an initial estimate of the NMO velocity function for the CMP gather. This initial estimate is typically determined through conventional seismic velocity analysis. The method then picks a first velocity-traveltime pair falling on the initial estimate of the NMO velocity function and conducts a two-dimensional interpolative search of trial velocity-traveltime pairs in the neighborhood of the pick to find a substantially optimal velocity-traveltime pair. This substantially optimal velocity-traveltime pair is the trial velocity-traveltime pair having the highest stack response and is substituted for the pick in the NMO velocity function. The method then proceeds to find substantially optimal velocity-traveltime pairs to replace each of the other picks on the initial estimate of the NMO velocity function. Preferably, the two-dimensional interpolative search consists of a one-dimensional parabolic interpolative search to identify the optimal velocity for each computational time within a specified time window, followed by a one-dimensional …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.