Seismic imaging with natural Green's functions derived from VSP data
US7952960B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 3, 2007 |
| Grant date | May 31, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 4, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01V2210/51
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The methods described herein are conceptually similar to classical migration/imaging for surface seismic data. However, instead of using computed (estimated) Green's functions in the imaging process, the instant invention utilizes measured (near-exact) Green's functions from VSP data to image the surface seismic data. Although the instant invention is best utilized where the velocity profile is approximately 1D (i.e., v(z)), the methods disclosed herein can also be extended to instances where there are some lateral velocity variations. Under these conditions, the instant invention allows for imaging surface seismic data and ‘self-imaging’ VSP data without first having to estimate a velocity model. The measurements obtained from the VSP data can also be used as a tool for calibrating computed Green's functions and migration operators.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.