Marine Seismic Deghosting via Sparse Inversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current deghosting methods for marine seismic data are limited in bandwidth due to source- and receiver-ghost effects, requiring novel acquisition schemes and failing to efficiently remove both types of ghosts in a single processing step, especially when applied to conventional fixed-depth hydrophone data.
Innovation Solution
A deghosting algorithm using sparse-inversion techniques that transforms input seismic data into source- and receiver-deghosted data through a minimization scheme involving ghost functions and preconditioning, allowing for simultaneous attenuation of both source- and receiver-ghosts without requiring novel acquisition schemes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional fixed-depth hydrophone data is used, then acquisition cost is reduced and existing data can be processed, but ghost signals from source and receiver cannot be effectively removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a deghosting algorithm as an intermediary processing step that operates on conventional fixed-depth hydrophone data. The algorithm uses ghost functions G(s)(ω) and G(r)(ω) to model and remove source and receiver ghost effects, transforming the degraded data into ghost-free data without requiring new acquisition equipment or methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/physical acquisition solutions (such as variable-depth streamers or multi-depth source arrays) with a computational approach. The deghosting algorithm substitutes complex hardware configurations with mathematical operations including sparse inversion and minimization schemes to achieve ghost removal.
2Measurement precision
If multiple streamers at different depths or variable-depth streamers are deployed, then receiver-ghost effects can be reduced, but device complexity and acquisition cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the ghost signal components from the recorded seismic data using a deghosting algorithm. By modeling the ghost effects with ghost functions and using sparse inversion techniques, the algorithm separates and removes ghost contributions, leaving only the primary seismic signals without requiring complex acquisition configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter domain from physical acquisition geometry (multiple depths, variable streamer positions) to computational parameters (ghost functions, regularization parameters, minimization objectives). This allows ghost removal through parameter optimization rather than physical configuration changes.
3Measurement precision
If source arrays are positioned at multiple depths, then source-ghost effects can be mitigated, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces source ghost functions G(s)(ω) as intermediary mathematical models that represent the source-ghost effect. These functions serve as mediators between the recorded data and the ghost-free data, enabling source-ghost removal through computational processing rather than complex source positioning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical source positioning systems (multi-depth source arrays) with a computational substitution approach. The deghosting algorithm substitutes physical source configuration changes with mathematical operations that model and remove source-ghost effects from conventional single-depth source data.
4Device complexity
If deghosting is performed in separate processing steps for source and receiver, then processing simplicity is maintained, but processing efficiency and accuracy decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges source deghosting and receiver deghosting into a single integrated processing step. The minimization scheme simultaneously optimizes both source ghost functions G(s)(ω) and receiver ghost functions G(r)(ω), achieving both deghosting objectives in one unified operation rather than sequential separate steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal deghosting algorithm that handles both source and receiver ghost effects through a single multi-functional processing framework. The algorithm serves multiple purposes simultaneously: removing source ghosts, removing receiver ghosts, and recovering the true seismic signal, all within one processing pass.
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for deghosting seismic data acquired by a marine seismic source and receiver assembly effects of seismic reflections by the water surface, known as ghost signals, are removed by a deghosting algorithm, which transforms input seismic data with the surface ghost reflections into source- and receiver-deghosted seismic data using a sparse-inversion technique both for hydrophone and/or geophone recordings, which technique includes equation (26), thereby considerably improving usuable bandwidth and giving rise to a significant imaging uplift.