Seismic Data Filter for Aliasing Attenuation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional techniques are insufficient for attenuating aliasing in seismic data caused by detector spacing, particularly in the common shot domain with large offset data, leading to artifacts in geologic volume images.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that determines and applies a filter to seismic data to reduce or eliminate aliasing effects by modeling seismic energy as beams and using the midpoint dip and detector spacing to define the filter, thereby reducing artifacts in imaging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If detector spacing is used in seismic acquisition, then data acquisition is enabled, but aliasing occurs in the seismic data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata acquisitionVSAvoidaliasing
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the frequency content of the seismic data through filtering. Specifically, it changes the frequency parameters by removing high-frequency components that cause aliasing while preserving the useful signal information, thereby resolving the contradiction between data acquisition and measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary approach by using a filtering operation as a mediator between the raw seismic data and the final processed data. This filter acts as an intermediary that processes the aliased data to eliminate unwanted frequency components, enabling accurate measurement despite the detector spacing limitations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If conventional techniques are used to attenuate aliasing, then some aliasing reduction is achieved, but sufficient attenuation is not achieved in the common shot domain with large offset data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealiasing attenuationVSAvoidaliasing attenuation effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by implementing a filter that targets specific local characteristics of the aliased signal. The filter is designed to selectively attenuate high-frequency components that are locally present in the aliased data while preserving the broader signal characteristics, thereby achieving sufficient attenuation effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamics by making the filtering process adaptive to the specific characteristics of the seismic data. The filter parameters are adjusted based on the data characteristics, allowing the system to dynamically optimize the aliasing attenuation for different datasets and conditions, thereby improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If aliasing is present in seismic data, then imaging artifacts are introduced, but removing aliasing requires filtering that may affect data quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimaging artifactsVSAvoiddata quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the blessing in disguise principle by converting the harmful aliasing effect into a beneficial filtering opportunity. Instead of simply removing aliasing, the patent uses the aliasing pattern itself as a guide to design a filter that selectively removes only the harmful high-frequency components while preserving the useful signal, thereby converting the harmful aliasing into a beneficial filtering criterion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses parameter changes to differentiate between harmful and useful frequency content. By adjusting the filter parameters to target specific frequency ranges associated with aliasing, the system can change the spectral parameters of the data to remove artifacts while maintaining data quality, resolving the contradiction between artifact removal and data preservation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2539741B1System and method for attenuating aliasing in seismic data caused by acquisition geometry
Publication Date: 2019.01.16 CHEVRON USA INC
  • EP2539741B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2539741B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2539741B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Seismic data representing the propagation of seismic energy through a geologic volume of interest is processed. The seismic energy propagates through the geologic volume of interest from one or more source locations at or near the geologic volume of interest to one or more detector locations at or near the geologic volume of interest. In processing the seismic data, the seismic energy is modeled as beams (e.g., Gaussian beams). The processing includes determining a filter for the seismic data that attenuates aliasing which may be present in the seismic data due to spacing between detector locations.