Seismic Data Interpolation and Deghosting in Rough Sea Conditions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Seismic data acquisition in rough seas leads to interpretation errors due to sea perturbations, which existing technologies fail to adequately account for, resulting in inaccurate hydrocarbon deposit location identification.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that process seismic data from multiple depths, using pressure and particle motion measurements to determine crossline particle motion measurements, transforming rough sea data into equivalent flat sea data by applying one-way redatuming and filtering operators, effectively removing sea perturbations and allowing for interpolation and deghosting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If seismic data is acquired in rough seas, then data collection can proceed in marine environments, but interpretation errors occur due to sea perturbations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the rough sea perturbations themselves as a means to identify and remove their effects. By measuring the actual sea surface variations during acquisition and using these measurements to model and eliminate the perturbations from the seismic data, the harmful effect is converted into a correctable artifact, enabling reliable interpretation even after rough sea acquisition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate processing step that acts as a mediator between rough sea acquisition and final interpretation. This intermediate processing involves measuring sea surface variations, modeling their effect on the seismic data, and applying correction operators to remove the perturbations, thereby enabling accurate interpretation without requiring calm sea conditions
2Ease of manufacture
If existing technologies are used to process rough sea data, then processing can be performed, but sea perturbations are not adequately accounted for
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary measurements of sea surface variations during the data acquisition process itself. By capturing the actual sea state at the time of acquisition and using these measurements to build correction models before final processing, the system adequately accounts for perturbations without requiring complex post-acquisition sea state reconstruction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the seismic data from rough sea conditions into an equivalent flat sea dataset by applying parameter changes through filtering operators and redatuming operations. This changes the data representation from one containing sea perturbation effects to one that is mathematically equivalent to having been acquired in calm conditions, thereby achieving precise perturbation correction
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for processing seismic data acquired in a seismic survey conducted in the presence of a rough sea includes receiving a first dataset that is derived from data acquired by a first set of seismic sensors generally towed at a first depth in the seismic survey and receiving a second dataset that is derived from data acquired by a second set of seismic sensors generally towed at a second depth that is different than the first depth in the seismic survey. The first dataset is indicative of at least pressure measurements, and the second dataset is indicative of at least crossline particle motion measurements. The technique includes determining crossline particle motion measurements in the presence of a relatively flat sea surface based at least in part on the crossline measurements that are indicated by the second dataset and the pressure measurements that are indicated by the first dataset.