Continuous Seismic Acquisition via Frequency Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seismic data acquisition methods are time-consuming and costly due to the need for listen time between sweeps, which limits the efficiency of seismic surveys and increases operational costs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a frequency filtering method to create a pseudo listen time by attenuating low-frequency surface waves from continuous seismic data records, allowing for continuous seismic acquisition without the need for actual listen time between sweeps, using a phase-encoded seismic survey with multiple source points and frequency sweep sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If listen time is provided between sweeps, then data quality is maintained, but survey time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the listen time interval between sweeps, allowing continuous acquisition. Frequency filtering is applied to extract only the relevant frequency components from the continuous data, effectively taking out the harmful low-frequency surface waves while maintaining the useful seismic signals for data quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the frequency parameter of the seismic signals by applying frequency filtering. This transforms the continuous seismic data into pseudo listen time by selectively attenuating low-frequency surface waves and preserving higher-frequency useful signals, thereby maintaining data quality without requiring actual listen time
2Reliability
If listen time is provided between sweeps, then next source contamination is reduced, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of continuous source activation into a benefit by using frequency filtering to create pseudo listen time. The continuous acquisition generates data that, when filtered, effectively separates useful signals from contamination, turning the potential harm of no listen time into a beneficial continuous data stream
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical time-based solution (actual listen time intervals) with a frequency-based filtering system. Instead of waiting physically for surface waves to dissipate, the system uses frequency domain processing to mathematically remove contamination, substituting temporal separation with spectral separation
3Productivity
If frequency filtering is applied to create pseudo listen time, then survey efficiency increases, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies frequency filtering as a preliminary processing step immediately after continuous data acquisition. By performing the frequency-based pseudo listen time creation early in the processing workflow, the method simplifies subsequent processing steps and maintains overall system efficiency despite the added filtering operation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces next source activation contamination in seismic records, enabling faster and more cost-effective data acquisition while maintaining the quality of seismic data for subsurface geological analysis.
Implementation Method 1
a frequency filtering method to create a pseudo listen time by attenuating low-frequency surface waves from continuous seismic data records
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a seismic acquisition process where multiple seismic sources are used to acquire seismic energy using encoding so that all of the sources may deliver seismic energy at the same time where the sweeps are arranged to be back to back with no listen time and wherein a pseudo listen time that is uncontaminated is created in the composite data record. After the listen time is created, the composite data may be source separated for further processing and analysis.