Seismic Data Quality Assessment via Spatial Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seismic data quality assessment methods fail to account for spatial variability within a seismic survey, providing only a single quality value and not differentiating between locations, which affects the reliability of oil and gas exploration and reservoir management decisions.
Innovation Solution
A method that acquires pre-stack seismic data and compares predicted geophysically constrained attributes to related attributes to generate data quality measurements for each location within a seismic survey, allowing for the identification of high and low-quality areas and incorporating these measurements into geostatistical models.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single global correlation coefficient is used to assess seismic data quality, then the assessment process is simple, but the spatial variability of data quality within the survey is ignored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the seismic survey into multiple discrete locations and calculates a separate correlation coefficient for each location. This segmentation allows the system to capture spatial variability in data quality while maintaining a systematic approach to assessment. Each location's quality is evaluated independently using local well data and seismic data pairs, then the results are integrated into a comprehensive quality map.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements location-specific quality assessment by calculating correlation coefficients individually for each survey location rather than using a single global value. This allows different regions of the survey to have different quality ratings based on their local characteristics, such as varying signal-to-noise ratios, acquisition conditions, and subsurface complexity at each specific location.
2Productivity
If seismic data quality is assessed without considering spatial variability, then the processing is faster, but the reliability of exploration decisions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs quality assessment calculations for all survey locations in advance, before final exploration decisions are made. By pre-calculating correlation coefficients and generating a quality map, the system prepares reliable quality information that can be quickly referenced during decision-making, thus maintaining both processing efficiency and decision reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates quality assessment results into the exploration workflow by generating a quality map that provides feedback on data reliability at each location. This feedback mechanism allows geoscientists to adjust their interpretation and decision-making processes based on the calculated quality metrics, improving the overall reliability of exploration decisions while maintaining efficient processing through automated calculations.
3Measurement precision
If location-specific data quality measurements are generated, then the reliability of quality assessment is improved, but the complexity of the assessment process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an automated system that performs location-specific quality assessments without requiring manual intervention at each survey location. The system automatically retrieves well data and seismic data pairs for each location, calculates the correlation coefficients, and generates the quality map. This self-service approach maintains high measurement precision while reducing the operational complexity burden on users.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the assessment from a single global parameter (one correlation coefficient for the entire survey) to multiple location-specific parameters (correlation coefficients for each survey location). This parameter transformation enables more precise quality measurement while the automated calculation process manages the increased complexity by systematically processing each location's data through standardized algorithms.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention determines seismic data quality for a plurality of locations within a seismic survey for a geologic or geophysical region of interest. The present invention additionally includes generating correlation coefficients which relate to the seismic data quality so that the seismic data quality can be incorporated into geostatistical analyses associated with decisions that are based in part on the seismic survey.