Wavefield Separation Using Matching Operators in Multi-Component Streamers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Marine seismic surveys face contamination of seismic data with down-going wavefield energy, leading to 'ghost' effects in seismic images of subterranean formations, which existing techniques struggle to effectively separate from up-going wavefields.
Innovation Solution
The use of matching operators in the frequency-wavenumber domain to relate pressure and particle motion sensor responses, allowing for the computation of up-going wavefields and subsequent separation from down-going wavefields, thereby generating ghost-free seismic images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If both pressure and particle motion sensors are used to separate up-going and down-going wavefields, then wavefield separation capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a matching operator as an intermediary mathematical tool that connects pressure and particle motion sensor responses. This operator enables the system to leverage both sensor types for wavefield separation while managing the complexity through a unified computational framework rather than requiring completely independent processing systems.
2Measurement precision
If typical seismic data processing techniques are used to separate wavefields, then processing capability is improved, but ghost effects remain in seismic images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the wavefield separation problem into the frequency-wavenumber domain, changing the parameter space from time-domain to spectral-domain. This parameter transformation enables more effective separation of up-going and down-going wavefields by exploiting their different spectral characteristics, thereby reducing ghost effects that persist in conventional time-domain processing.
3Length of stationary object
If down-going wavefield energy is present in seismic data, then signal penetration depth is reduced, but separation techniques add processing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the processing from the one-dimensional time domain to the two-dimensional frequency-wavenumber domain. This dimensional expansion provides additional degrees of freedom for separating wavefield components, enabling deeper signal penetration by effectively removing contaminating down-going energy while the added dimension manages the complexity through structured mathematical relationships.
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 method effectively separates up-going and down-going wavefields, resulting in higher resolution and deeper signal penetration into subterranean formations, improving the accuracy of seismic imaging.
Implementation Method 1
The streamers may be equipped with a number of co-located, pressure and particle motion sensors that detect pressure and particle motion wavefields, respectively, associated with the acoustic signals reflected back into the water from the subterranean formation.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure is directed to systems and methods of wavefield separation based on matching operators that represents the relationship between co-located pressure and particle motions sensors. A pressure wavefield and a particle motion wavefield emitted from a subterranean formation are measured using co-located pressure and particle motion sensors located along one or more streamers of a seismic data acquisition system. A matching operator that relates pressure sensor and particle motion sensor responses for co-located pressure and particle motion sensors is computed based on depth of the co-located pressure and particle motion sensors and on the measured pressure and particle motion wavefields. The matching operator and the measured pressure and particle motion wavefields may then be used to compute up-going and down-going wavefields.