Wide Tow Marine Seismic Cable Interpolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional marine seismic surveys are limited by the maximum cable spacing of 50-100 meters, which restricts the spread of the seismic array, increases the number of vessel passes, and limits the angle of incidence for acoustic waves, leading to higher costs and technological constraints.
Innovation Solution
A wide tow array with streamers spaced farther apart than conventional limits, using multicomponent seismic data and interpolation techniques to meet discrete spatial sampling theory requirements, allowing for broader crossline cable separation and improved data acquisition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cable separation is increased to expand array coverage, then survey productivity improves, but measurement precision deteriorates due to violation of discrete spatial sampling theory
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing step (interpolation algorithm) between the wide-spaced cable measurements and the final seismic image. This intermediary computes virtual receiver traces at intermediate positions between physically spaced cables, effectively bridging the sampling gap and enabling wide cable separation without sacrificing measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of the physical measurement data through interpolation algorithms that generate synthetic receiver traces. These copied virtual traces at intermediate positions replicate the information that would be obtained from physically dense cable spacing, allowing productivity improvement without precision loss
2Loss of energy
If cable separation is increased to reduce number of vessel passes, then survey cost decreases, but data quality deteriorates due to insufficient spatial sampling
Solution Approach 1:
The interpolation algorithm acts as an intermediary that processes the sparsely sampled data from wide-spaced cables and reconstructs the continuous wavefield information. This mediator recovers the data quality that would otherwise be lost due to insufficient spatial sampling, enabling cost reduction without reliability compromise
3Productivity
If cable separation is increased to improve crossline coverage, then survey efficiency improves, but noise discrimination capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The interpolation process serves as an intermediary that reconstructs the spatial sampling pattern required for effective noise discrimination. By computing virtual traces at intermediate positions, the system maintains the spatial relationships necessary for distinguishing linear noise from primary signals, even though physical cables are spaced widely
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for use in towed-array, marine seismic surveys includes a method and an apparatus. The method includes accessing a set of multicomponent seismic data acquired in a wide tow, marine seismic survey; and interpolating a set of seismic data from the acquired seismic data in the crossline direction such that the combined acquired and interpolated seismic data meet the discrete spatial sampling theory requirements for array detection of broadside seismic signal and the discrimination and suppression of broadside linear noise. In some aspects, the technique includes programmed storage media and/or programmed computers for use in executing such a method. The apparatus is a wide tow array, including a plurality of streamers spaced apart by a cable separation exceeding the maximum cable spacing for array detection of broadside seismic signal and the discrimination and suppression of broadside linear noise as determined by discrete spatial sampling theory.