Communications – electrical: acoustic wave systems and devices – Seismic prospecting – Land-reflection type
Patent
1986-08-01
1987-11-10
Jordan, Charles T.
Communications, electrical: acoustic wave systems and devices
Seismic prospecting
Land-reflection type
367 53, 367 57, 367 37, G01V 100
Patent
active
047062231
ABSTRACT:
A method for determining the position of a subterranean plane reflector relative to a known location on the earth surface from unprocessed seismic data received at a number of colinear acoustic receiver locations. A traveltime curve associated with the reflector is identified from the seismic data. From two points on the traveltime curve, a signal indicative of the reflector's dip angle is generated. Using the dip angle signal, signals indicative of the position of each imaged point of the reflector are generated. The inventive method assumes knowledge of the average velocity of seismic waves in the subterranean formation above the reflector, and that such formation region can adequately be considered to have constant velocity equal to such average velocity. The method may be applied to process raw data generated during a vertical seismic profiling operation. More generally, the invention may be applied to process raw data generated during any seismic prospecting operation in which seismic data is received at approximately colinear receiver locations in a plane, after the associated seismic waves have originated at a source located anywhere in the same plane. In a preferred embodiment, a nonlinear optimization technique is used to generate the desired signals using all points on the traveltime curve as input, rather than only two points.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re21183 (1939-08-01), Blau
patent: 3127585 (1964-03-01), Alexander et al.
patent: 4241429 (1980-12-01), Bloomquist et al.
patent: 4359766 (1982-11-01), Waters et al.
Chun, J. H., et al., "Three Dimensional Dip Analysis of Offset VSP Data," Paper Presented at 53rd Annual Meeting of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Las Vegas, Nev., Sep. 11-15, 1983.
Kennett, P., et al., "Vertical Seismic Profiles: Their Applications in Exploration Geophysics," Geophysical Prospecting, 1980, V. 28, pp. 676-699.
Eldred John W.
Equitz Alfred A.
Exxon Production Research Company
Jordan Charles T.
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