INNOVATIVE WORKFLOW FOR SEISMIC ACQUISITION DESIGN

Abstract

Any new survey geometry design must be based on thorough integrated analysis and modeling of project goals and objectives, exploration and/or field development targets’ requirements, available technologies, operational constraints, terrain conditions and project budgets. A critical matrix for a good quality seismic acquisition geometry design is dense and uniform distribution of seismic traces in areal extent and within CDP, bins with sufficiently high trace density, high fold, wide azimuth, long inline/crossline/maximum offsets and small largest minimum offset. That said, operational considerations could be a hindrance for such quality as in heavily congested fields, extensive network of wells, platforms, production facilities and terrain obstacles leading to gaps in coverage and severe irregularities of fold, offset and azimuth distributions. This work demonstrates the essential value of using all available data and information about the project area. Such as well logs, RMS and interval velocities, legacy 2D and 3D seismic acquisition and processing reports, satellite and positioning maps, scouting reports, multi-physics maps and data and near surface environmental reports are all relevant. Thus, detailed, accurate and realistic estimates of the design’s attributes are generated including desired temporal and spatial resolution, focused target illumination parameters, signal penetration, recording requirements and noise minimization processes.

Keywords

• fold
• offset
• azimuth
• acquisition footprints
• well logs
• interval velocities
• spatial resolution