Abstract: Designing a multi-dimensional Finite Impulse Response FIR digital filter to attenuate the coherent noise while preserving reflection signals on seismic data, particular in land seismics, includes computing filter coefficients to minimize an l-norm function of differences between a response of a filter with the computed coefficients and a predetermined response which attenuates signals outside a predetermined range of slowness relative to signals within the predetermined range of slowness. Additional constraints may be imposed on the coefficients to improve the attenuation of signals outside the predetermined range of slowness of the desired reflection signals, and/or to improve uniformity within the desired range.

Abstract: The method of first arrival picking of seismic refraction data is embodied in software that uses the ?-p transform on energy-ratio seismic records. First, the seismic shots are gathered. Next, the energy ratio (ER) is computed, and then the ?-p transform of the energy ratio is computed. Using a binary mask, a corresponding first arrival energy is selected. The transform is combined with the binary mask and presented as input to an inverse ?-p transform. The inverse transform data is then thresholded, and indices of ER first arrivals are detected based on the thresholds. The software then creates a vector of indices or time samples of picks. This method can be used to better guide the subsequent careful picking of first arrivals. Moreover, the method automatically interpolates missing picks.

Abstract: Noise may be filtered or attenuated from seismic data by building a four-dimensional volume using the acquired seismic data and then applying a random noise attenuation filter to the four-dimensional volume. The dimensions of the four-dimensional volume may include a trace number dimension, a time dimension, a shot number dimension, and a cable number dimension. The random noise attenuation filter may filter portions of the acquired seismic data if the seismic data is not correlated with respect to other seismic data in the four dimensional volume.

Abstract: A method is performed at a FPGA coprocessor having memory that stores a plurality of blocks of compressed seismic traces. The method includes: receiving, from a host, a request for processing a predefined set of seismic traces, the request including block location and trace header information; accessing one or more of the blocks of compressed seismic traces from the memory in accordance with the block location information; decompressing each of the one or more accessed blocks into one or more seismic traces thereby forming a plurality of decompressed traces of seismic data; selecting all or a portion of the decompressed traces of seismic data in accordance with the trace header information; processing the selected decompressed traces of seismic data by applying one or more predefined operations to the seismic data; and returning the processed seismic data to the host.

Abstract: A system for collecting seismic data includes plural seismic sensors. The seismic sensors are buried underground. In one application, a first set of seismic sensors are buried at a first depth and a second set of seismic sensors are buried at a second depth. In another application, the sensors alternate along a line, one sensor from the first set and a next sensor from a second set. In still another application, the sensors are randomly distributed below the ground.

Abstract: A device, medium and method for de-blending seismic data associated with a subsurface of the earth. The method includes a step of receiving seismic data “d” recorded with one or more land receivers, wherein the seismic data includes shot recordings generated by plural sources that are simultaneously actuated; a step of forming either a continuous receiver trace or trace segments from the received seismic data; a step of selecting plural overlapping spatial blocks that cover the surface shot locations; a step of assigning the shot recordings to the plural overlapping spatial blocks; a step of applying a mathematical technique to the recordings to determine de-blended data; and a step of generating an image of the subsurface based on the de-blended data.

Abstract: Seismic data representing the propagation of seismic energy through a geologic volume of interest is processed. The seismic energy propagates through the geologic volume of interest from one or more source locations at or near the geologic volume of interest to one or more detector locations at or near the geologic volume of interest. In processing the seismic data, the seismic energy is modeled as beams (e.g., Gaussian beams). The processing includes determining a filter for the seismic data that attenuates aliasing which may be present in the seismic data due to spacing between detector locations.

Abstract: Methods and systems utilizing seismic sensors configured or designed for use in seismic signal detection are provided so as to reduce the occurrence of spurious responses of the sensors. A method of seismic surveying using a seismic sensor may include the steps of deploying the seismic sensor at a location for seismic signal detection and acquiring seismic signals. The seismic signals may include high frequency response signals containing spurious response signals at an identifiable bandwith. The method may further include applying spurious response cancellation based on the bandwidth location of the spurious response signals and generating modified seismic waveforms having extended frequency bandwidth.

Abstract: A microseismic monitoring system includes a seismic sensor positioned proximate to a wellbore traversing a formation; an orientation source producing an orientation shot; a hydraulic apparatus operationally connected with the formation to produce a fracture in the formation; a computer control system operationally connected with a database of known spectral attributes for event categories; and a computer readable medium that carries instructions executable by the computer control system that, when executed: receive data from the seismic sensor; select an event of interest from the data received; determine a spectral estimate of the selected event of interest; compare the determined spectral estimate of the selected event of interest to the known spectral estimates; and select from the data received by the seismic source the orientation shot for orientation of the seismic sensor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for modeling a three-dimensional (3D) geological structure to improve maximum continuity interpolation. An integration method describes local anisotropic effects and introduces interpolation techniques to perform the interpolation between two points of interest along a direction of maximum continuity and across fault surfaces.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to determining the attenuation of an electromagnetic signal passing through a conductive material. An antenna is provided and placed in relatively close proximity to the conductive material. An alternating current is passed through the antenna and the impedance of the antenna is measured. The attenuation is determined using the measured impedance. A single frequency measurement may be made, or multiple measurements using different frequencies may be made. Grouped parameters based on properties of the material and the frequency of the current are used to relate the coil impedance to the attenuation. A current frequency for which the ratio of the antenna's resistive part of the impedance to the angular frequency of the current is substantially insensitive to at least one of the parameters is preferred.

Abstract: A system and computer-implemented method for accounting for temporal dispersion in low-order finite difference seismic wave propagation is disclosed. An embodiment of the method includes transforming a seismic dataset from time domain to frequency domain to obtain a frequency-domain seismic dataset, applying a frequency-domain time varying filter to the frequency-domain seismic dataset to obtain a filtered frequency-domain seismic dataset, and transforming the filtered frequency-domain seismic dataset from the frequency domain to the time domain to obtain a time-domain filtered seismic dataset. The frequency-domain time varying filter is based on the effective phase velocity inherent in a finite-difference solution to the wave equation. The frequency-domain time varying filter may be applied to a synthetic seismic dataset that was generated by low-order finite difference modeling. A different frequency-domain time varying filter may be applied to recorded seismic data prior to reverse time migration.

Abstract: An automatic and robust method to attenuate seismic interference noises in marine seismic survey using multi-dimensional filters in Tau-P domain to identify and isolate seismic interference noises as anomalies.

Abstract: A seismic data processing method for predicting and removing unwanted near-surface noise, e.g. refracted waves and surface waves, from composite seismograms acquired with multiple, encoded seismic sources in which the time records from the different sources overlap or interfere. Surface-consistent properties are determined (403) for the near-surface noise and used to predict the noise waveforms (404) for the composite simultaneous-source seismograms, and the waveforms are then subtracted or adaptively subtracted (406) from the seismograms.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes combining pseudorandom sweeps with an independent, or nearly independent, survey acquisition technique. Targeted design of pseudorandom sweeps can direct the majority of cross-correlation noise to lie outside key time-lags of the record (i.e., windows of interest). Embodiments of the invention are described herein.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system, method and computer readable medium capable of identifying and filtering erroneous seismic data from the computer modeling process. A visual representation of seismic data pertaining to a subterranean formation may be generated and displayed upon a graphic user interface utilizing one or more color schemes. A filtering arrangement may be applied to the seismic data and the visual representation may be updated to include one or more indications illustrating seismic data that has been selected for filtering. The user may adjust filtering operations utilizing a computer generated selection tool. In one embodiment, the system provides a suggestion tool capable of alerting the user to potential seismic data filtering problems.

Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a housing structure, a seismic sensor in the housing structure to measure seismic waves propagated through a subterranean structure, and a pressure sensor in the housing structure. A processor in the housing structure is configured to receive a first signal based on an output of the seismic sensor, and a second signal based on an output of the pressure sensor. First and second digital filters are applied to the first and second signals. Application of the first and second digital filters to the first and second signals causes production of a substantially zero output in response to input that includes just noise data detected at the seismic sensor and the pressure sensor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for processing seismic data carrying information about a subsurface structure are provided. One method includes splitting the seismic data in groups, each group including subsets of seismic data for which a distance from a respective shot point to a receiver line in a patch of active detectors corresponding to the shot point is within a predetermined range for the group, and extracting signal data for each block Hankel matrix based on an SVD analysis thereof. Another method includes extracting signal data by subtracting from seismic data an estimated noise model obtained by rank reduction of a Hankel matrix followed by dip filtering, enhanced based on a least square matching filter with the seismic data.

Abstract: A geophysical data acquisition system includes at least one geophysical sensor. The at least one geophysical sensor has associated therewith a signal generator configured to generate a signal corresponding to a type of the at least one geophysical sensor. The system includes at least one signal acquisition unit having a plurality of input channels. The at least one geophysical sensor is in signal communication with one of the plurality of input channels. The plurality of input channels each includes a detector for receiving and identifying the signal generated by the signal generator. The at least one signal acquisition unit includes amplification, filtering and digitizing circuits automatically configurable in response to the type of sensor identified by the detected signal.

Abstract: Embodiments use seismic processing methods that account for the spatial variability of surface wave velocities. Embodiments analyze surface wave properties by rapidly characterizing spatial variability of the surface waves in the seismic survey data (302). Filtering criteria are formed using the spatial variability of the surface waves (204). The filtering criteria can then be used to remove at least a portion of the surface waves from the seismic data (206, 319). The rapid characterization involves estimating a local group velocity of the surface waves by cross-correlation of the analytic signals (302).

Abstract: A seismic exploration system includes a survey area defined by a perimeter and including a first plurality of sub-areas and a second plurality of sub-areas adjacent the first plurality of sub-areas; two or more seismic energy sources installed within the perimeter of the seismic survey area; a first plurality of groups of seismic energy receivers installed in the first plurality of sub-areas, each of the groups of seismic energy receivers in the first plurality of groups including two or more seismic energy receivers per wavelength of seismic energy generated by the two or more seismic energy sources; and a second plurality of groups of seismic energy receivers installed in the second plurality of sub-areas, each of the groups of seismic energy receivers in the second plurality of groups including less than two seismic energy receivers per wavelength of seismic energy generated by the two or more seismic energy sources.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a method and apparatus for effectively communicating data along an acoustic transmission path. The method comprises driving an acoustic transmitter to send a data signal along the acoustic transmission path, where the signal is distorted by ambient noise. The distorted signal is input to a spaced apart plurality of sensors so that consequent time-delayed signals provide reinforcement of the basic signal and attenuation of the ambient noise component when combined.

Abstract: An iterative dip-steering median filter is provided for random noise attenuation in seismic data where conflicting dips are indicated in the data. A number of dominant dips inside a processing window or sample of the data are identified by a Fourier-radial transform in the frequency-wavenumber domain. A median filter is then applied along the dominant dip to remove noise, and the remaining signal after filtering is retained for further median filter iterations. Iterations are repeated to apply the median filter along the most dominant dip in the remaining data. The processing continues in subsequent iterations until all selected dips have been processed. The remaining signal of each iteration is then summed for final output.

Abstract: Computing device and method for determining primary and ghost components from recorded P-waves. The method includes receiving seismic data (R, V) with regard to the P-waves, wherein the seismic data includes vertical and radial components recorded with a buried two-component receiver; calculating with a processor a primary component (P) and a ghost component (G) from the vertical and radial components; and computing an image of a subsurface based on the primary and ghost components (P, G). The P-waves form a plane wave.

Abstract: A method for removing noise from a three-dimensional representation of seismic data. The method includes receiving seismic data acquired in a seismic survey. The method may organize the acquired seismic data into a three-dimensional representation of the acquired seismic data. The method may then remove a noise from the three-dimensional representation of the acquired seismic data based on at least one criterion.

Abstract: Computing systems and methods for improving imaging of collected data are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first wavefield is propagated to obtain a first wavefield history; the first wavefield is again propagated to obtain a second wavefield history, wherein the propagation includes integration of one or more Q-effects; a first attenuated traveltime history is estimated based at least in part on the first and second wavefield histories; a first Q-model filter is calculated based at least in part on the first estimated attenuated traveltime; and a first adjusted wavefield is generated based at least in part on application of the first Q-model filter to the first wavefield. In some embodiments, an image is generated based at least on a first adjusted wavefield and a second wavefield.

Abstract: Seismic data relating to a subterranean structure is received from at least one translational survey sensor, and gradient sensor data is received from at least one gradient sensor. A P wavefield and an S wavefield in the seismic data are separated, based on combining the seismic data and the gradient sensor data.

Abstract: Method for addressing non-stationary seismic data for data processing techniques (106) that assume that the data are stationary. In the present invention, windowing operations are applied, not in time and space as in traditional methods, but in frequency and wavenumber. This windowing in frequency and wavenumber is done implicitly by a cascade of separable one dimensional time and spatial filtering operations (104). These filters are Gaussian functions modulated by a complex exponential. By using a variety of these filters, the input data can be decomposed into a series of slopes and frequencies that can be reassembled to the original by applying the adjoint operation followed by a weighted sum (108). This decomposed domain of time, space, frequency and slope can be used as a domain where a priori information about the output can be applied in a straightforward manner.

Abstract: There is provided herein a method of passive seismic acquisition that utilizes real time or near real time computation to reduce the volume of data that must be moved from the field to the processing center. Much of the computation that is traditionally applied to passive source data can be done in a streaming fashion. The raw data that passes through a field system can be processed in manageable pieces, after which the original data can be discarded and the intermediate results accumulated and periodically saved. These saved intermediate results are at least two, more likely three, orders of magnitude smaller than the raw data they are derived from. Such a volume of data is trivial to store, transport or transmit, allowing passive seismic acquisition to be practically used for continuous near-real-time seismic surveillance.

Abstract: Method for speeding up iterative inversion of seismic data (106) to obtain a subsurface model (102), using local cost function optimization. The frequency spectrum of the updated model at each iteration is controlled to match a known or estimated frequency spectrum for the subsurface region, preferably the average amplitude spectrum of the subsurface P-impedance. The controlling is done either by applying a spectral-shaping filter to the source wavelet (303) and to the data (302) or by applying the filter, which may vary with time, to the gradient of the cost function (403). The source wavelet's amplitude spectrum (before filtering) should satisfy D(f)=fIp(f)W(f), where f is frequency, D(f) is the average amplitude spectrum of the seismic data, and Ip(f) is the average amplitude spectrum for P-impedance in the subsurface region (306,402) or an approximation thereof.

Abstract: Methods and systems utilizing seismic sensors configured or designed for use in seismic signal detection are provided so as to reduce the occurrence of spurious responses of the sensors. A method of seismic surveying using a seismic sensor may include the steps of deploying the seismic sensor at a location for seismic signal detection and acquiring seismic signals. The seismic signals may include high frequency response signals containing spurious response signals at an identifiable bandwith. The method may further include applying spurious response cancellation based on the bandwidth location of the spurious response signals and generating modified seismic waveforms having extended frequency bandwidth.

Abstract: The invention relates to a seismic acquisition process where multiple seismic sources are used to acquire seismic energy using encoding so that all of the sources may deliver seismic energy at the same time where the sweeps are arranged to be back to back with no listen time and wherein a pseudo listen time that is uncontaminated is created in the composite data record. After the listen time is created, the composite data may be source separated for further processing and analysis.

Abstract: A system and computer-implemented method for accounting for temporal dispersion in low-order finite difference seismic wave propagation is disclosed. An embodiment of the method includes transforming a seismic dataset from time domain to frequency domain to obtain a frequency-domain seismic dataset, applying a frequency-domain time varying filter to the frequency-domain seismic dataset to obtain a filtered frequency-domain seismic dataset, and transforming the filtered frequency-domain seismic dataset from the frequency domain to the time domain to obtain a time-domain filtered seismic dataset. The frequency-domain time varying filter is based on the effective phase velocity inherent in a finite-difference solution to the wave equation. The frequency-domain time varying filter may be applied to a synthetic seismic dataset that was generated by low-order finite difference modeling. A different frequency-domain time varying filter may be applied to recorded seismic data prior to reverse time migration.

Abstract: Blind wavelet extraction and de-convolution is performed on seismic data to enable its practical usage in seismic processing and to provide quality control of data obtained in areas where data from wells are not available. The wavelet extraction and deconvolution are realized in the time domain by iteration, producing a mixed phase wavelet with minimal prior knowledge of the actual nature of the wavelet. As a result of the processing, the de-convolved seismic reflectivity is obtained simultaneously.

Abstract: Systems and methods for modeling a three-dimensional (3D) geological structure to improve maximum continuity interpolation. An integration method describes local anisotropic effects and introduces interpolation techniques to perform the interpolation between two points of interest along a direction of maximum continuity and across fault surfaces.

Abstract: A system and method of processing seismic data obtained using a surface-based receiver configured to measure vertical movement of the Earth includes retrieving seismic data from a storage device, the seismic data comprising P-P data and shear mode data. The P-P data and shear mode data were both received at a surface-based receiver configured to measure vertical movement of the Earth to generate the seismic data. The system and method further include processing the seismic data to extract the shear mode data and generating a shear mode image based on the extracted shear mode data.

Abstract: Computing device and method for determining primary and ghost components from S-waves recorded in near-surface conditions, wherein the S-waves are refracted or reflected from a structure in a subsurface. The method includes a step of receiving seismic data (R, V) with regard to the S-waves, wherein the seismic data includes vertical and radial components recorded with a buried three-component receiver; a step of calculating with a processor a primary component (P) and a ghost component (G) from the vertical and radial components; and a step of computing an image of a subsurface based on the primary and ghost components (P, G). The S-waves form a plane wave.

Abstract: An improved method for reducing the accuracy requirements on the starting model when performing multi-scale inversion of seismic data (65) by local objective function optimization (64). The different scales of inversion are brought about by incorporating a low-pass filter into the objective function (61), and then decreasing the amount of high-frequency data that is filtered out from one scale to the next. Moreover, the filter is designed to be time varying, wherein the filter's low-pass cutoff frequency decreases with increasing traveltime of the seismic data being filtered (62). The filter may be designed using Pratt's criterion for eliminating local minima, and performing averages (or other statistical measure) of the period and the traveltime error only with respect to source and receiver location but not traveltime (63).

Abstract: A method of imaging the Earth's subsurface using passive seismic interferometry tomography includes detecting seismic signals from within the Earth's subsurface over a time period using an array of seismic sensors, the seismic signals being generated by seismic events within the Earth's subsurface. The method further includes adaptively velocity filtering the detected signals. The method further includes cross-correlating the velocity filtered seismic signals to obtain a reflectivity series at a position of each of the seismic sensors.

Abstract: Methods and related systems are described for processing surface seismic data. Surface seismic data representing seismic signals detected at a plurality of surface locations is wavefield deconvolved using a combination of direct wave travel times estimated from borehole seismic data, and wavefield energy estimated from the surface seismic data.

Abstract: A seismic sensor module includes sensing elements arranged in a plurality of axes to detect seismic signals in a plurality of respective directions, and a processor to receive data from the sensing elements and to determine inclinations of the axes with respect to a particular orientation. The determined inclinations are used to combine the data received from the sensing elements to derive tilt-corrected seismic data for the particular orientation.

Abstract: Embodiments of various technologies for a method for processing seismic data are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first portion of a record of pre-stack seismic data may be displayed in a three-dimensional XYZ (3-D XYZ) space. A selection may be received of a second portion of the record of the pre-stack seismic data within the first portion. One or more attributes may be determined that define the second portion. One or more regions may be identified within the record of the pre-stack seismic data having the attributes that define the second portion.

Abstract: The various embodiments of the present invention provide a method for removing a Scholte waves and similar ground roll type waves from a seismic sea bottom data in a shallow water. The method comprises acquiring seismic sea bottom data in a shallow waters, applying a time-frequency-wave number (t-f-k) transform on the acquired seismic sea bottom data, identifying a time-frequency relationship of a surface wave based on a specific wave number, identifying a frequency-wave number relationship of a surface wave based on a specific time, designing a time varying frequency-wave number filter in the time-frequency-wave number domain to separate the surface wave, applying a time varying frequency-wave number filtering process to remove an undesired energy and inversing a filtered record by applying an inverse S-Transform operation and an inverse Fourier Transform operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for monitoring a subsoil zone, wherein a plurality of receivers are arranged on a surface of the soil or near said surface, straight above a geological zone to be monitored, comprising the following steps: generating a set of reference seismic data recording seismic data by means of said receivers; correlating the seismic data recorded (52) with the reference seismic data; comparing each trace of the correlated data, with correlated traces located in a vicinity of said trace, in order to evaluate a similarity of each correlated trace with the adjacent correlated traces, detecting a microseismic event occurring in the subsoil zone by analysing said similarity. This method enables real-time monitoring.

Abstract: A method for spectrally conditioning surface seismic data. In one implementation, the method may include correcting surface seismic data for distortions due to anomalous spectral amplitudes, thereby generating a first set of corrected data; correcting the first set of corrected data for deterministic distortions, thereby generating a second set of corrected data; correcting the second set of corrected data for spectral distortions due to the seismic waves traveling through the near-surface, thereby generating a third set of corrected data; and correcting the third set of corrected data for spectral distortions due to the seismic waves traveling through deeper strata.

Abstract: A system and method of acquiring and processing full elastic waveform data from a vertical-force source comprises providing seismic waves into the earth from the vertical-force source, sensing reflections of the seismic waves at multi-component geophones placed along the surface of the earth, and processing the reflections of the seismic waves to generate full elastic waveform data.

Abstract: Designing a multi-dimensional Finite Impulse Response FIR digital filter to attenuate the coherent noise while preserving reflection signals on seismic data, particular in land seismics, comprises computing filter coefficients to minimise an l-norm function of differences between a response of a filter with the computed coefficients and a predetermined response which attenuates signals outside a predetermined range of slowness relative to signals within the predetermined range of slowness. Additional constraints may be imposed on the coefficients to improve the attenuation of signals outside the predetermined range of slowness of the desired reflection signals, and/or to improve uniformity within the desired range.

Abstract: A system and method of processing seismic data obtained using a surface-based receiver configured to measure vertical movement of the Earth includes retrieving seismic data from a storage device, the seismic data comprising P-P data and shear mode data. The P-P data and shear mode data were both received at a surface-based receiver configured to measure vertical movement of the Earth to generate the seismic data. The system and method further include processing the seismic data to extract the shear mode data and generating a shear mode image based on the extracted shear mode data.

Abstract: A method for structural dip removal. The method includes converting a seismic volume to a depth domain, extracting seismic dips from the seismic volume in the depth domain along a borehole trajectory, analyzing a borehole using the seismic dips to obtain structural dip data, and in response to determining that the seismic dips and borehole dips obtained from borehole imagery are consistent, generating a three dimensional (“3D”) structural model using the structural dip data. The method further includes performing a structural restoration using the 3D structural model to obtain depositional geometry data, removing structural dip from the borehole imagery using the 3D structural model to obtain sedimentary dip data, and performing a stratigraphic interpretation using the depositional geometry data and the sedimentary dip data.

Abstract: Methods of and apparatus to image one or more subsurface formation features are disclosed. An example method includes generating acoustic waves with a transmitter and receiving the acoustic waves and acoustic data contained therein at one or more receivers. The example method also includes extracting one or more S-S, P-S or S-P reflected waveform data from the acoustic data, estimating a dip of the one or more subsurface formation features, migrating the one or more S-S, P-S or S-P reflected waveform data with the estimated dip and mapping the migrated one or more S-S, P-S or S-P reflected waveform data. In addition, the example method includes identifying one or more permeable subsurface formation features using the mapped migrated one or more S-S, P-S or S-P reflected waveform data.