Abstract: An improved method of three-dimensional seismic acquisition of sub-surface impedance boundaries in the earth is disclosed. A rectangular grid pattern is formed from a series of substantially equally spaced and parallel source lines, each of which is formed by a plurality of equally spaced seismic energy sources, and a series of substantially equally spaced and parallel receiver lines, each of which is formed by a plurality of equally spaced seismic energy receivers. The rectangular grid is formed such that a ratio of the spacing between receiver lines and the spacing between sources yields a remainder greater than zero and a ratio of the spacing between source lines and the spacing between receivers also yields a remainder greater than zero.

Abstract: The invention involves providing a plurality of substantially parallel and equally spaced source lines, each of which are formed by a plurality of equally spaced seismic energy sources. A plurality of substantially parallel and equally spaced receiver lines are also provided, each formed by a plurality of equally spaced seismic energy receivers. The source and receiver lines are overlaid in a transverse crossing manner, forming a rectangular grid, so that a source and a receiver are only substantially coincident every second or greater number of crossings. For each seismic disturbance, an array of common mid-point seismic reflections ("CMP's") is produced. Each CMP forms the center of one of multiple sub-bins which together form a standard bin. Stated otherwise, by slightly varying the source, receiver and line intervals so that receiver and source coincidence occurs, but only at every second or greater crossing, the number of CMP's per bin has been multiplied.