Abstract: A method of stacking seismic traces including the steps of deriving a representation of the noise component of each of the seismic traces; deriving an indication of the correlation between the noise components from the representations of the noise components, and producing a stacked seismic trace by combining the seismic traces in proportions derived from the correlation indications. The method can be used to produce stacked seismic traces having improved signal-to-noise ratios compared to conventionally stacked seismic traces. The preferred embodiment of this method is sometimes referred to as “covariant” stacking, because the weighting factors derived depend on the covariance of the noise components of their constituent traces.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for attenuating ground roll in seismic data signals. Seismic data signals are obtained from nearby seismic sensors. A difference filter is created that incorporates an estimate of ground roll differential move-out between the seismic sensors. The difference filter is then applied to the seismic data signals to produce a ground roll attenuated seismic data signal. The method can be used with one-pass and multiple-pass filter operations and can be used in connection with pairs of seismic data signals or with groups of seismic data signals from an areal pattern of nearby seismic sensors. The seismic data signals may be appropriately pre-processed and factors in addition to the ground roll differential move-out can be incorporated when creating the difference filter. The inventive method can be implemented in the time domain or in the frequency domain.

Abstract: A method of acquiring and processing seismic data involving deploying a number of seismic sensors, actuating a seismic source, receiving seismic signals produced by the seismic source using the seismic sensors, calculating offset distances (44) between the seismic source and the seismic sensors, and (42) producing spatially filtered seismic data from the received seismic signals. The inventive method may be used effectively with receiver arrays having smaller areal footprints and fewer sensors per receiver station location than conventional seismic data acquisition systems. It also allows ground roll and random noise to be effectively attenuated as the seismic data is spatially resampled or prepared for spatial resampling.