Abstract: This disclosure is directed to processes and systems that generate enhanced-resolution seismic images by interpolating sparsely recorded seismic data. Structured dictionary learning is employed to train a set of basis vectors, called “atoms,” and corresponding sparse coefficients on patches of the recorded seismic data. The atoms are constrained to represent the geometric structure of reflection events in the recorded seismic data gather. Linear combinations of the atoms are used to compute interpolated patches over a finer receiver-coordinate grid. The interpolated patches replace the original patches in the recorded seismic data to obtain interpolated seismic data that can be used to generate an image of the subterranean formation.

Abstract: Methods and systems that remove particle-sensor noise from measured vertical-velocity wavefield are presented. A approximate vertical-velocity data is computed from pressure data and vertical-velocity data at receiver coordinates of a seismic data acquisition system. The pressure data is composed of a pressure signal component and pressure-sensor noise and the vertical-velocity data is composed of a vertical-velocity signal component and particle-motion-sensor noise. A filter that gives a minimum difference between the vertical-velocity data and the approximate vertical-velocity data at each receiver coordinate is computed. Vertical-velocity data composed of the vertical-velocity signal component and approximate particle-motion-sensor noise based on the pressure-sensor noise is convolved with the filter at each receiver coordinate.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to wavefield separation methods and systems. In one aspect, methods and systems compute an approximate vertical particle velocity wavefield based on a measured pressure wavefield and knowledge of free-surface when the pressure wavefield was measured. The measured pressure wavefield is used to compute an approximate frozen free-surface profile. The approximate frozen free-surface profile and the measured pressure wavefield are used to compute an approximate vertical particle velocity wavefield. The approximate vertical particle velocity wavefield and measured pressure wavefield may be used to compute separate up-going and down-going pressure, or vertical particle velocity, wavefields.

Abstract: The current disclosure is directed to methods and systems to determine properties of a subterranean formation located below a body of water. The methods and systems compute synthetic pressure and velocity vector wavefields that represent acoustic energy interactions within a model environment that comprises a model body of water located above a model subterranean formation. The model environment is separated into a stationary region and a time-varying region. The methods and systems include determining properties of the subterranean formation by iteratively adjusting the model environment to approximate the actual subterranean formation. The model environment is iteratively adjusted until a minimum difference between the synthetic pressure and velocity vector wavefields computed for each change to the model environment and actual pressure and velocity wave fields obtained from a marine seismic survey of the subterranean formation is achieved.

Abstract: Methods and systems to remove source wavefield and source ghost effects from marine seismic data are described. The methods and systems may be used to substantially remove source wavefield and source ghost effects from marine seismic data collected in rough weather conditions.

Abstract: Computational methods and systems for deghosting marine seismic streamer data are described. In particular, an exploration-seismology vessel tows a number of streamers that form a data acquisition surface located beneath a free surface. The methods computationally deghost or substantially remove receiver ghost signals from seismic data recorded by steamer receivers. The deghosting methods include low frequency compensation to recover vertical velocity wavefield information that is typically lost due to a low signal-to-noise ratio over a low frequency range independent of the free surface conditions or the shape of the data acquisition surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for imaging subterranean formations using primary and multiple reflections are described. An exploration-seismology vessel tows a seismic source, a receiver acquisition surface located beneath a free surface, and a source acquisition surface positioned at a depth below the source. The receiver acquisition surface is used to measure pressure and normal velocity wavefields and the source acquisition surface is used to measure direct, down-going, source pressure wavefields generated by the source. The down-going source pressure wavefields in combination with the down-going pressure wavefields and up-going pressure wavefields computed from the pressure and velocity wavefields are used to compute images of the subterranean formation associated with primary reflections and multiple reflections.

Abstract: Computational systems and methods to be carried out by the computational systems for determining streamer-depth bias during exploration-seismology experiments are disclosed. An exploration-seismology vessel tows a number of streamers that form a smoothly varying data acquisition surface located beneath a fluid surface. In one aspect of this disclosure, the method determines a set of image points that represent a profile of the fluid surface above each streamer. The image points are determined based on pressure and velocity wavefields measured at dual sensors of the streamer. The method then determines an elevation parameter of the image points that minimizes DC offset in a spectral domain of the image points. The elevation parameter corresponds to the streamer-depth bias and can be used to correct for the streamer-depth bias in subsequent calculations of a fluid-surface profile.

Abstract: Methods and systems that remove particle-sensor noise from measured vertical-velocity wavefield are presented. A approximate vertical-velocity data is computed from pressure data and vertical-velocity data at receiver coordinates of a seismic data acquisition system. The pressure data is composed of a pressure signal component and pressure-sensor noise and the vertical-velocity data is composed of a vertical-velocity signal component and particle-motion-sensor noise. A filter that gives a minimum difference between the vertical-velocity data and the approximate vertical-velocity data at each receiver coordinate is computed. Vertical-velocity data composed of the vertical-velocity signal component and approximate particle-motion-sensor noise based on the pressure-sensor noise is convolved with the filter at each receiver coordinate.

Abstract: Methods and systems that compute an approximate vertical-velocity wavefield based on a measured pressure wavefield and knowledge of the free-surface shape when the pressure wavefield was measured are described. The measured pressure wavefield is used to compute an approximate frozen free-surface profile of the free surface. The approximate frozen free-surface profile and the measured pressure wavefield are then used to compute an approximate vertical-velocity wavefield that does not include low-frequency streamer vibrational noise. The approximate vertical-velocity wavefield and measured pressure wavefield may be used to separate the pressure wavefield into up-going and down-going pressure wavefields.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to wavefield separation methods and systems. In one aspect, methods and systems compute an approximate vertical particle velocity wavefield based on a measured pressure wavefield and knowledge of free-surface when the pressure wavefield was measured. The measured pressure wavefield is used to compute an approximate frozen free-surface profile. The approximate frozen free-surface profile and the measured pressure wavefield are used to compute an approximate vertical particle velocity wavefield. The approximate vertical particle velocity wavefield and measured pressure wavefield may be used to compute separate up-going and down-going pressure, or vertical particle velocity, wavefields.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to determining or executing a survey pattern for a marine seismic survey vessel. The survey pattern may be determined based on a determined subsurface illumination area. The subsurface illumination area may be identifiable from primary reflections and higher-order reflections detected by sensors disposed in a sensor streamer configuration that may be towed behind the survey vessel. The sensor streamer configuration may include a plurality of streamers.

Abstract: A measured pressure field, a measured vertical velocity field, and two measured orthogonal horizontal velocity fields are obtained. A programmable computer is used to perform the following. A scaling factor is determined from water acoustic impedance, the measured pressure field, and the horizontal velocity fields. One of the measured pressure field and measured vertical velocity field is combined with one of the measured vertical velocity field scaled by the scaling factor and the measured pressure field scaled by the scaling factor, generating one of up-going and down-going pressure and velocity wavefields.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for seismic exploration using pressure changes caused by sea-surface variations as a low-frequency seismic energy source. One embodiment relates to a method which obtains dual wave-fields measured below a sea surface. The measured dual wave-fields are decomposed into a down-going wave-field and an up-going wave-field at a selected observation level. Seismic images are then generated using the down-going and up-going wave-fields. Other embodiments, aspects, and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and Systems for extrapolating wavefields while avoiding disruptions due to spatial aliasing are disclosed. Pressure wavefields measured with pressure sensors and vertical and horizontal velocity wavefields measured with three-axial motions sensors may be spatially aliased in at least one horizontal direction. The pressure wavefield and/or the vertical velocity wavefield are decomposed into one of an up-going wavefield and a down-going wavefield. The up-going or down-going wavefield is extrapolated using an extrapolator that depends on components of a slowness vector. In order to avoid disruptions in the extrapolated wavefield due to spatial aliasing, the components of the slowness vector are calculated from the measured pressure wavefield and the two horizontal velocity wavefields.

Abstract: Computational methods and systems for deghosting marine seismic streamer data are described. In particular, an exploration-seismology vessel tows a number of streamers that form a data acquisition surface located beneath a free surface. The methods computationally deghost or substantially remove receiver ghost signals from seismic data recorded by steamer receivers. The deghosting methods include low frequency compensation to recover vertical velocity wavefield information that is typically lost due to a low signal-to-noise ratio over a low frequency range independent of the free surface conditions or the shape of the data acquisition surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for imaging subterranean formations using primary and multiple reflections are described. An exploration-seismology vessel tows a seismic source, a receiver acquisition surface located beneath a free surface, and a source acquisition surface positioned at a depth below the source. The receiver acquisition surface is used to measure pressure and normal velocity wavefields and the source acquisition surface is used to measure direct, down-going, source pressure wavefields generated by the source. The down-going source pressure wavefields in combination with the down-going pressure wavefields and up-going pressure wavefields computed from the pressure and velocity wavefields are used to compute images of the subterranean formation associated with primary reflections and multiple reflections.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to determining or executing a survey pattern for a marine seismic survey vessel. The survey pattern may be determined based on a determined subsurface illumination area. The subsurface illumination area may be identifiable from primary reflections and higher-order reflections detected by sensors disposed in a sensor streamer configuration that may be towed behind the survey vessel. The sensor streamer configuration may include a plurality of streamers.

Abstract: Computational systems and methods, to be carried out by the computational systems for determining streamer-depth bias during exploration-seismology experiments are disclosed. An exploration-seismology vessel tows a number of streamers that form a smoothly varying data acquisition surface located beneath a fluid surface. In one aspect of this disclosure, the method determines a set of image points that represent a profile of the fluid surface above each streamer. The image points are determined based on pressure and velocity wavefields measured at dual sensors of the streamer. The method then determines an elevation parameter of the image points that minimizes DC offset in a spectral domain of the image points. The elevation parameter corresponds to the streamer-depth bias and can be used to correct for the streamer-depth bias in subsequent calculations of a fluid-surface profile.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for seismic imaging which accounts for sea-surface variations. In accordance with one embodiment, a source wave-field is forward propagated to a subsurface level below a sea floor. In addition, a receiver wave-field is backward propagated to the subsurface level, wherein the backward propagation in time comprises synchronized backward running of the sea surface. Other embodiments, aspects, and features are also disclosed.