Angle Gathers Research Articles

Joint anisotropic amplitude variation with offset inversion of PP and PS seismic data

With the increase in exploration target complexity, more parameters are required to describe subsurface properties, particularly for finely stratified reservoirs with vertical transverse isotropic (VTI) features. We have developed an anisotropic amplitude variation with offset (AVO) inversion method using joint PP and PS seismic data for VTI media. Dealing with local minimum solutions is critical when using anisotropic AVO inversion because more parameters are expected to be derived. To enhance the inversion results, we adopt a hierarchical inversion strategy to solve the local minimum solution problem in the Gauss-Newton method. We perform the isotropic and anisotropic AVO inversions in two stages; however, we only use the inversion results from the first stage to form search windows for constraining the inversion in the second stage. To improve the efficiency of our method, we built stop conditions using Euclidean distance similarities to control iteration of the anisotropic AVO inversion in noisy situations. In addition, we evaluate a time-aligned amplitude variation with angle gather generation approach for our anisotropic AVO inversion using anisotropic prestack time migration. We test the proposed method on synthetic data in ideal and noisy situations, and find that the anisotropic AVO inversion method yields reasonable inversion results. Moreover, we apply our method to field data to show that it can be used to successfully identify complex lithologic and fluid information regarding fine layers in reservoirs.

Geostatistical seismic Amplitude‐versus‐angle inversion

ABSTRACTSeismic inversion plays an important role in reservoir modelling and characterisation due to its potential for assessing the spatial distribution of the sub‐surface petro‐elastic properties. Seismic amplitude‐versus‐angle inversion methodologies allow to retrieve P‐wave and S‐wave velocities and density individually allowing a better characterisation of existing litho‐fluid facies. We present an iterative geostatistical seismic amplitude‐versus‐angle inversion algorithm that inverts pre‐stack seismic data, sorted by angle gather, directly for: density; P‐wave; and S‐wave velocity models. The proposed iterative geostatistical inverse procedure is based on the use of stochastic sequential simulation and co‐simulation algorithms as the perturbation technique of the model parametre space; and the use of a genetic algorithm as a global optimiser to make the simulated elastic models converge from iteration to iteration. All the elastic models simulated during the iterative procedure honour the marginal prior distributions of P‐wave velocity, S‐wave velocity and density estimated from the available well‐log data, and the corresponding joint distributions between density versus P‐wave velocity and P‐wave versus S‐wave velocity. We successfully tested and implemented the proposed inversion procedure on a pre‐stack synthetic dataset, built from a real reservoir, and on a real pre‐stack seismic dataset acquired over a deep‐water gas reservoir. In both cases the results show a good convergence between real and synthetic seismic and reliable high‐resolution elastic sub‐surface Earth models.

Rayleigh-Marchenko redatuming for target-oriented, true-amplitude imaging

Marchenko redatuming is a revolutionary technique to estimate Green’s functions from virtual sources in the subsurface using only data measured at the earth’s surface, without having to place either sources or receivers in the subsurface. This goal is achieved by crafting special wavefields (so-called focusing functions) that can focus energy at a chosen point in the subsurface. Despite its great potential, strict requirements on the reflection response such as knowledge and accurate deconvolution of the source wavelet (including absolute scaling factor) and co-location of sources and receivers have so far challenged the application of Marchenko redatuming to real-world scenarios. I combine the coupled Marchenko equations with a one-way version of the Rayleigh integral representation to obtain a new redatuming scheme that handles internal as well as free-surface multiples using dual-sensor, band-limited seismic data (with an unknown source signature) from any acquisition system that presents arbitrarily located sources above a line of regularly sampled receivers—for example, ocean-bottom, source-over-spread streamer, and horizontal borehole seismic data. The redatuming scheme is validated using synthetic and field data, and the retrieved subsurface wavefields are used for improved structural imaging and taken as input for the computation of true-amplitude angle gathers, which can lead to more accurate amplitude-versus-angle interpretation and velocity analysis.

3D angle decomposition for elastic reverse time migration

We have developed three approaches for 3D angle decomposition using elastic reverse time migration. The first approach uses time- and space-lag common-image point gathers computed from elastic wavefields. This method facilitates computing angle gathers at sparse and possibly irregularly distributed points in the image. The second approach transforms extended time-lag images to the angle domain using slant stacks along 4D surfaces, instead of using slant stacks along 2D straight lines. The third approach transforms space-lag common-image gathers to the angle domain. The three proposed methods solve a system of equations that handles dipping reflectors, and they yield angle gathers that are more accurate compared with those obtained via alternative existing methods. We have developed our methods using 2D and 3D synthetic and field data examples and found that they provide accurate opening and azimuth angles and they can handle steeply dipping reflectors and converted wave modes.

Target-oriented velocity analysis using Marchenko-redatumed data

Imaging a target zone and analyzing its corresponding velocities using seismic surface data can be challenging, in particular if the target zone is located below a highly scattering overburden. Marchenko redatuming enables the redatuming of the surface reflection response to an arbitrary new datum level below such an overburden. The obtained reflection response is free of internal multiples originating in the overburden, and thus, such data can be the starting point for target-oriented analyses. We develop the first application of Marchenko-redatumed data for target-oriented velocity analysis. Marchenko-redatumed data are used as the input for a conventional migration method to create angle-domain common-image gathers. Using incorrect velocities for redatuming or migration leads to residual moveout of reflections in such angle gathers. Thus, semblance analysis of the angle gathers allows us to correct an erroneous velocity profile. By combining events occurring at different depths in the angle gathers, we can correctly determine and separate the error inherent in the overburden of the velocity model used for redatuming and in the target zone used for migration. We tested the approach of velocity analysis with Marchenko-redatumed data in the simple case of a horizontally layered model and obtained the correct velocity model updates using interval velocity corrections. We then extended our approach and successfully applied a ray-based tomographic inversion to angle gathers created with Marchenko-redatumed data for a medium having lateral heterogeneity (dipping layers) and proved the advantages of velocity analysis using Marchenko-redatumed data compared with surface data.

Bayesian AVO inversion with consistent angle parameters

Amplitude versus offset (AVO) inversion has been extensively used in seismic exploration. Many different elastic parameters can be inverted by incorporating corresponding reflection coefficient approximations. Although efforts have been made to improve the accuracy of AVO inversions for years, there is still one problem that has long been ignored. In most methods, the angle in the approximation and the angle used in seismic angle gather extractions are not the same one. This inconsistency leads to inaccurate inversion results. In this paper, a Bayesian AVO inversion method with consistent angles is proposed to solve the problem and improve inversion accuracy. Firstly, a linearized P-wave reflection coefficient approximation with consistent angles is derived based on angle replacements. The equivalent form of the approximation in terms moduli and density is derived so that moduli can be inverted for reservoir characterization. Then, by convoluting it with seismic wavelets as the forward solver, a probabilistic prestack seismic inversion method with consistent angles is presented in a Bayesian scheme. The synthetic test proves that the accuracy of this method is higher than the traditional one. The real data example shows that the inversion result fits better with well log interpretation data, which verifies the feasibility of the proposed method.

Offshore imaging with complex overburden: Understanding gather complexity and resulting attribute accuracy through synthetics

The objectives of this study are to determine the effect of complex overburden in offshore continental settings on the seismic wavefield and on the resultant seismic images and attributes. Seismic waves exhibit complex wave paths when propagating through heterogeneous geologic structures. A key step in understanding the consequences for imaging and, more importantly, amplitude versus angle behavior is to model this complexity in a known earth-velocity model. The earth model used, represented by the seismic velocities, should exhibit similar behavior to the real data but still remain as simple as possible. This is also the case in velocity-model building. However, the inability to include subtle geologic features leads to inaccuracy and uncertainty in the velocity model. Understanding how this inaccuracy manifests itself is vital in any predictive exercise using seismic attributes. To improve this understanding, several synthetic data sets were simulated using full-wavefield synthetics. It is evident from the results that subtle velocity features are required in the imaging velocity field to ensure accurate angle gather behavior whether output is from a ray-based Kirchhoff migration or full-wave equation algorithm. If this requirement is met, seismic attributes from an amplitude-preserving migration can be used as a facies prediction in conjunction with the correct imaging algorithm.

Multidirectional slowness vector for computing angle gathers from reverse time migration

Angle gathers are important for true-amplitude migration, migration velocity analysis, and angle-dependent inversion. Among existing methods, calculating the [Formula: see text] direction vector is efficient, but it can give only one direction per grid point and fails to give multiple directions for overlapping wavefields associated with multipaths and reflections. The slowness vectors (SVs) in [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] can be connected by Fourier transforms (FTs); the forward FT from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] decomposes the wavefields into different vector components, and the inverse FT sums these components into a unique direction. Therefore, the SV has multiple directions in [Formula: see text], but it has only one direction in [Formula: see text]. Based on this relation, we have separated the computation of propagation direction into two steps: First, we used the forward FT, [Formula: see text] binning, and several inverse FTs to separate the wavefields into vector subsets with different approximate propagation angles, which contained much less wave overlapping; then, we computed [Formula: see text] SVs for each separated wavefield, and the set of these single-direction SVs constituted a multidirectional SV (MSV). In this process, the FTs between [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] domains required a large input/output (I/O) time. We prove the conjugate relation between the decomposition results using positive- and negative-frequency wavefields, and we use complex-valued modeling to obtain the positive-frequency wavefields. Thus, we did wavefield decomposition in [Formula: see text] instead of [Formula: see text], and avoided the huge I/O caused by the FT between the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] domains. Our tests demonstrated that the MSV can give multiple directions for overlapping wavefields and improve the quality of angle gathers.

Integration of well data into geostatistical seismic amplitude variation with angle inversion for facies estimation

We have developed a new iterative geostatistical seismic amplitude variation with angle (AVA) inversion algorithm that inverts prestack seismic data, sorted by angle gathers, directly for high-resolution density, P-wave velocity, S-wave velocity, and facies models. This novel iterative geostatistical inverse procedure is based on two key main principles: the use of stochastic sequential simulation and cosimulation as the perturbation technique of the model parameter space and a global optimizer based on a crossover genetic algorithm to converge the simulated earth models toward an objective function, in this case, the mismatch between the recorded and synthetic prestack seismic data. As a geostatistical approach, all the elastic models simulated during the iterative procedure honors the well-log data at its own locations, the marginal prior distributions of P-wave velocity and S-wave velocity, and density estimated from the available well-log data, and the corresponding joint distributions between density versus P-wave velocity and P-wave versus S-wave velocity. We successfully tested and implemented this new algorithm on a synthetic prestack data set that mimicked the main properties of a real reservoir, and on a real seismic data set acquired over a deepwater turbidite oil reservoir. In both cases, the results showed a good convergence between the recorded and synthetic seismic. The synthetic example showed high-resolution inverted petroelastic models that reproduced the true petroelastic models. The inverted petroelastic models retrieved from the real case study found high resolution and do agree with previous seismic reservoir characterization studies.

The characteristic wave decomposition and imaging in VTI media

The characteristic wave decomposition (CWD) method is presented, which takes full advantages of the local linear characteristics of the original seismic data. The CWD is performed by double beam forming for a compressed seismic wavefield in the characteristic ray parameter domain. Based on the beam-formed wavefield in characteristic domain, a beam-based characteristic wave imaging method (CWI) is put forward. Due to the flexibility and efficiency to output angle gathers for velocity model building, the CWI is a useful alternative to Kirchhoff and wave-equation migrations. It alters the application of Kirchhoff migration which smears the seismic data in imaging domain along quasi-ellipsoid trajectories and it has the capacity for steep dip reflector imaging with turning waves. In this paper, the CWI method is applied to prestack depth migration in transverse isotropic with a vertical symmetry (VTI) media. Compared with the conventional Kirchhoff migration methods, the proposed CWI method has a theoretical speedup of 1–2 orders. Besides, it can handle low signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) data and target oriented imaging conveniently, and angle gathers can be produced naturally by CWI. Consequently, the CWI is an efficient technique for large scale seismic imaging and angle gather outputting. The direct mapping scheme from data space to model space establishes the relation between the characteristic data and the subsurface reflector, which can be used for the subsequent tomography conveniently. Some benchmark tests demonstrate the effectiveness of this method.

Pre-Stack Seismic Inversion and Amplitude Versus Angle Modeling Reduces the Risk in Hydrocarbon Prospect Evaluation

Pre-Stack seismic inversion and Amplitude versus Angle (AVA) techniques were used in for direct hydrocarbon identification (DHI) and to understand better the risk during hydrocarbon prospecting. In order to understand and predict the seismic response for different fluid type and lithologies pre-stack seismic inversion and AVA modeling based on existing well logs information were performed. An optimized seismic inversion workflow that includes conditioning of seismic data followed by seismic petrophysics and rock physics modeling in combination with fluid substituted logs was used to predict the seismic response for different fluid types. Inverted rock properties of a wedge model were then correlated with seismic response for DHI. Another hydrocarbon prospect was studied based on AVA modeling response. AVA effects on angle gathers provide basic information on the lithology and pore fill contents of the rocks under investigation. To perform the AVA modeling, a series of forward models in association with rock physics-modeled fluid-substituted logs have been developed and associated seismic responses for different pore fluids and rock types studied. The results reveal that synthetic seismic responses together with the AVA analysis show changes for different lithologies. AVA attributes analysis show trends in generated synthetic seismic responses for different fluid-substituted and porosity logs. Reservoir modeling and fluid substitution increases understanding of the observed seismic response. It ultimately leads to a better reservoir prediction with delineation of sweet spots and improved volumetric prognosis. Assessing the effect of fluid-substituted logs for different lithologies and associated AVA seismic response can improve the prediction in reservoir characterization. Truly integrated studies of seismic, geology and well data will reduce the drilling and development risks even further. Key Words: Pre-stack seismic inversion; Wedge model; Amplitude versus angle (AVA); Fluid substitution; Intercept (I); Gradient (G); Rock physics; Derisking and forward modeling

Applying a new synchronous inversion of seismograms using maximum likelihood method and stochastic refinements to study ultra-thin oil-saturated reservoirs

Seismic inversion makes use of single or multi-dimensional seismic trace data to derive elastic properties from seismic amplitude data. These elastic properties are subsequently used to make inferences about seismic lithology, lithologic properties, and the presence of fluids. Most implementations of seismic inversions operate on limited stacked subsets of the seismic data. Common inputs to inversion methods include angle stacks, offset stacks, or multiple stacks of time-lapsed data. The implementation in this paper makes use of a synchronous pre-stack inversion based on the maximum likelihood algorithm (Anat Canning and Alex Malkin, 2009). The PMLI inversion is applicable to time and depth angle or offset seismograms. It is a full pre-stack inversion, which inverts each and every trace of an offset or angle gather and returns elastic properties. The PMLI inversion can also invert partial angular or offset sums, which can be created in any processing system. As a complete pre-stack inversion, PMLI provides higher accuracy and noise immunity as observed in the output results of Pw and Sw impedances, density, Vp/Vs, Poisson’s ratio, Lambda Rho (LR) and Mu Rho (MR). PMLI also incorporates a necessary and effective preprocessing step, which is performed on-the-fly as part of the inversion process. Because the PMLI method operates on gathers, it is easily and efficiently parallelized for multi-core and multi-node clusters and for shared memory architectures.

Prestack seismic inversion versus neural-network analysis: A case study in the Scarab field offshore Nile Delta, Egypt

In clastic depositional systems such as those encountered in the Nile Delta Basin, simultaneous prestack seismic-amplitude inversion is an effective method for detecting and appraising gas-bearing sandstone reservoirs. However, the method has limitations concerning the requirement of a reliable set of wavelets, suitable wireline logs, and a sufficiently dense initial model. The neural-network analysis method is an alternative technique which sometimes can provide similar or better results and does not require significant volumes of data. Simultaneous prestack inversion was applied over the Scarab field, West Delta Deep Marine concession, offshore Egypt. The field comprises submarine channel-based gas reservoirs that extend laterally over 20 km2. Six wells were analyzed in a rock-physics study prior to performing inversion. Three angle gathers (near: 0–15°; mid: 15–30°; far: 30–45°) were inverted for P-wave impedance (ZP), S-wave impedance (ZS), P-wave velocity (VP), S-wave velocity (VS), VP/VS, and density (ρ) using the prestack inversion method. Neural-network analysis was performed using full-stack seismic data along with well logs in the training stage, followed by cross-validation of results and rendering of VP, VS, VP/VS, and density volumes. The VP/VS volumes produced from the two methods were used to infer water saturation (Sw). Direct comparisons were made between neural-network and prestack inversion results at a blind-well location to assess the relative quality of each method. Results suggest that application of the proposed neural-network method leads to reliable inferences. Hence, using the neural-network method alone or along with the prestack inversion method has a positive impact on reserves growth and increased production.

From ocean-bottom cable seismic to porosity volume: A prestack PP and PS analysis of a turbidite reservoir, deepwater Campos Basin, Brazil

The Campos Basin is the best known and most productive of the Brazilian coastal basins. Turbidites are, by far, the main hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs in the Campos Basin. Using a 4C ocean-bottom cable seismic survey, we set out to improve the reservoir characterization in a deepwater turbidite field in the Campos Basin. To achieve our goal, prestack angle gathers were derived and PP and PS inversion were performed. The inversion was used as an input to predict the petrophysical properties of the reservoir. Converting seismic reflection amplitudes into impedance profiles not only maximizes vertical resolution but also minimizes tuning effects. Mapping the porosity is extremely important in the development of hydrocarbon reservoirs. Combining seismic attributes derived from the PP and PS multicomponent data and porosity logs, we used linear multiregression and neural networking to predict porosity between the seismic attributes and porosity logs at the well locations. After estimating porosity in the well locations, those relationships were applied to the seismic attributes to generate a 3D porosity volume. The porosity volume highlighted the best reservoir facies in the reservoir. The integration of elastic impedance, shear impedance, and porosity improved the reservoir characterization.

Comparison of methods for extracting ADCIGs from RTM

Methods for extracting angle-domain common-image gathers (ADCIGs) during 2D reverse-time migration fall into three main categories; direction-vector-based methods, local-plane-wave decomposition methods, and local-shift imaging condition methods. The direction-vector-based methods, which use either amplitude gradients or phase gradients, cannot handle overlapping events because of an assumption of one propagation direction per imaging point per imaging time; however, the ADCIGs from the direction-vector-based methods have the highest angle resolution. A new direction-vector-based method using instantaneous phase gradients in space and time gives the same propagation directions and ADCIGs as those obtained by the Poynting vector or polarization vector based methods, where amplitudes are large. Angles calculated by the phase gradients have larger uncertainties at smaller amplitudes, but they do not significantly degrade the ADCIGs because they contribute only small amplitudes. The local-plane-wave decomposition and local-shift imaging condition methods, implemented either by a Fourier transform or by a slant stack transform, can handle overlapping events, and produce very similar angle gathers. ADCIGs from both methods depend on the local window size in which the transforms are done. In small local windows, both methods produce ADCIGs with low noise, but also with low angle resolution; in large windows, they have high angle resolution, but contain smeared artifacts.

동해 울릉분지 심해 탄성파 탐사자료 진폭변화분석

탄성파 탐사자료의 진폭변화를 분석하면 지층의 유체를 탐지하고 석유 가스 저류층의 정밀한 물성 도출이 가능하다. 본 연구는 동해 울릉분지의 심해 탄성파 탐사자료에 대하여 진폭변화를 분석하고 정리하였다. 중합단면에서 반사신호가 강하게 기록된 영역의 탄성파 공통깊이점-벌림 모음과 공통깊이점-반사각 모음을 관찰하여 진폭변화가 뚜렷한 영역을 선별하였다. 울릉분지의 중앙부 탄성파 탐사 반사각 모음의 주시 3200과 3300 ms 구간 탄성파 신호에 대한 종축절편과 진폭구배 속성을 계산하여 벌림에 따른 진폭 증가 및 감소를 확인하였다. 종축절편과 진폭구배를 곱한 속성과 합한 속성을 도출하여 울릉분지 퇴적층의 가스부존 가능 영역 상부와 하부 경계를 구분하였다. 가스로 포화된 퇴적층의 탄성파 진폭변화 특성을 보이는 영역은 탄성파주시 3 s 인근에서 간헐적으로 나타났다. 교차도표를 이용하여 울릉분지 탄성파자료의 진폭변화를 유형별로 확인할 수 있었다. 배경매질의 종축절편과 진폭구배는 함수 퇴적층의 일반적인 특징인 반비례관계를 보였고 가스함유 퇴적층의 진폭변화를 보이는 표본은 교차도표 단면상에서 1사분면과 3사분면에 위치하였다. 교차도표에서 선택된 표본들을 중합단면에서 추적한 결과 울릉분지 중앙부의 심해 퇴적지층 중 진폭변화 유형 3에 해당하는 영역이 수평연장 150 m 내로 분포함을 유추할 수 있었다. The amplitude variation with offset of seismic data can detect fluids in the sediment and resolve the petrophysical properties of hydrocarbons in the subsurface. We analyzed and described the amplitude variation in deep sea seismic data obtained from the Ulleung Basin, East Sea. By inspecting seismic CDP-offset and CDP-angle gathers which show a bright reflection event, we decided a target zone for amplitude variation analysis. From the seismic angle gather at the middle of Ulleung Basin, we recognized amplitude increase or decrease versus offset on the intercept-gradient curve. Using the product attribute and Poisson's ratio change attribute computed in terms of intercept with gradient, the top and the base of gas saturated sediments were described. The area of amplitude variation suggestive of the presence of gas saturated sediments is shown at the depth of 3 s traveltime. Anomalous features of seismic amplitude in the Ulleung Basin were classified by the crossplot of intercept and gradient. The background trend of crossplot between intercept and gradient shows an inverse proportional relation that is common for wet sediments. Anomalous amplitudes of Class III fall into the first and the third quadrants on crossplots. We inferred regional gas/water saturated area with the horizontal dimension of 150 m in the Ulleung Basin by cross-section with respect to cross-plot anomaly.

3D angle gathers with plane-wave reverse-time migration

Angle domain common image gathers (ADCIGs) from reverse-time migration (RTM) provide new tools for imaging complex geologic structures, such as salt flank or subsalt areas, characterized by multiarrivals. Compared with common image gathers from Kirchoff or Beam migration, the ADCIGs from RTM have the advantage of relying on wave propagation, providing a more reliable input for tomography or amplitude analysis. In practice however, most current wide azimuth surveys (e.g., deep-water regions of the Gulf of Mexico) are acquired with coarsely sampled shot and receiver locations on the surface, which leads to severe angular undersampling. This phenomenon is frequently observed on shallow seismic events in high-resolution 3D ADCIGs from common-shot RTM. In addition, because small offsets are frequently not recorded, seismic events are missing at small incidence angles in angle gathers. We have made a detailed study of the angular sampling issue in 3D angle gathers. We then used plane-wave RTM to generate 3D angle gathers. Plane-wave RTM, with its low-cost and automatic angular interpolation, is a promising solution for improving the quality of 3D angle gathers.

An angle-domain imaging condition for elastic reverse time migration and its application to angle gather extraction

An angle-domain imaging condition is recommended for multicomponent elastic reverse time migration. The local slant stack method is used to separate source and receiver waves into P- and S-waves and simultaneously decompose them into local plane waves along different propagation directions. We calculated the angle-domain partial images by crosscorrelating every possible combination of the incident and scattered plane P- and S-waves and then organized them into P-P and P-S local image matrices. Local image matrix preserves all the angle information related to the seismic events. Thus, by working in the image matrix, it is convenient to perform different angle-domain operations (e.g., filtering artifacts, correcting polarity, or conducting illumination and acquisition aperture compensations). Because local image matrix is localized in space, these operations can be designed to be highly flexible, e.g., target-oriented, dip-angle-dependent or reflection-angle-dependent. After performing angle-domain operations, we can stack the partial images in the local image matrix to generate the depth image, or partially sum them up to produce different angle-domain common image gathers, which can be used for amplitude versus angle and migration velocity analysis. We tested several numerical examples to demonstrate the applications of this angle-domain image condition.

Use of RTM full 3D subsurface angle gathers for subsalt velocity update and image optimization: Case study at Shenzi field

Various reverse time migration (RTM) angle gather generation techniques have been developed to address poor subsalt data quality and multiarrival induced problems in gathers from Kirchhoff migration. But these techniques introduce new problems, such as inaccuracies in 2D subsurface angle gathers and edge diffraction artifacts in 3D subsurface angle gathers. The unique rich-azimuth data set acquired over the Shenzi field in the Gulf of Mexico enabled the generally artifact-free generation of 3D subsurface angle gathers. Using this data set, we carried out suprasalt tomography and salt model building steps and then produced 3D angle gathers to update the subsalt velocity. We used tilted transverse isotropy RTM with extended image condition to generate full 3D subsurface offset domain common image gathers, which were subsequently converted to 3D angle gathers. The angle gathers were substacked along the subsurface azimuth axis into azimuth sectors. Residual moveout analysis was carried out, and ray-based tomography was used to update velocities. The updated velocity model resulted in improved imaging of the subsalt section. We also applied residual moveout and selective stacking to 3D angle gathers from the final migration to produce an optimized stack image.

An accurate ray-based offset-to-angle transform from normal moveout uncorrected multicomponent data in a transversely isotropic medium with vertical symmetry axis

A new ray-based approach for converting multicomponent normal moveout uncorrected offset domain prestack seismic data into angles is presented. From any two-way zero-offset time sample and a given angle of incidence, the exact ray and a few neighboring rays that contribute to the given angle of incidence are traced through the medium to their corresponding source and receiver locations to compute their raypath lengths, traveltimes, and offsets. A polynomial then is fitted locally between these computed offsets and their corresponding traveltimes. Next the traveltimes for the actual offsets on data that lie within these traced rays are computed from this local polynomial fit, and their corresponding time samples are partially stacked and moved to their two-way zero-offset times. Repetition of this procedure for all zero-offset time samples and for all desired angles produces an angle gather. The procedure allows computation of both primary (P-P) and mode-converted (P-SV) angle gathers. Also, by calculating the exact raypath length, an accurate geometric spreading compensation can be computed and applied to these gathers. By using the methodology for a horizontally stratified transversely isotopic medium with a vertical symmetry axis (a VTI medium), it is possible to extract a much more accurate angle-domain response from the ray-based method than is possible from a traditional NMO-based method. Accuracy out to large angles for both primary and mode-converted reflection suggests that this ray-based transform potentially could be used in a multicomponent prestack waveform inversion scheme.