Patent ID: 9702993
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: G01V

Claim:
1. A computer-implemented method for full wavefield inversion of seismic data to infer subsurface physical property parameters including P-wave (pressure wave) velocity, S-wave (shear wave) velocity, and density, comprising: extracting only PP mode (P-wave down/P-wave up) from the seismic data, and inverting, with a full wavefield inversion algorithm, the PP mode data sequentially in two or more different offset ranges, each offset range full wavefield inversion determining at least one physical property parameter, wherein in a second and subsequent full wavefield inversions, parameters determined in a previous inversion are held fixed, and further wherein all full wavefield inversions are performed using a computer; and generating, with a computer, a subsurface physical property model that includes the P-wave velocity, S-wave velocity, and the density from the full wavefield inversion algorithm, which transforms the seismic data into the subsurface physical property model, wherein the subsurface physical property model is a quantitative rock-property description of a hydrocarbon reservoir, and using the subsurface physical property model for geophysical prospecting.