Patent ID: 9110177
Filing Date: 2015-08-18
Classification: G01V

Abstract:
1. A method for generating a seismic survey design for positioning a plurality of seismic signal sources and a plurality of seismic signal receivers, comprising the following steps performed by computational equipment: determining, by computational equipment, a smallest source or receiver bin size for performing an actual seismic survey corresponding to the seismic survey design, the actual seismic survey being for surveying a predetermined survey site; wherein the smallest source or receiver bin size is at least five times smaller than a smallest corresponding bin size dictated by Freznel zone constraints for the predetermined survey site and for a predetermined depth beneath a surface of the predetermined survey site; generating a candidate bin layout configuration using the smallest source bin size or receiver bin size, wherein the candidate bin layout configuration includes seismic trace data for positioning the seismic signal sources and the seismic signal receivers on the surface of the predetermined survey site; wherein an acceptability of the candidate bin layout configuration, is determined, the acceptability being dependent upon one of: (i) whether the candidate bin layout configuration is likely to yield a regular pattern of common depth points from the seismic trace data received at the seismic signal receivers, (ii) whether there is likely to be at least a predetermined minimum number of traces received at each of the seismic signal receivers, wherein the traces are effective for seismic image processing, and (iii) whether the candidate bin layout configuration is likely to be effective in imaging geologic formations beneath the predetermined survey site at the predetermined-depth; determining an additional source or receiver bin size, wherein the additional source or receiver bin size is greater than the smallest source or receiver bin size, but the additional source or receiver bin size is also at least five times smaller than the smallest corresponding bin size dictated by Freznel zone constraints for the predetermined survey site and for the predetermined depth beneath the surface of the predetermined survey site; generating an additional candidate bin layout configuration using the additional source or receiver bin size, wherein the additional candidate bin layout configuration includes seismic trace data for repositioning one or more of the seismic signal sources and the seismic signal receivers on the surface of the predetermined survey site; positioning each of the seismic signal sources and each of the seismic signal receivers on the predetermined survey site; recording a position on the predetermined survey site where each of the seismic signal sources and each of the seismic signal receivers is positioned, wherein the additional candidate bin layout configuration is used to position the seismic signal sources and seismic signal receivers at the predetermined survey site; generating seismic signals; recording at the seismic signal receivers corresponding seismic trace data received at the seismic signal receivers, for each of the seismic signal sources, the seismic trace data comprising data indicative of a detected reflection from the seismic signals generated by the seismic signal source together with identifications of the seismic signal source and seismic signal receiver that detected the detected reflection; wherein the recorded positions of the seismic signal sources, the recorded positions of the seismic signal receivers, and seismic trace data is input to computational equipment for generating subsurface seismic image data of geologic formations beneath the predetermined survey site at the predetermined depth; and wherein the subsurface seismic image data is displayed as a model of one or more geologic formations at the predetermined depth, the model used for identifying or detecting one or more of the geologic formations.