Patent ID: 8547795
Filing Date: 2013-10-01
Classification: G01V

Abstract:
1. A method of processing seismic data to produce an image of acoustic contrasts within a geological formation, comprising: (i). recording seismic data received by at least one receiver at a first receiver location from signals emitted by at least one source at a first acoustic source location; (ii). determining the components of particle motion of the geological formation at the first receiver location from the recorded seismic data using a processor; (iii). estimating the direct compressional signal at the first receiver location from the components of particle motion of the geological formation at the first receiver location; (iv). deconvolving all the components of particle motion at the first receiver location using the estimated direct compressional signal; (v). estimating, from a model of the geological formation, the difference between the shear and the compressional travel times from a first location in the geological formation to the first receiver location; (vi). estimating the shear-wave contribution at the first location in the geological formation using the deconvolved components of particle motion at the first receiver location and the estimated difference between the shear and the compressional travel times between the first receiver location and the first location in the geological formation; and (vii). repeating steps (i) to (vi) for a plurality of locations in the geological formation, wherein each location in the geological formation is located between the at least one acoustic source and the at least one receiver and wherein each location in the geological formation is linked to a pixel of the image of acoustic contrasts within the geological formation.