Patent ID: 7627433
Filing Date: 2009-12-01
Classification: G01V

Abstract:
1. In a series of seismic data processing steps to produce a seismic image of a subsurface region from seismic data collected using a seismic source with a known signature wavelet, wherein at least one processing step assumes a particular phase property for input data, a phase control method comprising: (a) using the source signature to design a first phase-control filter to limit wavelet phase spectrum consistent with said phase assumption or assumptions; (b) applying the first phase-control filter to the seismic data before said at least one processing step; wherein before use in (a), the source signature is first processed with any processing steps applied to the seismic data before said first phase-control filter is applied in (b); (c) after applying the first phase-control filter in (b), performing all subsequent processing steps on the phase-controlled seismic data, thereby transforming the seismic data into a version more representative of the subsurface region; and (d) imaging physical structure of the subsurface region using the transformed seismic data.