Patent ID: 8560242
Filing Date: 2013-10-15
Classification: G01V

Abstract:
1. A method of seismic exploration within a predetermined volume of the earth containing structural and stratigraphic features conducive to the generation, migration, accumulation, or presence of subsurface resources, comprising the steps of: a. accessing a digital representation of a seismic survey that images at least a portion of said predetermined volume of the earth; b. selecting at least a portion of said seismic survey, thereby selecting a plurality of seismic traces; c. obtaining a velocity model at least approximately representative of at least a portion of said imaged portion of said predetermined volume of the earth, said velocity model having at least one velocity therein; d. using at least said a portion of said velocity model to determine an error compensating pseudo-differential operator; e. using said error compensating pseudo-differential operator to construct a time-marching wave equation solution for use in a migration program; f. migrating said plurality of seismic traces using said migration program, thereby producing a plurality of migrated seismic traces; and, g. using at least a portion of said plurality of migrated seismic traces to explore for subsurface resources within the predetermined volume of the earth, and wherein at least one of (c), (d), (e), or (f) is performed on one or more computers.