Patent ID: 6980482

Claim:
A method of analyzing seismic survey data, comprising: (a) obtaining a numerical model describing the geology of a survey area; (b) calculating a transfer function for said model which defines at least one attribute value within said survey area for a set of hypothetical shot source locations and corresponding receiver locations; (i) selecting a set of initial points within said survey area and selecting at least one hypothetical source location and a corresponding hypothetical receiver location centered on each of said points; (ii) for each of said source locations, calculating the path of a ray through said model originating at said source location and having an initial direction towards said initial point so as to determine a reflection point and an emergence point for said ray; (c) comparing a set of actual survey data comprising a plurality of source/receiver pairs with said set of hypothetical source locations and receiver locations, and estimating at least one actual attribute value for each of said source/receiver pairs on the basis of said comparison; (d) for each of said source locations, calculating a distance Dl between said initial point and said reflection point, a distance D 2 between said hypothetical receiver location and said emergence point, a mid-point between said hypothetical shot location and said emergence point, and a distance D 3 between said mid-point and said initial point; and (e) where said distance D 2 exceeds a predetermined minimum value, selecting a second hypothetical receiver location on the basis of said distance D 3 and repeating steps (b)(ii) and (d) for said second hypothetical receiver location.