Patent ID: 7512034

Claim:
A method of acquiring seismic data comprising: deploying a first array of seismic receivers and a second array of seismic receivers such that the seismic receivers of the first array do not simultaneously receive an incoming wavefront with respect to each other, and such that the seismic receivers of the second array do not simultaneously receive the incoming wavefront, receiving an incoming wavefront of drill noise seismic energy produced as a wellbore is drilled using said first and second arrays of seismic receivers, wherein said first array of seismic receivers is closer to the source of said drill noise seismic energy than said second array of seismic receivers; utilizing data obtained by the first array of seismic receivers to estimate at least one seismic source characteristic selected from the group consisting of: source/receiver separation distance, source direction, and source signature; and utilizing the characteristic to process data obtained by the second array of seismic receivers.