Patent ID: 8913462

Claim:
A method of generating a three dimensional (3D) vertical seismic profile (VSP) comprising: A) designing a 3D-VSP survey plan including planning a plurality of surface source points and at least one subsurface target reflector; B) dividing the subsurface target reflector into a plurality of bins, wherein the 3D-VSP survey plan further comprises a fold threshold for each bin, and for each bin, 1) firing at least one source at a surface source point at a source firing time, 2) acquiring subsurface data as a result of the source firing, 3) updating a velocity model in real-time based on the acquired subsurface data, 4) calculating, in real time prior to a subsequent source firing for the bin, a fold value for the bin based on the updated velocity model, 5) comparing, in real time prior to a subsequent source firing for the bin, the the fold value for the bin to the fold threshold for the bin and, a) if the fold value for the bin is not within the fold threshold for the bin, repeating parts (1) through (5), or b) if the fold value for the bin is within the fold threshold for the bin, activating at least one source at a subsequent source point and repeating parts (1) through (5) for a subsequent bin until the calculated fold value for each bin is within the fold threshold for each bin, for all bins.