Patent ID: 7340418

Claim:
A method, using a computer system, for enabling a buyer to select a desired full seismic data file from among a plurality of available full seismic data files, the method comprising the steps of: reading a map of a geographic area from a computer-readable medium; displaying said map of said geographic area to enable selection of a region therewithin for display at a higher level of detail, said map including a plurality of surface seismic data lines, each of said surface seismic data lines corresponding respectively to one of a plurality of compressed seismic data files; and displaying a geophysical image corresponding to one of said compressed seismic data files based on a selection of a corresponding one of said surface seismic data lines so as to allow said buyer to determine a desirability of said full seismic data file corresponding to said compressed seismic data file forming said geophysical image thus displayed, each of said compressed seismic data files being derived from and having less information content than the corresponding one of said corresponding full seismic data files, each of said compressed seismic data files containing a reference to a respective one of said full seismic data files.