Inversion of reflection traveltimes for transverse isotropy

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Geophysics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1190/1.1443838· OSTI ID:100745

Tsvankin, I ^[1]; Thomsen, L ^[2]

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1. Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States). Center for Wave Phenomena
2. Amoco Production Co., Houston, TX (United States)

In anisotropic media, the short-spread stacking velocity is generally different from the root-mean-square vertical velocity. The influence of anisotropy makes it impossible to recover the vertical velocity (or the reflector depth) using hyperbolic moveout analysis on short-spread, common-midpoint (CMP) gathers, even if both P- and S-waves are recorded. Hence, the authors examine the feasibility of inverting long-spread (nonhyperbolic) reflection moveouts for parameters of transversely isotropic media with a vertical symmetry axis. The accuracy of the inversion procedure may be significantly increased by combining both long-spread P and SV moveouts. The high sensitivity of the long-spread SV moveout to the reflector depth permits a less ambiguous inversion. In some cases, the SV moveout alone may be used to recover the vertical S-wave velocity, and hence the depth. Success of this inversion depends on the spreadlength and degree of SV-wave velocity anisotropy, as well as on the constraints on the P-wave vertical velocity.

• OSTI ID: 100745
• Journal Information: Geophysics, Journal Name: Geophysics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 60; ISSN GPYSA7; ISSN 0016-8033
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
58 GEOSCIENCES
ANISOTROPY
DATA PROCESSING
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SEISMIC WAVES