Finite-difference depth migration of exploration-scale 3-D seismic data

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:89742

Mufti, I R; Pita, J A ^[1]; Huntley, R W ^[2]

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1. Mobil Research and Development Corp., Dallas, TX (United States)
2. Mobil Oil Canada, Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

Most migration methods are based on a variety of approximate versions of the wave equation, one notable exception being the finite-difference reverse-time depth migration algorithm. Since it requires enormous computer resources, its applications have been primarily restricted to 2-D synthetic data. Consequently, its potential for migrating real data and imaging complex 3-D structures by constructive interference of wave fronts has neither been recognized nor exploited. Finite-difference depth migration being very similar to forward modeling, both these processes are subjected to the same conditions for avoiding grid dispersion and numerical instability. In the case of migrating real data, this necessitates interpolation both in space and time. One can, however, exploit the fact that in forward modeling, one tries to generate accurate reflection signals, whereas in migration the primary objective is to accomplish imaging from the pre-recorded signals and it may be attainable under less stringent conditions. The authors` investigations indicate that accurate imaging can be done without making any provision for grid dispersion in the lateral direction thereby obviating the use of interpolated traces. In the case of 3-D data, this cuts down the computational task by a factor of 50 or more with similar reductions in memory requirements. Two applications on large exploration-scale post-stack 3-D field data are presented.

• OSTI ID: 89742
• Report Number(s): CONF-941015--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
58 GEOSCIENCES
ALGORITHMS
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
IMAGE PROCESSING
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SEISMIC WAVES
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS