From field to office — A fast-track beam depth migration with tomography updates applied to blended data

A new mode of imaging “fast-track” operations has been developed in which field blended data are processed through a fast beam migration with tomography updates to obtain an efficient and reliable depth imaging result while the crew is still in the field. Over the past several years, empirical studies utilizing broadband seismic data recording, processing, and interpretation have consistently demonstrated significant improvements in subsurface imaging and characterization, as evidenced by numerous case studies. Significant research has focused on optimizing the emission, recording, and processing of both low- and high-frequency seismic data to enhance image reliability. Recent advancements in seismic source and receiver technology, coupled with the implementation of blended acquisition field configurations, have enabled geoscientists to achieve more efficient data acquisition and capture wider frequency bandwidths. A unique aspect of this research is the combined application of an efficient acquisition strategy and the accelerated, fast-track, imaging of blended data. This enables the creation of velocity-depth models and associated depth images without relying on complex inversion deblending techniques. We first present a targeted seismic acquisition methodology, crafted for the efficient and optimal recording of broadband data via a dispersed source array. Subsequently, we present the results of our investigation into the technologies employed, demonstrating their capability to deliver fast-track depth images and associated velocity-depth models during blended acquisition field operations.