A method for conducting a seismic survey for collecting seismic data off shore. It comprises a first seismic survey providing a first set of data for an area using individual seismic sub-source arrays (2). It further comprises a second seismic survey of the same area for providing a second set of data. The individual seismic sub-source arrays (2) are similar to the sub-source arrays used during the former survey and are arranged in more than two shot-unit sources (3). Each shot-unit source (3) comprises a pair of neighboring individual seismic sub-source arrays (2) arranged to be fired substantially at the same time.

A marine seismic data acquisition system includes a streamer spread including plural streamers; a first set of front sources configured to generate seismic waves; a streamer vessel towing the streamer spread and the first set of the front sources, in front of the streamer spread along an inline direction X; a second set of top sources configured to generate additional seismic waves; and first and second source vessels towing the second set of top sources directly above or below the streamer spread. A number NT of the top sources is larger than a number NF of the front sources.

A proposed geometrical distribution for a first non-impulsive source and a second non-impulsive source of a source array can be received. A near-field-to-notional computation can be performed for the proposed geometrical distribution to yield a respective computed notional output of the first and second non-impulsive sources. Whether the computed notional output of the first non-impulsive source has a first amount of residue greater than a threshold amount of residue can be determined. Whether the computed notional output of the second non-impulsive source has a second amount of residue greater than the threshold amount of residue can be determined. An indication whether either of the first or second amounts of residue is less than or equal to the threshold amount of residue can be provided.

Techniques are disclosed relating to geophysical surveying. In various embodiments, a marine survey vessel may tow a plurality of streamers that each include a plurality of seismic sensors. Further, the survey vessel may tow a plurality of vibratory sources. In various embodiments, a first sweep may be performed, using one or more of the plurality of vibratory sources, for a first time interval. Further, in various embodiments, disclosed techniques may include recording, during the first time interval using the plurality of seismic sensors, seismic data on a tangible, computer-readable medium, thereby creating a geophysical data product.

Marine seismic surveys, including ocean bottom surveys, utilizing marine vibrator arrays that are capable of being driven in anti-phase to produce a directional source gradient. Marine seismic surveys may include activating the vibrator array to emit a plurality of radiation patterns with at least a first radiation pattern that has a first notch at a take-off angle that is not close to vertical. Some marine seismic surveys included emitting directive wavefields from two or more simultaneous seismic source arrays, where the two or more seismic source arrays have a phase that changes from shot-to-shot to allow simultaneous source separation of the directive wavefields.

Systems and methods of near surface imaging and hazard detection with increased receiver spacing are provided. The system includes: a first string of one or more acoustic sources, a second string of one or more acoustic sources opposite the first string, a first one or more hydrophones mounted within a predetermined distance of the first string, and a second one or more hydrophones mounted within the predetermined distance of the second string. The first one or more hydrophones records an acoustic shot generated from the first string. The second one or more hydrophones records the acoustic shot and acoustic reflections corresponding to the acoustic shot. The system generates an image from the recorded acoustic shot and the acoustic reflections.

Techniques for processing of seismic data. A seismic data set is received, wherein the seismic data set comprises a first data subset associated with a first seismic source and a second data subset associated with a second seismic source. An input is received indicating that a distance between the first seismic source and the second seismic source is greater than or equal to a threshold value. The second data set is filtered from the seismic data set to remove the second data subset from seismic data set to generate a filtered seismic data set in response to receiving the input and a coherence volume is generated based on the filtered seismic data set.

Parameters of a sweep signal that controls operation of a marine non-impulsive source can be set. Setting the parameters can include selecting a stop frequency of the sweep signal, defining a taper of the sweep signal, and adjusting an initial phase of the sweep signal. The parameters can be set such that a magnitude of an amplitude spectrum of a combined output of a marine impulsive source and the marine non-impulsive source is greater than or equal to a magnitude of an amplitude spectrum of a marine impulsive source output at frequencies below the stop frequency. A controller of the marine non-impulsive source can be programmed with the sweep signal having the parameters set to control the marine non-impulsive source.

System and method for shooting plural seismic sources Si in a marine acquisition system with a deblending-designed dithering sequence DS.sub.new. The method includes generating the deblending-designed dithering sequence DS.sub.new to include random dithering times D.sub.i, a range of the dithering times D.sub.i being larger than a preset, non-zero, minimum value pmv; selecting a shooting sequence SS for the plural seismic sources Si; and shooting the plural seismic sources Si with the deblending-designed dithering sequence DS.sub.new, based on the shooting sequence SS. All odd or all even members of the shooting sequence SS are shot with zero dithering times.

Techniques are disclosed relating to geophysical surveying. In some embodiments, a marine survey vessel tows multiple sensor streamers in addition to vibratory sources deployed relative to the sensor streamers. In some embodiments, the vessel tows vibratory sources emitting energy within different frequency bands in different deployment zones. In some embodiments, one or more sources are driven with different sweep functions, different activation patterns, and/or different sweep lengths. Various disclosed techniques for manufacturing a geophysical data product may potentially simplify equipment used for towing sources, reduce survey complexity without reducing resolution, increase resolution without increasing survey complexity, improve energy content recovered from deep reflections, and/or reduce the environmental impact of emitting seismic energy.