Marine survey source route configuration can include towing, via a first marine survey vessel, streamers at a first average speed and at an average velocity along a first survey route. A second marine survey vessel can tow a source at a second average speed that is greater than the first average speed along a second survey route that periodically passes over the first survey route and at the average velocity in a direction of the first survey route.

Methods for performing a marine survey of a subterranean formation using a hybrid combination of ocean bottom seismic (OBS) receivers, wide towed sources, and moving streamers are described herein. In one aspect, a sail line separation in a crossline direction is determined based on an average streamer separation and number of streamers. An array of OBS receivers are deposited on a surface of a subterranean formation with an OBS receiver separation that is based on the sail line separation. Wide towed sources and streamers are towed above the array of OBS receivers behind a survey vessel that travels sail lines separated by the sail line separation. The wide towed sources may be activated above the array of OBS receivers. Wavefields reflected from the subterranean formation are recorded at the OBS receivers and receivers located in the streamers as seismic data.

Techniques and apparatus are disclosed for performing marine seismic surveys. In some embodiments, one or more vessels are used to tow a set of streamers and two or more sources such that a first set of sources consists of all those that are disposed within a first threshold distance from the streamers, and a second set of sources consists of all those that are disposed beyond a second, greater, threshold distance from the streamers. Sources in the first set are activated more frequently than sources in the second set are activated.

A method for imaging non-specular seismic events as well as correlating non-specular events with physically measurable quantites in a volume of Earth's subsurface. Includes entering as input to a computer signals detected by a plurality of seismic sensors disposed above and/or within the volume in response to actuation of at least one seismic energy source above and/or within the volume. Parameter analysis is performed to populate the initial model with point-wise, best-fit wavefront travel-time approximations. Imaging is performed to obtain undifferentiated specular and non-specular representations of the volume. Specular boundaries are mapped using the imaged volume and using the boundaries to form a model of specular components of the volume. Beamforming is used to characterize seismic attributes associated with specular and non-specular reflections as separate and differentiated data sets.

A technique for acquiring wide azimuth seismic data using simultaneous shooting is presented in which a plurality of seismic sources are positioned to achieve a desired crossline sampling as a function of the number of passes. This is accomplished by interleaving sources as deployed in the spread, as positioned in multiple passes, or some combination of these things, to achieve an effective shotline interval during acquisition or an effective crossline sampling less than their crossline source separation.

A system and method for acquiring seismic streamer data is provided. Embodiments may include performing a marine seismic survey using an unmanned marine vessel having a power source configured to drive and provide propulsion to the unmanned marine vessel. Embodiments may further include acquiring one or more of long and ultra-long seismic survey data using a multi-dimensional seismic sensor array coupled with the unmanned marine vessel and providing the seismic survey data as a reduced data set that includes long and ultra long offsets.

A method and apparatus for data acquisition including: acquiring a first set of data for a survey area with streamer receivers on a streamer spread; and simultaneously acquiring a second set of data for the area with ocean bottom receivers, the first and second sets of data together forming a complete dataset for velocity modeling and imaging. A method including: navigating a first propulsion source along a first path in the area, wherein a streamer spread and a first seismic source are coupled to the first propulsion source; navigating a second propulsion source along a second path in the area, wherein a second seismic source is coupled to the second propulsion source; while navigating the first and second propulsion sources, activating at least one of the first and second seismic sources; and acquiring data with receivers on the streamer spread and with ocean bottom receivers distributed throughout the area.

A method and apparatus includes: towing a first source with a source vessel; towing a second source with a survey vessel, the survey vessel following the source vessel by at least 5 km; towing a streamer spread at a first depth with the survey vessel; and towing a pair of long-offset streamers at a second depth and following the source vessel by at least 5 km, wherein: the first depth is 10 m to 30 m, and the second depth is greater than 30 m. A method and apparatus includes: towing a first source with a source vessel; towing a second source with a survey vessel, the first source and the second source being separated by at least 5 km; towing a streamer spread at a first depth with the survey vessel; towing a pair of long-offset streamers at a second depth, wherein: the first depth is between 10 m and 30 m, and the second depth is greater than 30 m; acquiring long-offset data with long-offset sensors distributed along the long-offset streamers; and constructing a velocity model with the long-offset data. A method and apparatus includes: towing a first plurality of streamers at a first depth of 10 m to 30 m; receiving first signals generated by a first source with the first plurality of streamers; towing a second plurality of streamers at a second depth of greater than 30 m; while receiving the first signals, receiving second signals generated by a second source with the second plurality of streamers; wherein: the first source and the second source are separated by at least 5 km, the second signals represent long-offset data, and a forward-most receiver on each of the second plurality of streamers has a same inline offset from the first source as a forward-most receiver on each of the first plurality of streamers.

A method can include receiving information associated with an interface between a first medium and a second medium where the information includes sensor data; based on at least a portion of the information, estimating wave properties that include elastic properties, depth-dependent properties and horizontal slowness; and, based on the estimated wave properties, calculating an orientation of a sensor utilized to acquire at least a portion of the sensor data.

A method may include receiving, via a processor, a first set of seismic data acquired via a Wide Azimuth (WAZ) survey. The method may also include receiving a second set of seismic data acquired via an Ocean Bottom Survey (OBS) simultaneously during a time period in which the first set of seismic data is acquired. The method may then involve processing the second set of data to obtain a velocity model of seismic waves for an area that corresponds to the WAZ survey and OBS and generating one or more seismic images of the area based on the velocity model and the first set of data.