Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining a velocity model for a geological region. In one aspect, a method comprises: obtaining a current velocity model for the geological region; obtaining pre-stack and post-stack seismic data characterizing the geological region; and for each of a plurality of iterations: identifying a plurality of reflection events from the post-stack seismic data and the current velocity model; determining a respective observed travel time for each of the plurality of reflection events, comprising, for each reflection event, determining the respective observed travel time for the reflection event based at least in part on kinematic features derived from a respective seismic trace included in the pre-stack seismic data; and updating the current velocity model based at least in part on the observed travel times of the plurality of reflection events.

Systems and methods are provided to correct seismic data for the undesired effects caused by near surface velocity variations. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving travel time data for a near surface region and estimating an initial velocity model for the near surface region using the travel time data. The method can include updating the velocity model by performing an inversion iteration of including inversion of travel times to estimate slowness. The process can also include calculating at least one long-wavelength static for the near surface region. The long-wavelength statics may be used to correct for undesired effects caused by near surface velocity variations.

A method for generating acoustic images corrected for distortions caused by attenuation of the ultrasonic signal by the mud may comprise disposing a downhole tool into a borehole, transmitting a pressure pulse from at least one transducer into the borehole, recording an echo with the at least one transducer, measuring a travel time, measuring an amplitude, determining a geometry of the borehole, determining a location of the downhole tool in the borehole, calculating an incident angle, mapping a mud attenuation, and correcting an image. A system for generating acoustic images corrected for distortions caused by attenuation of the ultrasonic signal by the mud comprising a downhole tool that may comprise a measuring assembly, wherein the measuring assembly comprises at least one transducer and wherein the at least one transducer is configured to emit a pressure pulse and record an echo. The system may further comprise an information handling system.

The thickness of subsurface layers if they had remained as they were prior to compaction may be estimated by restoring the volume of void space lost during compaction. Decompacted depths below seafloor, the depths the layers would be if compaction had not occurred, may be determined for the layers. A surrogate decompaction velocity may then be determined by dividing the decompacted depths by the travel times of acoustic waves that reflect off layers within the subsurface region. The decompaction velocity may be used in post-processing of acoustic data to produce a decompacted digital representation of the subsurface region. The decompacted digital representation may be used to directly interpret the thickness of layers prior to compaction, sedimentation rates over time, fault offsets, and other phenomena distorted by compaction.

A computerized machine (a) determines temporal and spatial confidence intervals for each one of plural sonic events, (b) classifies pairings among the sonic events as either comparable or non-comparable, and (c) estimates a minimum number of sonic sources, some of which are in motion, that could have produced or generated the sonic events. Sonic event times and positions are characterized by corresponding temporal and spatial confidence intervals. A pairing of sonic events is classified as comparable only when that pairing meets one or more preselected constraints, some of which depend on the temporal and spatial confidence intervals. The estimated minimum number of sonic sources is equal to the total number of sonic events minus the cardinality of a maximum matching of a bipartite graph derived from the classifications of the pairings and a chronological ordering of the set of sonic events.

A method for building a three dimensional (3D) model of a subsurface formation includes selecting, from a set of seismic shots, a plurality of first arrival signals representing the seismic shots. The method includes applying a quality control function to the plurality of first arrival signals to obtain a set of remaining first arrival signals. For each remaining first arrival signals, the method includes applying a velocity inversion function to obtain a depth velocity value at a common-midpoint (CMP) location in a shot gather including the seismic shot associated with that remaining first arrival signal, the CMP location representing a lateral variation of the shot gather including that seismic shot. The method includes, based on the depth velocity value for the seismic shot associated with each remaining first arrival signal, generating a velocity model representing the 3D model of the subsurface formation.

Acoustic waves are obtained from an acoustic logging tool within a borehole passing through a formation. Signal properties in a time domain, frequency domain, or both are determined based on the obtained acoustic waves. A machine learning analysis is used to determine formation slowness based on the determined signal properties and a downhole operational parameter is adjusted based on the determined formation slowness.

Methods for dolomite mapping using multiscale fracture characterization include using a computer system to receive seismic data for a geographical area. The computer system identifies one or more macroscale fractures located within the geographical area based on a three-dimensional (3D) visualization of the seismic data. The computer system identifies one or more mesoscale fractures located within the geographical area based on a curvature map generated from the seismic data. The computer system identifies one or more microscale fractures located within the geographical area based on an amount of chaotic seismic reflections indicated by the seismic data. The computer system identifies a dolomite distribution of the geographical area based on the one or more macroscale fractures, the one or more mesoscale fractures, and the one or more microscale fractures. A display device of the computer system generates a graphical representation of the dolomite distribution.

In order to monitor the subsoil of the earth under a target zone, seismic waves coming from an identified mobile noise source are recorded by means of at least one pair of sensors disposed on either side of the target zone, time periods are selected corresponding to the alignments of the pairs of sensors with the noise source, a seismogram of the target zone is reconstructed by interferometry based on the recorded seismic waves and on the selected time periods and an image of the subsoil of the target zone is generated using the seismogram.

A method for identifying a location of a distributed acoustic system channel in a distributed acoustic system. The method may comprise generating a two or three dimensional layer model interface with an information handling system, preparing a P-wave first arrival pick time table, estimating an initial model layer properties, estimating a location of the distributed acoustic system channels, preparing an overburden file of layer properties, running an anisotropic ray tracing, defining an upper and a lower limits for model parameters, specifying parameters for the inversion, running an inversion, selecting a solution based at least in part on stored error predictions, and calculating a mean and a standard deviation of an inverted model parameter.