Methods and systems for identifying near-surface heterogeneities in a subterranean formation using surface seismic arrays can include: recording raw seismic data using sensors at ground surface; applying a band bass filter to the raw seismic data using a central frequency; picking a phase arrival time for the filtered data; generating an initial starting phase velocity model for tomographic inversion from the raw seismic data; applying tomographic inversion to the filtered data to generate a dispersion map associated at the central frequency; repeating the applying a band bass filter, picking a phase arrival time, generating an initial starting velocity model, and applying tomographic inversion steps for each of a set of central frequencies; and generating a three-dimensional dispersion volume representing near-surface conditions in the subterranean formation by combining the dispersion maps.

A method for seismic imaging includes receiving a multi-shot seismic data set that was collected using one or more streamers having recorders configured to detect seismic waves that propagate through a subterranean domain. The method also includes partitioning the multi-shot seismic data set into windows including a source dimension. The method also includes defining one or more first basis functions that describe the windows of the multi-shot seismic data set. The method also includes generating a model that describes a decomposition of the multi-shot seismic data set using the one or more first basis functions. The method also includes defining one or more second basis functions that describe a selected output data. The method also includes combining the one or more second basis functions with the model to produce a result for a source side wavefield and a receiver side wavefield.

In seismic imaging, accurate velocity functions (velocity model) defining seismic velocity as a function of depth in the earth are required. The velocity model is obtained as a result of seismic surveying. Delayed travel times in near surface refraction seismic surveys, an effect known as shingling, can result from an anomalous condition, seismic velocity decreasing with depth. Inclusion of such delayed travel times in a tomographic process for seismic imaging would otherwise cause large errors in determination of a seismic velocity model for seismic imaging of subsurface features. At locations (source-receiver offset) in the survey where the shingling occurs, the velocity inversions are identified. The undesirable effects the delayed travel times caused by the velocity inversions are removed from the survey dataset.

A method for seismic processing includes steps of seismic signal forward propagation and seismic data back propagation. The subsurface medium image is created after correlating and summarizing forward and backward propagation results. To address migration footprint and noise due to the incomplete data acquisition aperture and migration approximation in the migration operator, the iteration inversion strategy incorporates tensor flow calculated from seismic image. A regularization operator based on structure tensor of image is applied to seismic image inversion.

This disclosure relates to geophysical exploration and seismic imaging, and more particularly to a seismic imaging method, system, and device based on pre-stack high-angle fast Fourier transform (FFT). The method includes: acquiring seismic data acquired during seismic exploration; extracting a common shot point gather from the seismic data followed by conversion into a frequency wavenumber domain common offset gather; calculating wave propagation angles; dividing an imaging region into a first region and a second region; solving constant coefficients of the first region and the second region; performing frequency-division layer-by-layer wavefield continuation on a frequency-wave number domain common offset gather to obtain imaging results at different depths and frequencies; subjecting the imaging results to integration followed by transformation to a spatial domain to obtain common offset imaging profiles; and subjecting the common offset imaging profiles to superposition obtain final imaging results.

A computer-implemented method, and system implementing the method, are disclosed for computing a final model of elastic properties, using nonlinear direct prestack seismic inversion for Poisson impedance. User inputs and earth-model data is obtained over points of incidence of a survey region, at various angles of incidence. Various models are then computed that serve for lithology identification and fluid discrimination and take part in preliminary seismic exploration and reservoir characterization. Therefore, further refinement of these models is required due to changes in burial depths, compaction and overburden pressure, as they provide limitations for reservoirs on porous media. The further refinement using nonlinear direct prestack seismic model is performed on a system computer, which produces a final model of elastic properties. This model can then be applied for lithology prediction and fluid detection to identify potential targets of oil and gas exploration and estimating spots in unconventional shale gas applications.

A method is disclosed that includes obtaining a seismic data set and a seismic wave propagation velocity model and approximating the seismic wave propagation velocity model as a plurality of layers each bounded by a first and second bounding depth. For each of the plurality of layers, the method includes: simulation of the propagation of a seismic wave through the layer using a two-way seismic wave propagation simulator; forming an over-determined system of linear equations relating at least one mono-frequency component of the seismic wave at the first depth to one mono-frequency component at the second depth; and determining a plurality of one-way seismic wave propagation operators by inverting the over-determined system of linear equations. The method further includes processing the seismic data set using the one-way seismic wave propagation. A system and a non-transitory computer readable medium for implementing the method are also disclosed.

Determination of an impulse response at a subsurface image level can include extrapolation of an up-going pressure wavefield to a subsurface image level, extrapolation of a down-going velocity wavefield to the subsurface image level, and determination of the impulse response at the subsurface image level from a hypothetical seismic source by spectral division of the extrapolated up-going pressure wavefield by the extrapolated down-going velocity wavefield.

Disclosed are systems and methods for numerically simulating seismic-wave propagation in tilted transversely isotropic (TTI) media, using an adaptive Lebedev staggered grid. In various embodiments, the adaptive grid includes multiple horizontal zones having different associated grid spacings, which may be determined based on a vertical wave-velocity model. The numerical simulation may involve iteratively solving a set of finite-difference equations including finite-difference coefficients that vary spatially depending on the grid spacing. Additional embodiments and features are described.

Limitations in accuracy and computing power requirements impeding conventional Kirchhoff migration and reverse time migration are overcome by using the wave-equation Kirchhoff, WEK, technique with Kirchhoff migration. WEK technique includes forward-propagating a low-frequency wavefield from a shot location among pre-defined source locations, calculating an arrival traveltime of a maximum amplitude of the low-frequency wavefield, and applying Kirchhoff migration using the arrival traveltime and the maximum amplitude.