US3747055A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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High resolution shooting with space domain filtering
Assignee: Texaco Inc
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Filing: 1971-06-16
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Granted: 1973-07-17
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Expires: 1991-06-16
Abstract
Abstract An illustrative embodiment of the invention includes methods for obtaining and enhancing seismic data from closely spaced subsurface reflection points using a minimal number of seismic energy generation. In the method of the invention the shot point to shot point spacing or the seismometer to seismometer spacing are varied in a systematic manner to produce reflections from closely adjacent, but spatially separated, reflection points. These reflections produce seismic traces which are then combined by the application of spatial filter operators to enhance the accuracy of the data for a given reflection point trace.
Inventors
- 👤 E Greene
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:50
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V1/00; G01V1/003; G01V1/16; G01V1/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of obtaining enhanced seismic data comprising the steps of: locating a line of seismometers in longitudinally spaced relation to each other on or near the surface of the earth; locating a line of shot points for generating seismic energy on or near the surface of the earth in systematically increasing longitudinal spaced relation to each other and to a given seismometer; generating seismic energy at each of the shot point locations; receiving reflected components of seismic energy resulting from each such energy generation at each seismometer location and generating electrical signals representative thereof; recording said representative signals as a function of time to obtain a plurality of seismic data traces representative of data from a plurality of relatively closely spaced subsurface reflection points; and processing said plurality of seismic traces by steps including the step of applying a spatial filter operator to effectively integrate data from a plurality of said traces resulting from relatively closely spaced subsurface reflection points.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of obtaining enhanced seismic data comprising the steps of: locating a line of seismometers in longitudinally spaced relation to each other on or near the surface of the earth; locating a line of shot points for generating seismic energy on or near the surface of the earth in systematically increasing longitudinal spaced relation to each other and to a given seismometer; generating seismic energy at each of the shot point locations; receiving reflected components of seismic energy resulting from each such energy generation at each seismometer location and generating electrical signals representative thereof; recording said representative signals as a function of time to obtain a plurality of seismic data traces representative of data from a plurality of relatively closely spaced subsurface reflection points; and processing said plurality of seismic traces by steps including the step of applying a spatial filter operator to effectively integrate data from a plurality of said traces resulting from relatively closely spaced subsurface reflection points.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said shot points are located in monotonically increasing longitudinally spaced relation to each other thereby resulting in obtaining a plurality of seismic traces from approximately equidistant spaced subsurface reflection points.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said seismometers are located a distance D apart and if n shot points are located in longitudinally spaced relation, each shot point spaced subsequent to a first shot point in the line is located a distance D + D/n from the precedingly spaced shot point in the line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying a spatial filter operator to a plurality of seismic traces is performed by applying an averaging operator to said traces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said averaging operator is a linear averaging operator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said operator is a weighted averaging operator wherein traces more distant from the center of the operator contribute proportionately less to the average than those nearer the center.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of obtaining enhanced seismic data comprising the steps of: locating a line of shot points for generating seismic energy in longitudinally spaced relation tO each other on or near the surface of the earth; locating a line of seismometers in systematically increasing longitudinal spaced relation to each other and to a given shot point; generating seismic energy at each of the shot point locations; receiving reflected components of seismic energy resulting from each such energy generation at each seismometer location and generating electrical signals representative thereof; recording said representative signals as a function of time to obtain a plurality of seismic data traces representative of data from a plurality of relatively closely spaced subsurface reflection points, and processing said plurality of seismic traces by steps including the step of applying a spatial filter operator to effectively integrate data from a plurality of said traces resulting from relatively closely spaced subsurface reflection points.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of obtaining enhanced seismic data comprising the steps of: locating a line of shot points for generating seismic energy in longitudinally spaced relation tO each other on or near the surface of the earth; locating a line of seismometers in systematically increasing longitudinal spaced relation to each other and to a given shot point; generating seismic energy at each of the shot point locations; receiving reflected components of seismic energy resulting from each such energy generation at each seismometer location and generating electrical signals representative thereof; recording said representative signals as a function of time to obtain a plurality of seismic data traces representative of data from a plurality of relatively closely spaced subsurface reflection points, and processing said plurality of seismic traces by steps including the step of applying a spatial filter operator to effectively integrate data from a plurality of said traces resulting from relatively closely spaced subsurface reflection points.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said seismometers are located in monotonically increasing longitudinally spaced relation to each other thereby resulting in obtaining a plurality of seismic traces from approximately equidistant spaced subsurface reflection points.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said shot points are located a distance D apart and if n shot points are located in longitudinally spaced relation, each seismometer spaced subsequent to a first seismometer in the line is located a distance D + D/n from the precedingly spaced shot point in the line.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the step of applying a spatial filter operator to a plurality of seismic traces is performed by applying an averaging operator to said traces.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said averaging operator is a linear averaging operator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said operator is a weighted averaging operator wherein traces more distant from the center of the operator contribute proportionately less to the average than those near the center.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
184 words
A method for obtaining enhanced seismic data comprising the steps of: locating a line of seismometers in longitudinally spaced relation to each other on or near the surface of the earth; locating a line of shot points for generating seismic energy on or near the surface of the earth and relative to said seismometers such that the spacing distance between each shot point and the midpoint equidistant between the shot point line and the seismometer line or the distance between each seismometer and said midpoint increases in a predetermined systematic manner; generating seismic energy at each shot point location; receiving reflected components of seismic energy resulting from each such energy generation at each seismometer location and generating electrical signals representative thereof; recording said representative signals as a function of time to obtain a plurality of seismic data traces representative of data from a plurality of relatively closely spaced subsurface reflection points; and processing said plurality of seismic traces by steps including the step of applying a spatial filter operator to a plurality of said traces resulting from a relatively closely spaced subsurface reflection points.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
184 words
A method for obtaining enhanced seismic data comprising the steps of: locating a line of seismometers in longitudinally spaced relation to each other on or near the surface of the earth; locating a line of shot points for generating seismic energy on or near the surface of the earth and relative to said seismometers such that the spacing distance between each shot point and the midpoint equidistant between the shot point line and the seismometer line or the distance between each seismometer and said midpoint increases in a predetermined systematic manner; generating seismic energy at each shot point location; receiving reflected components of seismic energy resulting from each such energy generation at each seismometer location and generating electrical signals representative thereof; recording said representative signals as a function of time to obtain a plurality of seismic data traces representative of data from a plurality of relatively closely spaced subsurface reflection points; and processing said plurality of seismic traces by steps including the step of applying a spatial filter operator to a plurality of said traces resulting from a relatively closely spaced subsurface reflection points.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the step of applying a spatial filter operator to a plurality of seismic traces is performed by applying an averaging operator to said traces.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said averaging operator is a linear averaging operator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said operator is a weighted averaging operator wherein traces more distant from the center of the operator contribute proportionately less to the average than those near the center.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-16 | 1977-01-15 | 1977-07-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-16 | 1981-01-15 | 1981-07-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-16 | 1985-01-15 | 1985-07-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |