Seismic data acquisition method

Claim 1

A method for the acquisition of partial multifold 3-dimensional CDP seismic data in which at least some of the sources and receivers necessary for complete multifold seismic CDP coverage are omitted wherein: active receiver groups are disposed in sets at grid points of a receiver minimum grid, the active receiver groups of each set being spaced apart from other active receiver groups of the set so that each active receiver group is one receiver minimum grid interval in a first dimension and one receiver minimum grid interval in a second dimension from at least one other active receiver group of the set; and sources are initiated at grid points of a source minimum grid so that each source is one source minimum grid interval in the first dimension and one source minimum grid interval in the second dimension from at least one other source, each source and receiver group being at preselected locations during the time of source initiation and the taking of seismic data with respect to common depth point, whereby the resulting system of linear static correction equations are continuously coupled.

Claim 2

A method for the acquisition of partial multifold 3-dimensional CDP seismic data in which at least some of the sources and receivers necessary for complete multifold seismic CDP coverage are omitted wherein: active receiver groups are disposed in sets at grid points of a receiver minimum grid, the active receiver groups of each set being spaced apart from other active receiver groups of the set so that each active receiver group is one receiver minimum grid interval in a first dimension and one receiver minimum grid interval in a second dimension from at least one other active receiver group of the set; and sources are initiated at grid points of a source minimum grid so that each source is one source minimum grid interval in the first dimension and one source minimum grid interval in the second dimension from at least one other source, each source and receiver group being at preselected locations during the time of source initiation and the taking of seismic data with respect to common depth point, whereby the resulting system of linear static correction equations are continuously coupled.

Claim 13

A method of 3-D seismic prospecting, wherein a 3-D array of source and active receiver groups for full-fold common depth point technique is altered to reduce the required number of records without substantial detrimental effects to the interpretability of the resulting seismic sections comprising: omitting at least some of the source and active receiver groups of the array of the 3-D full-fold common depth point technique; and arranging the remaining source and active receiver groups of the array so that the resulting system of linear static correction equations according to common depth point are continuously coupled, each source and receiver group being at preselected locations during the time of source initiation and the taking of seismic data with respect to common depth point, whereby the resulting system of linear static correction equations are continuously coupled.

Claim 14

A method of 3-D seismic prospecting, wherein a 3-D array of source and active receiver groups for full-fold common depth point technique is altered to reduce the required number of records without substantial detrimental effects to the interpretability of the resulting seismic sections comprising: omitting at least some of the source and active receiver groups of the array of the 3-D full-fold common depth point technique; and arranging the remaining source and active receiver groups of the array so that the resulting system of linear static correction equations according to common depth point are continuously coupled, each source and receiver group being at preselected locations during the time of source initiation and the taking of seismic data with respect to common depth point, whereby the resulting system of linear static correction equations are continuously coupled.