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Improving Interpretability of Subsalt Images by Image Conditioning and Enhancement with RTM Vector Image Partitions
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, 77th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2015, Jun 2015, Volume 2015, p.1 - 5
Abstract
Subsalt imaging remains a significant challenge despite the recent major advances in seismic acquisition, multiple attenuation, anisotropic velocity model building and migration algorithms. Insufficient illumination and inherited inaccuracy of the models yield difficult to interpret subsalt images even when we use full azimuth (FAZ) long offset datasets and Reverse Time Migration (RTM). Most recently, the introduction of Vector Image Partitions (VIPs) from RTM provided additional opportunities for enhancing seismic images and facilitating subsalt interpretation.
In this paper, we present a new method for optimizing the final migrated images through enhancement of the consistent signal and suppression of noise among VIPs. In addition to fully automated mode of use, this method allows to incorporate geologic interpretation and illumination studies to guide the VIP selection in most difficult regions. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this method with examples from the Gulf of Mexico. The results show great improvements in the subsalt image quality in terms of signal to noise ratio, reflector continuity, and wavelet consistency along reflectors.