Complexity in common image gather behaviour in offshore continental settings arising from velocity model building and imaging choices.

Common image gather complexity arising from uncertainties in the subsurface velocity model feeds into exploration risk through degradation in seismic attributes and facies prediction. In off-shore continental settings where the overburden is geologically complex, the seismic wavefield exhibits complex behaviour when propagating through such highly varying geological structures which impacts the resultant seismic images and attributes. Using a representative synthetic model, the imaging choices and velocity model uncertainties are explored in light of maximizing facies prediction using seismically derived attributes.