Seismic Data Acquisition &

Processing
LECTURE

Mr Amin Fontem
 EASC 609: Syllabus
• Introduction: Historical perspective of the Seismic Method

• Brief review of elastic waves and phenomena such as reflection, refraction, diffraction and attenuation
which occur as these waves propagate through the earth.

• The acquisition equipment used (sources, detectors, recorders, etc.)

• Survey planning & design (modeling)

• Typical acquisition procedures for land and marine surveys;

• Uphole and shallow refraction surveys

• Seismic data processing: the processes used to convert field data to final section

• Velocity analysis, statics, CDP stack, deconvolution and migration

• Practical Sessions

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Survey planning & Design
(modeling)
 Seismic Survey Planning

• Acquiring high-quality seismic data requires

innovative solutions to the many acquisition
challenges that occur in land, transition zone
and marine environments.

• Seismic surveys can be acquired in a safe and

environmentally friendly manner when the
proper planning, design and field management
techniques are employed.
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 Seismic Survey Planning

• Optimizing a seismic survey to meet and

surpass the proposed objectives is paramount
to a successful exploration program.

• Geophysical expertise is required

• A variety of commercial software packages are

used to model and design the survey.
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 Seismic Modeling

• Modeling steps include velocity model building;

• Reprocessing of previously acquired data or synthetic
data for determinations of:
– offsets,
– streamer separations
• Source modeling;

• When modeling is complete, a seismic survey is

designed which will optimize the calculated parameters
and most accurately image the geologic target.
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 Parameters & Specifications – 2D

• Instrument 408UL
• Source Type Dynamite
• Group Interval 20m
• Type of Shooting Asymmetrical Spread
• Channel 256
• Spread length 4300
• Short Interval 40m
• No. of Geophones/Group 12
• Geophone Pattern Linear
• Shot Hole Pattern Single
• Record Length 6secs
• Sample Rate 2ms

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 Parameters & Specifications

• Determine standard acquisition parameters

• Geometry proof and selection
• Seismic experiment simulation (using software)

Survey definition
• Acquisition mode : 3D, 8 streamer, dual source
• Shot interval : 25 m flip/flop, STBD guns on ODD shotpoints
• No of lines : 116
• Line orientation : 090°/270°
• Sail line interval : 400m

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 Parameters & Specifications

Energy source
• Source type : Sodera G-Guns (Air Guns)
• Number of sources : 2
• Air pressure : 2000 psi
• Volume each source : 3960 in3
• Source separation : 50 m
• Number of sub-arrays per source: 3
• Sub-array separation : 10 m
• Source length: 14 m
• Source depth : 8.0 m ± 1.0m
• Shot point interval : 25m flip flop (50m per source)
• Gun synchronisation : 1.0 ms, >1.5ms to be edited
• Drop-out specification: See Appendix C
• Gun Controller : Gunlink

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 Parameters & Specifications

Streamer
• Number of streamers : 8
• Type of streamer : SEAL, fluid filled
• Streamer length : 6000 m
• Streamer separation : 100 m
• Streamer depth : 9 m ± 1m
• Number of groups per Streamer : 480
• Group length : 12.5 m
• Nominal inline offset : 210 m
• Survey fold (nominal) : 60
• Bird Controller : Digicourse System.3 ver.5.01
• Bird model: 5011, 22 birds per streamer

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 Parameters & Specifications

Data recording
• Recorder : Sercel Seal ver 5.16
• Record length: 9s
• Sampling rate: 2 ms
• Lo-cut filter – Hydrophone : 3.0 Hz (6 dB per octave).
• Low cut filter digital : 3 Hz - 6 dB / Octave
• Combined low cut filter : 4.66 Hz - 12 dB / Octave
• Hi-cut filter – Hydrophone : 200 Hz (370 dB per octave)
• Recording media : 3590E with 20 Gb Imation tapes
• Format : SEGD 8058 rev.1  32 bits IEEE
• Polarity : in accordance with SEG specifications
(compression = negative number on tape)

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 Survey Planning-Scope

• Survey Scope
– Survey Objectives
– Survey Area Location Description and Geometry
• Survey Polygon Coordinates
– Defining the survey area and survey data using a
prescribed Geodetic Reference System; add maps
• Geological &Geophysical Targets
– Primary, Secondary and Tertiary targets (Geological
objectives -Lithology, surfaces or horizons)
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 Contracting

Invitation to Tender (ITT) Document

1. Services to be provided
2. Time Schedule
3. Qualification of the Contractor/Company
i. Description of instruments and equipment
ii. Technical expertise of personnel; Availability
iii. References; Financial standing; Certification; Safety Record etc.
4. Compensation (Mobilization/Demobilization, other cost)
5. Tender Deadline & Duration
6. Tender Evaluation & Criteria
7. Award Criteria

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 Survey Planning - Sub-contractors

• Seismic data quality control (QC)

• Onboard seismic processing services
• Independent 3rd party seismic instrument test
analysis and maintenance
• Navigation Quality Control/Geomatics
Engineers
• Support Vessels/Chase vessels
• Local Representatives-Community Education
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 Survey Planning - Permitting

• Secure Permission to enter survey area

• Determining land and lease ownership can often delay or deter an

otherwise successful survey program.

• Due diligence must be performed in the permitting and site evaluation

process

• Officials with extensive experience with permits, landowners, legal issues

and title searches would provide the extra edge to a successful survey.

• Permission may require compensation payment

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 Survey Planning - Permitting

Notices & Permits

• National Security
• Ports & Harbors
• Navy & Maritime Police
• Ministries (e.g. Interior) &Government Agencies
• District Assemblies
• Petroleum Commission
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Chiefs
• Farmers/Fishermen
• Opinion Leaders
• Local Community

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 Survey Planning –Site Investigation-Land or
Marine
• Accurate positioning of seismic surveys, hazards, property
lines, and well are key to a successful exploration program.

• Positioning technologies, including GPS is used to provide

the greatest positioning accuracy available.

• By providing accuracy in survey and navigation data, risk

and exposure are lessened and capital expense reduced.

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 Planning Stage

 Survey Platting / Pre-positioning

• Establish the proposed survey site, with boundaries and survey
parameters defined.
(These are plotted onto a map of the site, disregarding local
features and constraints.)
 
Preliminary Project Map
• Utilize an ArcGIS Integrated System to produce maps
incorporating areas identified with probable hazards, avoidance
& sensitive areas, etc., requiring limitations and constraints upon
the positioning of energy sources & receiver equipment.

• Prepare a 3D Seismic Grid of matching scale, with grid layout in

proportion to the proposed distances between source and
receiver lines.
Reposition / Offset energy source points outside of hazard & avoidance areas.
 Things to Consider to Avoid Delays

• Weather Patterns
• Environment
• Mode of Transportation
• Size of Equipment
• Inaccessible Roads
• Political Constraints
• Social Constraints
• Religion/Traditional beliefs
• Local Livelihoods
• Community Education/Public Notice
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Seismic Data Acquisition &
Processing

Mr Amin Fontem
 Survey Design
& Acquisition Procedures

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 Seismic Field Party - Land
• Survey Crew –Fixing control points (SP) using GPS
• Short Hole Drilling Crew
• Uphole Survey Crew –Velocity and thickness of
Low Velocity Layer (LVL)
• Recording Unit
– Shooting Crew
– Cable Laying Crew
– Recording Crew

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 Basic Concepts in 2D surveys
• The guiding principle should be to design a
seismic survey that will image the selected
target in the most economical way for cost and
time
• Resolution parameters such as frequency
required to image the targets are starting
design factors
• The definition of the representative horizons is
the beginning of the design
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 5 Key Ingredients
There are five key ingredients to acquiring useful
seismic data:
• 1. Positioning / Surveying
• 2. Seismic Energy Source
• 3. Data Recording
• 4. Data Processing
• 5. Data Interpretation
 Geophysical Survey Design
• In designing a survey,
the type of target is of
great importance

• Each type of target

dictate to a large extent
the appropriate
geophysical method(s)
to be used

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 2D Onshore Acquisition

• Provides a cross section of the subsurface in two planes,

horizontally and vertically.

• Acquired with single source and a single line of receivers. Each

line is processed individually and independently.

• Lines are often set far apart so they only provide a snapshot of
the subsurface.

• The 2D data is typically used for mapping multiple basins and

deposition trends across a large region.

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2D Onshore Acquisition

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 3D Onshore Acquisition

• Receivers are spaced closer together to

produce a more accurate three dimensional
picture of the subsurface.

• The 3D data is good for focusing on multiple

targets, pinpointing more exact prospects and
subsurface features.

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3D SEISMIC GRID – ENERGY SOURCE & RECEIVER POINTS
 
Establish and prepare Operational Parameters of the Survey
Comprehensive report detailing project size & location, energy source / receiver information,
technical details, patch information, patch type and limited offset fold ranges.

SAMPLE parameters for a 3D seismic survey are as follows:

1. Types of equipment to be used:
• Vibroseis Trucks (Urban areas, roads, highways, dry land areas)
• Highland Rigs (For lands in majority of the project area)
• Airboats in mud flat areas and shallow open water
• Shallow draft water barge in open water areas
• Flat bottom aluminum boats for detonation, trouble-shooting geophone problems.
2. Diameter of drill holes: 4 inches
3. Size of energy charge: 2.5 – 8.0 pounds on land (1/4 pound in mini-holes) and 11.0 pounds in
shallow open water *
4. Depth of drill holes: 80 feet (10 feet for mini-holes) on land and 120 feet in shallow open water
5. Receivers: Geophones (Cable & Wireless) on land, Hydrophones in open water.
6. Spacing of source and receiver points: (Sample
180 (+/-) feet between source points, 1700 (+/-) feet space between source lines*
180 (+/-) feet between receiver points, 1000 (+/-) feet space between receiver lines

 * Note: Where truck mounted vibroseis is used as energy source, the same spacing will apply.
Individual Source points and receiver points will be numbered and platted according
to GPS (NAD83) coordinates. Hand-clearing of vegetation may be necessary along
source and receiver lines within some portions of the project area.
 Transition Zone Acquisition
• Land operations must terminate when the source
approaches the water edge or shore lines
• Transition zone techniques have been developed
to provide continuous seismic coverage required
over the land and then into sea
• A combination of Geophones and hydrophones are
used in a single unit–called dual sensor
• The dual sensor reduces ghosting effect

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 3D Seismic Surveys
MARINE ACQUISITION

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3D Marine Acquisition – Historical Background

• The first 3D marine seismic surveys were shot

in the early ’80

• They were carried out by vessels towing a

single cable and one or two sources: Each sail
line was made up of only 1 or 2 lines

• Acquisition was very slow and expensive

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 3D Marine Acquisition
EVOLUTION
• In the last 20 years, 3D marine acquisition has experienced a
dramatic technological evolution

• There are vessels capable of towing up to 10-12 cables and up

to 4 sources

• Vessels are capable of towing 20 streamers

• 3D marine acquisition has become a relatively cheap

methodology, which can be used to shoot large areas, also
with exploration targets

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Marine Acquisition

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 Airguns
• Typically, multiple airguns
are towed behind the
vessel, several meters
below the sea surface in
a pre-determined
combination, or array of
different chamber
volumes designed to
generate an optimally
tuned energy output of
desirable sound
frequencies.

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 Marine Seismic Acquisition
• At sea, the procedure is essentially the same except that
our instruments are continuously moving!
• The seismic (energy) source is usually an array of airguns
towed behind the survey vessel and just below the sea
surface. The airguns are fired at regular intervals as the
vessel moves along pre-determined survey lines.
• Energy reflected from beneath the seafloor is detected
by numerous 'hydrophones' contained inside long,
neutrally buoyant 'streamers' - often almost 5 miles long
- also towed behind the vessel.
Marine (Offshore) Seismic Acquisition

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Multiple Lines Of Data
• At sea, several lines of seismic
data can be recorded
simultaneously by towing
multiple source arrays and
streamers.

• Here, two source arrays and

four streamers allow eight lines
of seismic data to be recorded
at once.

• It is generally much faster to

acquire seismic data at sea than
on land.
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Shooting Plan

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3D Seismic Survey
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Ocean Bottom Cable Applications

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 Exercises
Write a one page essay on:
1. Ocean Bottom Surveys; challenges and
benefits associated with the
survey/application

2. Uphole and shallow refraction surveys

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