Full-azimuth subsurface angle domain wavefield decomposition and imaging Part I: Directional and reflection image gathers

TLDR: In this paper, the authors present a new subsurface angle-domain seismic imaging system for generating and extracting high-resolution information about the surface angle-dependent reflectivity, which enables geophysicists to use all recorded seismic data in a continuous fashion.

Abstract: We present a new subsurface angle-domain seismic imaging systemforgeneratingandextractinghigh-resolutioninformation about subsurface angle-dependent reflectivity. The system enables geophysicists to use all recorded seismic data in a continuousfashiondirectlyinthesubsurfacelocalangledomainLAD, resulting in two complementary, full-azimuth, common-imageangle gather systems: directional and reflection. The complete setofinformationfrombothtypesofanglegathersleadstoaccurate, high-resolution, reliable velocity model determination and reservoir characterization. The directional angle decomposition enables the implementation of specular and diffraction imaging in real 3D isotropic/anisotropic geological models, leading to simultaneous emphasis on continuous structural surfaces and discontinuous objects such as faults and small-scale fractures. Structural attributes at each subsurface point, e.g., dip, azimuth andcontinuity,canbederiveddirectlyfromthedirectionalangle gathers. The reflection-angle gathers display reflectivity as a function of the opening angle and opening azimuth. These gathers are most meaningful in the vicinity of actual local reflecting surfaces,wherethereflectionanglesaremeasuredwithrespectto the derived background specular direction. The reflection-angle gathers are used for automatic picking of full-azimuth angle-domainresidualmoveoutsRMOwhich,togetherwiththederived background orientations of the subsurface reflection horizons, provide a complete set of input data to isotropic/anisotropic tomography. The full-azimuth, angle-dependent amplitude variations are used for reliable and accurate amplitude versus angle andazimuthAVAZanalysisandreservoircharacterization.The proposed system is most effective for imaging and analysis below complex structures, such as subsalt and subbasalt, high-velocity carbonate rocks, shallow low-velocity gas pockets, and others. In addition, it enables accurate azimuthal anisotropic imaging and analysis, providing optimal solutions for fracture detectionandreservoircharacterization.