Basin reevaluation by CRS-stack-based seismic reflection imaging

In this case study we are giving attention to the seismic processing of a challenging land data set from the Takutu Basin, North Brazil. The presented results were produced in the framework of an binational research project which aims at developing a new seismic reflection imaging workflow well suited for reprocessing seismic data and reevaluation of exploration prospects. In this specific case, the data was acquired under difficult conditions many years ago. Thus, the main problem encountered was the poor quality of the data, especially with respect to coverage and signal-to-noise ratio. The data suffered from top-surface topography, a strongly varying weathering layer, and complex near-surface geology. Due to the fact that the spatial CRS stacking operator fits the actual reflection events much better than conventional stacking operators and involves many neighboring CMP gathers into the stacking process, a strong improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio can be expected. Furthermore, the large fold of the CRS operator provides a significantly increased statistical basis for residual static correction compared to conventional approaches, which also makes this approach particularly suited for reprocessing data sets such as the one at hand. In view of these complex conditions the conducted imaging workflow, i.e. stack, residual static correction, redatuming, tomographic inversion, and pre- and poststack depth migration, led to a significant improvement in resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and reflector continuity.

@InProceedings{HLG07,
  author       = {Heilmann, Z. and Leite, L. and Gomes, A.},
  title        = {Basin reevaluation by CRS-stack-based seismic reflection imaging},
  booktitle    = {Extended Abstracts},
  series       = {10th International Congress of the Brazilian Geophysical Society, Rio de Janeiro},
  year         = {2007},
  publisher    = {SBGf},
  url          = {https://publications.crs4.it/pubdocs/2007/HLG07},
}