Amoco Corporation

The Standard Oil Company

John H Bodine

James H Wright

Jonathan Bork

Leon A Thomsen

Richard M Alford

John N Gallagher

Timothy D Stanley

Regional coherency maxima are displayed in various domains and interactively edited to produce stacking velocity functions, horizon velocity functions, and sets of edited velocity spectra regional coherency peaks for use in geophysical exploration for oil and gas.

Geophysical exploration using velocity spectra regional coherency peaks

A geophysical method of exploration including processing and displaying seismic data so as to enhance geophysicists' ability to evaluate and interpret subtle variations in the earth's geological and lithological structure. In particular, an exponentiated phase signal is obtained for a complex signal formed from seismic data exponentiated to a selected power. Displays of the exponentiated phase signal can be produced which visually highlight subtle variations in the earth's geological and lithological structure.

Method of geophysical exploration

The present invention provides a method of seismic exploration for obtaining a measure of the subterranean formation rock properties. Incident angle ordered gathers of seismic signal are processed to obtain a measure of the reflection coefficient as well as attributes descriptive of variations in amplitude of the seismic signal as a function of incident angle. Such attributes, when plotted on an angle dependent amplitude diagram, are transformed into a most probable estimate of the subterranean formation rock properties as well as a diagnostic of relative lithology and pore fluid contrast.

Method of geophysical exploration including processing and displaying

A method for quantitatively distinguishing seismic events on a seismic record for inferring changes in the geological character of the subterranean formations. Reflection coefficients are obtained for such seismic events and a first set of attributes indicative of amplitude variations in the offset seismic signals corresponding to the seismic event as a function of incident angle are obtained therefrom. The first set of attributes provide a seismologist with a diagnostic tool for quantitatively evaluating subtle changes in the seismic event. A second set of attributes which are functions of the first set of attributes provide the seismologist with additional diagnostic tools for evaluating subtle changes in the seismic events.

Method of seismic exploration including processing and displaying

A method of processing geophysical seismic data so as to enhance its evaluation and interpretation. A plurality of response waveform characteristics are developed from a seismic signal. The response waveform characteristics can provide empirical basis for correlating a seismic signal fo formation geology and lithology. In accordance with the present invention, the response waveform characteristics are chromatically quantified and the intensity of which can be modulated so as to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of the displayed response waveform characteristics.

Response waveform characterization of geophysical data

A method and apparatus for enhancing the resolution of true variations of a seismic signal amplitude as a function of range. A time-variant bandpass filter is impressed upon the seismic data having a bandpass frequency dependent upon the range between the seismic sources and the seismic receivers of a common depth point array of seismic sources and seismic receivers. A maximum bandpass frequency is derived from the maximum range between the seismic sources and the seismic receivers of a common depth point array of seismic sources and seismic receivers. The maximum bandpass frequency is adapted to accommodate time varying ranges as well as time varying stacking velocities so as to produce a seismic signal having enhanced resolution of amplitude variations of the seismic signal.

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Tulsa, OK, United States of America

John H Bodine