The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 02, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 21, 1997
Long Don Pham, Houston, TX (US);
Exxon Production Research Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A method for determining a substantially optimal NMO velocity function for use in stacking a CMP gather of seismic data traces. The method begins with an initial estimate of the NMO velocity function for the CMP gather. This initial estimate is typically determined through conventional seismic velocity analysis. The method then picks a first velocity-traveltime pair falling on the initial estimate of the NMO velocity function and conducts a two-dimensional interpolative search of trial velocity-traveltime pairs in the neighborhood of the pick to find a substantially optimal velocity-traveltime pair. This substantially optimal velocity-traveltime pair is the trial velocity-traveltime pair having the highest stack response and is substituted for the pick in the NMO velocity function. The method then proceeds to find substantially optimal velocity-traveltime pairs to replace each of the other picks on the initial estimate of the NMO velocity function. Preferably, the two-dimensional interpolative search consists of a one-dimensional parabolic interpolative search to identify the optimal velocity for each computational time within a specified time window, followed by a one-dimensional search to select one of these optimal velocities which, together with its corresponding computational time, becomes the substantially optimal velocity-traveltime pair for the pick in question.