Seismic Data and Operations

Seismic surveys have become the primary tool of exploration companies in the continental United States, both onshore and offshore.The seismic wave travels into the earth, is reflected by subsurface formations, and returns to the surface where it is recorded by receivers called geophones similar to microphones.

The seismic testing is carried out by a specially configured truck (called a vibroseis truck) that lowers a plate onto the surface.This plate generates an acoustic sound signal that is transmitted into the earth's surface which then reflects off the various geological layers.

Seismic surveys use reflected sound waves to produce a CAT scan of the Earth's subsurface. Seismic surveys can help locate ground water, are used to investigate locations for landfills, and characterize how an area will shake during an earthquake, but they are primarily used for oil and gas exploration.

Seismic images are produced by generating, recording, and analyzing sound waves that travel through the Earth (such waves are also called seismic waves). Explosives or vibrating plates generate the waves and a line or grid of geophones records them.

There are three primary steps in processing seismic data deconvolution, stacking, and migration, in their usual order of application.Deconvolution achieves this goal by compressing the wavelet. Stacking also is a process of compression (velocity analysis and statics corrections).

A seismic operation is conducted by sending a seismic wave into the ground and recording the reflected energy back at the surface. The recorded data needs to go under processing in order to be ready for interpretation.

Seismic data are used by reservoir management teams to plan and monitor the development and production of a field. Seismic data have the potential to provide the bridge between well logs and core analysis on the one hand, and tracer and well-test analysis on the other.

A seismic survey is a low impact, non-invasive method of gathering information about the location and characteristics of geological structures beneath the Earth's surface.This plate generates an acoustic sound signal that is transmitted into the earth's surface which then reflects off the various geological layers.

Seismic acquisition requires the use of a seismic source at specified locations for a seismic survey, and the energy that travels within the subsurface as seismic waves generated by the source gets recorded at specified locations on the surface by what is known as receivers (geophones or hydrophones).