Integrated Passive and Active Seismic Surveying Using Multiple Arrays

• US 20130215717A1
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company
• Original Assignee: ION Geophysical Corporation
• Inventors: Hofland, Gregg S., Leveille, Jacques P., Kahn, Daniel S., Faber, Kees, Laroo, Rick, Lawson, Jerry L., Balla, William A., Saur, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,061,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/59
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/288 Event detection in seismic signals, e.g. microseismics G01V1/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/306 for determining physical properties of the subsurface, e.g. impedance, porosity or attenuation profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/40 specially adapted for well-logging
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/42 using generators in one well and receivers elsewhere or vice versa G01V1/52 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/123 Passive source, e.g. microseismics

Abstract

Microseismic mapping using buried arrays with the integration of passive and active seismic surveys provides enhanced microseismic mapping results. The system is initially set up by recording seismic data with the buried array installation while shooting a significant portion of the 3D surface seismic survey. The 3D surface seismic survey provides the following data: shallow 3D VSP data from the buried arrays; P-wave and converted wave data for the area covered by the buried array that benefits from the planned data integration processing effort; and microseismic data and associated analysis.

Claims

1. A seismic surveying method of a subsurface volume, the method comprising:

arranging at least one first array of first sensors in a first arrangement relative to the subsurface volume;

arranging at least one second array of second sensors in a second arrangement relative to the subsurface volume different from the first arrangement;

collecting first seismic data with the first sensors in response to first seismic energy;

collecting second seismic data with the second sensors in response to second seismic energy;

combining the collected first and second seismic data; and

determining at least one property of the subsurface volume from the combined seismic data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein arranging in the first arrangement comprises arranging the at least one first array of the first sensors substantially parallel to the subsurface volume;

and wherein arranging in the second arrangement comprises arranging the at least one second array of the second sensors substantially perpendicular to the subsurface volume.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein arranging in the first arrangement comprises arranging the at least one first array of the first sensors in a first density relative to the subsurface volume;

and wherein arranging in the second arrangement comprises arranging the at least one second array of the second sensors in a second density relative to the subsurface volume, the second density being different from the first density.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the first and second seismic data in response to the first and second seismic energies comprises actively generating the first and second seismic energies by operating at least one seismic source.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one seismic source is selected from the group consisting of a blast charge, a vibrator, an air gun, a water gun, a sparker, an impulsive source, a compressive wave source, and a shear wave source.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein operating the at least one seismic source comprises operating at least one first seismic source and at least one second seismic source, wherein the at least one first seismic source is the same as or is different from the at least one second seismic source;

and wherein the at least one first and second seismic sources generate same or different output energies.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the first and second seismic data in response to the first and second seismic energies comprises collecting the first and second seismic data in response to the first and second seismic energies from at least one passively generated event.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one passively generated event is selected from the group consisting of an earthquake, a fault slippage, a production operation in a well, a fracturing operation in the well, a breaking-up of ice, an environmental source with identifiable location, equipment operation, animal activity, and weather activity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one property of the subsurface volume is selected from the group consisting of a subsurface structure, an inelastic parameter, an elastic parameter, a velocity, a near-surface velocity model, an anisotropy parameter, acoustic impedance, shear impedance, attenuation, density, brittleness, rigidity, fracture attribute, and pore pressure.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second sensors comprise an accelerometer, a geophone, a hydrophone, a fiber optic sensor, a microphone, or a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sensors each comprise a three-component geophone having a geophone element and having a low-noise amplifier integrated therein.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein arranging the at least one first array of the first sensors in the first arrangement relative to the subsurface volume comprises:

arranging the first sensors as surface sensors on a surface above the subsurface volume;

arranging the first sensors as ocean-bottom sensors on a seabed above the subsurface volume;

or

towing the first sensors on at least one streamer in water above the subsurface volume.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein arranging the at least one second array of the second sensors in the second arrangement relative to the subsurface volume comprises coupling the at least one second array of the second sensors in at least one borehole disposed substantially vertical to a surface of the subsurface volume.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein coupling the at least one second array of the second sensors in the at least one borehole disposed substantially vertical to the surface of the subsurface volume comprises:

drilling the at least one borehole in the surface;

disposing the at least one second array of the second sensors on a tubular;

disposing the tubular with the at least one second array in the at least one borehole; and

coupling the second sensors to the subsurface volume adjacent the at least one borehole.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein drilling the at least one borehole comprises drilling the at least one borehole on land or on a seabed.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein coupling the second sensors to the subsurface volume adjacent the at least one borehole comprises cementing the second sensors in the borehole or suspending the second sensors in fluid in the borehole.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein arranging the at least one second array of the second sensors in the second arrangement relative to the subsurface volume comprises suspending the at least one second array on a substantially vertical line disposed in a water column above the subsurface volume.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the substantially vertical line is a tether line of an ocean bottom cable having the at least one first array of the first sensors.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting third seismic data with at least the second sensors in response to microseismic energy; and

adjusting the determined property of the subsurface volume based on the collected third seismic data.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein collecting the third seismic data with the second sensors in response to the microseismic energy comprises inducing the microseismic energy in a wellbore in the subsurface volume.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein inducing the microseismic energy in the wellbore in the subsurface volume comprises:

performing a fracture operation on the subsurface volume;

perforating casing in the wellbore;

producing fluid from the wellbore;

or

injecting fluid in the wellbore.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein collecting the third seismic data with the second sensors in response to the microseismic energy comprises obtaining the third seismic data in response to fracture naturally occurring in the subsurface volume.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein combining the collected first and second seismic data comprises:

deriving a first characterization of the subsurface volume from the first seismic data;

deriving a second characterization of the subsurface volume from the second seismic data; and

using one of the first or second characterizations as a constraint to the derivation of the other characterization.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least one property of the subsurface volume from the combined seismic data comprises imaging a model of the at least one property by constraining the model determined with the first seismic data by a constraint determined from the second seismic data.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the model comprises a model of velocity, shear velocity, compression velocity, anisotropic parameter, attenuation parameter, or combination thereof.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein imaging the model comprises using Kirchhoff-based or wave-equation based techniques.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein imaging the model comprises using wave-form inversion on the first seismic data with penalty constraints from the second seismic data.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein imaging the model comprises:

generating a near-surface model as the model by constraining shallow surface wave inversion with the second seismic data; and

imaging the first seismic data using the generated near-surface model.

29. A programmable storage device having program instructions stored thereon for causing a programmable control device to perform a seismic surveying method of a subsurface volume according to claim 1.

30. A system for seismic surveying a subsurface volume, the system comprising:

at least one first array of first sensors arranged in a first arrangement relative to the subsurface volume;

at least one second array of second sensors arranged in a second arrangement relative to the subsurface volume different from the first arrangement; and

at least one processing device configured to;

obtain first seismic data collected with the first sensors in response to first seismic energy,

obtain second seismic data collected with the second sensors in response to second seismic energy,

combine the collected first and second seismic data, and

determine at least one property of the subsurface volume from the combined seismic data.