Predictive noise filtering of multi-component seismic data

• US 4,853,902 A
• Filed: 03/07/1988
• Issued: 08/01/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Corrigan, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US07/164,977
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 367/38, 367/43, 367/44, 367/56, 367/59
• US Class Current: 367/44
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/366 by correlation of seismic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/3246 Coherent noise, e.g. spatially coherent or predictable

Abstract

An improvement in a method of treating seismic data in which predictive noise, as measured along one of the axes is discriminated and subtracted from the total signal along another of the axes recorded by geophone recording the reflection from subterranean strata of energy input from a source at the surface.

Claims

1. In a method of treating seismic data which:

a. source energy is input at the surface of the earth;

b. a plurality of reflection records are made of the reflection of said source energy from subterranean strata;

the improvement comprising;

c. recording each of said reflection records with at least two components along respective orthogonal axes, said two components being first and second components;

d. discriminating from each of said respective first and second reflection record components a noise portion, for each reflection record said respective noise portion of said respective first component being discriminated by filtering said respective second component with a spatial filter, said spatial filter being determined from a correlation of all of said first and second components, for each reflection record said respective noise portion of said respective second component being discriminated by filtering said respective first component with said spatial filter; and

e. subtracting said respective noise portions from said respective reflection records to thereby more clearly delineate a desired signal portion.

2. A method for reducing coherent noise in seismic signals, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a source means and a plural receiver means adjacent to the earth, said plural receiver means being separated from said source means, each of said receiver means being capable of measuring first and second components of seismic activity;

b. operating said source means so as to produce a seismic energy;

c. measuring said seismic energy with said plural receiver means such that each of said receiver means produces respective first and second seismic signals corresponding to said measured first and second seismic components, each of said first and second seismic signals having a respective noise portion;

d. determining a spatial filter from said plural first seismic signals and said plural second seismic signals, said spatial filter being derived from a correlation of said plural first seismic signals and said plural second seismic signals;

e. for each receiver means determining the noise portion of said respective first seismic signal from said spatial filter and said respective second seismic signal, and determining the noise portion of said respective second seismic signal from said spatial filter and said respective first seismic signal;

f. removing said respective determined noise portions from said respective first and second seismic signals to obtain first and second seismic signals with reduced noise.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said respective first and second components are orthogonal.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said respective first components correspond to vertical components and said respective second components correspond to horizontal components.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said respective receiver means are separated from one another by equal distances.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said respective receiver means are separated from one another by equal distances.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein said spatial filter is a frequency domain filter such that said determinations of noise portions are in the frequency domain.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said respective first and second components are orthogonal.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said respective first components correspond to vertical components and said respective second components correspond to horizontal components.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said respective receiver means are separated from one another by equal distances.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said respective receiver means are separated from one another by equal distances.

12. A method for reducing noise in seismic signals, comprising the steps of:

a. providing plural seismic signals, said seismic signals having noise which is coherent between said seismic signals, each of said seismic signals having a first component and a second component, each of said first and second seismic components having a respective noise portion;

b. determining a spatial filter from said plural first seismic components and said plural second seismic components, said spatial filter being derived from a correlation of said plural first seismic components and said plural second seismic components;

c. for each seismic signal determining the noise portion of said respective first seismic component from said spatial filter and said respective second seismic component, and determining the noise portion of said respective second seismic component from said spatial filter and said respective first seismic component;

d. removing said respective noise portions from said respective first and second seismic components to obtain seismic signals with reduced noise.

13. A method of reducing noise in seismic signals, comprising the steps of:

a. providing plural seismic signals obtained from plural receiver means, said plural receiver means for receiving seismic energy, said plural receiver means separated from each other by predetermined distances, each of said seismic signals having first and second components, each of said first and second components having a respective noise portion, said noise portions being coherent between said seismic signals;

b. determining the respective frequency content of each of said first and second seismic components;

c. for each frequency determining a spatial filter from said first and second seismic components, said spatial filter being derived from a correlation of said first seismic components and said second seismic components;

d. for each frequency of each receiver means determining the noise portion of said respective first seismic component from said spatial filter and said respective second seismic component, and determining the noise portion of said respective second seismic component from said spatial filter and said respective first seismic component;

e. removing said respective determined noise portions from said respective first and second seismic components in order to obtain first and second seismic components with reduced noise.