Velocity-independent and data-driven prestack time imaging; it is possible

• Published in: Leading edge (Tulsa, Okla.) Vol. 33; no. 9; pp. 1008 - 1014
• Main Authors: Bonomi, Ernesto, Tomas, Carlo, Marchetti, Paolo, Caddeo, Gianluigi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Society of Exploration Geophysicists 01-09-2014
• Subjects: applied (geophysical surveys & methods); case studies; Communities; Contractors; data processing; diffraction; Earth; elastic waves; Formulations; Gas exploration; geophysical methods; Geophysics; imagery; Imaging; prestack migration; seismic methods; seismic migration; seismic waves; traveltime; velocity
• ISSN: 1070-485X; 1938-3789
• DOI: 10.1190/tle33091008.1

The formulation and practical implementation of methods to automatically obtain an image of the earth's interior are long-term dreams in the geophysical community. This problem has stimulated the curiosity of geophysicists, and its solution would dramatically change seismic processing and improve oil and gas exploration. Several attempts have been made in the last two decades to obtain such a result, and nowadays, every oil company and contractor is still strongly committed to achieving it. In this effort, velocity-independent time imaging, driven only by data, is possible.