3D seismic acquisition

A method of marine survey area imaging, the method comprising:

• developing a geology model of a marine survey area for a sample grid of a geophysically selected size;
• generating a compressed seismic imaging design (“CSI design”) by iteratively modifying the sample grid until the CSI design is stable;
• determining a set of sampling rules for the marine survey area and the CSI design, the set of rules providing coverage of the marine survey area such that minimum data is recorded for wavefield reconstruction using the CSI design;
• acquiring 3D seismic data traces as a series of cross-cutting passes of a vessel at one or more orientations over the marine survey area using the CSI design until the set of sampling rules is met;
• producing seismic data by reconstructing a wavefield and regularizing the 3D seismic data traces;
• and
• identifying where at least one of oil or gas may be trapped in sufficient quantities for exploration activities using the seismic data.