Automatic data enhancement for full waveform inversion in the midpoint-offset domain

A system for generating a velocity model to improve an accuracy of seismic imaging of a subterranean formation, the system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
• receiving for each of a plurality of common midpoint-offset bins, each common midpoint-offset bin associated with data representing a plurality of seismic traces, a candidate pilot trace representing the common midpoint-offset bin;
• for each common midpoint-offset bin:
• generating a corrected pilot trace based on an iterative rejection of anomalous traces of the plurality of seismic traces;
• performing an iterative correction of surface-consistent amplitude anomalies for each trace in the plurality of seismic traces;
• and
• generating corrected traces based on the corrected pilot trace and based on the iterative correction of surface-consistent amplitude anomalies;
• grouping the corrected traces for the plurality of common midpoint-offset bins into a plurality of enhanced virtual shot gathers (eVSGs);
• and
• generating, based on a waveform inversion of the plurality of enhanced virtual shot gathers, a seismic image representing the subterranean formation, the seismic image having less noise than a given seismic image generated independent of the plurality of enhanced virtual shot gathers, the seismic image for identifying a location where an interaction between layers of the subterranean formation are likely to trap oil or gas.

One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions for generating a velocity model to improve an accuracy of seismic imaging of a subterranean formation, the instructions, when executed by at least one processor, configured to cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving for each of a plurality of common midpoint-offset bins, each common midpoint-offset bin associated with data representing a plurality of seismic traces, a candidate pilot trace representing the common midpoint-offset bin;
• for each common midpoint-offset bin:
• generating a corrected pilot trace based on an iterative rejection of anomalous traces of the plurality of seismic traces;
• performing an iterative correction of surface-consistent amplitude anomalies for each trace in the plurality of seismic traces;
• and
• generating corrected traces based on the corrected pilot trace and based on the iterative correction of surface-consistent amplitude anomalies;
• grouping the corrected traces for the plurality of common midpoint-offset bins into a plurality of enhanced virtual shot gathers (eVSGs);
• and
• generating, based on a waveform inversion of the plurality of enhanced virtual shot gathers, a seismic image representing the subterranean formation, the seismic image having less noise than a given seismic image generated independent of the plurality of enhanced virtual shot gathers, the seismic image for identifying a location where an interaction between layers of the subterranean formation are likely to trap oil or gas.