Method and apparatus for implementing full waveform inversion using angle gathers

A system for implementing a full waveform inversion (FWI) process using angle gathers, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• a non-transitory memory;
• and
• one or more applications stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor:
• access observed seismic data associated with at least a portion of a subsurface formation from a seismic data acquisition device;
• construct, based on the observed seismic data, a scalar velocity model and one or more vector velocity model partitions, wherein the one or more vector velocity model partitions correspond to one or more unique seismic angles;
• generate, based on the scalar velocity model, synthetic data;
• determine residual data by comparing the synthetic data with the observed seismic data;
• determine a one or more vector gradient using the scalar velocity model and the observed seismic data;
• and
• update the one or more vector velocity model partitions using the one or more vector gradients.

A method for implementing a full waveform inversion (FWI) process using angle gathers, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving observed seismic data associated with a subsurface region and captured by one or more seismic receivers;
• (b) constructing, based on the observed seismic data, a scalar velocity model of the subsurface region and one or more vector velocity model partitions that are different from the scalar velocity model, wherein the one or more vector velocity model partitions correspond to one or more unique seismic angles;
• (c) determining a scalar gradient using the scalar velocity model and the observed seismic data;
• (d) determining one or more vector gradients using the scalar velocity model and the observed seismic data;
• wherein, the scalar gradient comprises a sum or weighted average of the vector gradients
• (e) updating the scalar velocity model using the scalar gradient;
• and
• (f) updating the one or more vector velocity model partitions using the one or more vector gradients.