Method of processing seismic geophysical data to produce time, structure, volumes

A method of processing seismic geophysical data to produce time structure volumes, comprising:

• a. transmitting an acoustic signal into the earth from an acoustic source deployed over a target area;
• b. receiving a multiplicity of reflected acoustic signals from the earth, resulting from the prior transmitting step with a receiver array comprising N by N receivers, where N is an integer that is greater than or equal to two;
• c. recording the amplitude of each reflected acoustic signal as a function of time to construct a seismic volume comprised of a seismic trace for each recorded acoustic signal;
• d. selecting an amplitude characteristic of interest in the seismic volume;
• e. identifying the time of each amplitude characteristic of interest for each seismic trace;
• f. selecting a first time slice comprising a first time value of amplitude data in the seismic volume;
• g. selecting a direction of interest along the time axis of each seismic trace;
• h. determining the distance from the first time value to the closest amplitude characteristic of interest in the direction of interest for each seismic trace to produce a first array of time structure values;
• i. selecting a second time slice comprising a second time value of amplitude data in the seismic volume;
• j. determining the distance from the second time value to the closest amplitude characteristic of interest in the direction of interest for each seismic trace to produce a second array of time structure values;
• and
• k. displaying all said arrays of time structure values to produce a displayed time structure volume.

A method of processing seismic geophysical data to produce time structure volumes, comprising:

• a. transmitting an acoustic signal into the earth from an acoustic source deployed over a target area;
• b. receiving a multiplicity of reflected acoustic signals from the earth, resulting from the prior transmitting step with a receiver array comprising N by N receivers, where N is an integer that is greater than or equal to two, wherein said receiving is carried out for a time of at least 1.5 periods of the acoustic signal frequency;
• c. recording the amplitude of each reflected acoustic signal as a function of time for a time at least 1.5 periods of the acoustic signal frequency to construct a seismic volume comprised of a seismic trace for each recorded acoustic signal;
• d. selecting an amplitude characteristic of interest in the seismic volume;
• e. identifying the time of each amplitude characteristic of interest for each seismic trace;
• f. selecting a first time slice comprising a first time value of amplitude data in the seismic volume;
• g. selecting a direction of interest along the time axis of each seismic trace;
• h. determining the distance from the first time value to the closest amplitude characteristic of interest in the direction of interest for each seismic trace to produce a first array of time structure values;
• i. selecting a second time slice comprising a second time value of amplitude data in the seismic volume;
• j. determining the distance from the second time value to the closest amplitude characteristic of interest in the direction of interest for each seismic trace to produce a second array of time structure values;
• and
• k. displaying all said arrays of time structure values to produce a displayed time structure volume.

A method of processing seismic geophysical data to produce depth structure volumes, comprising:

• a. transmitting an acoustic signal into the earth;
• b. receiving a multiplicity of reflected acoustic signals from the earth, resulting from the prior transmitting step with a receiver array comprising at least three non-colinear receivers;
• c. recording the amplitude of each reflected acoustic signal as a function of depth to construct a seismic volume comprised of a seismic trace for each recorded acoustic signal;
• d. selecting an amplitude characteristic of interest in the seismic volume;
• e. identifying the depth of each amplitude characteristic of interest for each seismic trace;
• f. selecting a first depth slice comprising a first depth value of amplitude data in the seismic volume;
• g. selecting a direction of interest along the depth axis of each seismic trace;
• h. determining the distance from the first depth value to the closest amplitude characteristic of interest in the direction of interest for each seismic trace to produce a first array of depth structure values;
• i. selecting a second depth slice comprising a second depth value of amplitude data in the seismic volume;
• j. determining the distance from the second depth value to the closest amplitude characteristic of interest in the direction of interest for each seismic trace to produce a second array of depth structure values;
• and
• k. displaying all said arrays of depth structure values to produce a displayed depth structure volume.