Quick Search:    advanced search

GSW Home   GeoRef Home   My GSW Alerts   Contact GSW   About GSW   Journals List   Help

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dragoset, W. Articles by Brice, T. Search for Related Content

Introduction to this special section—Seismic survey design

Houston, Texas, U.S.

Tim Brice

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The first 20% of the full text of this article appears below.

It is probably true to say that many consider seismic survey design a niche topic in geophysics. Practitioners of this science inhabit a world halfway between that of the geophysicist and that of the operations specialist. They have to consider the geophysical aspects of design as well as the constraints placed upon them by the environment, the recording equipment and, of course, their budgets. While all geophysicists should understand the principles of survey design, few will actually be directly involved in a design study. However, effects of the design are felt all the way through the process, from acquisition to data processing and interpretation. An understanding of the inevitable trade-offs and compromises made during acquisition will help geophysicists to understand the limitations and nature of their data. In addition, as oil companies strive for efficiency and seek to acquire higher-quality and more cost-effective seismic surveys, greater emphasis is being placed on the design process. Given the significance of the topic, staying abreast of its developments is important. That is one of the objectives of this special section.

A factor that makes survey design such a fascinating subject is that the "rules" are continually changing—not the fundamental rules of geophysics but what can actually be achieved in the field. As new acquisition systems and techniques appear, they alter the limitations placed on survey designers. The increasing numbers of channels available in both land and marine acquisition is an obvious example. Channel count has been rising since the earliest days of seismic prospecting, allowing not only larger spreads but also denser sampling. Not surprisingly, increasing channel counts and denser sampling are subjects covered in more than one of the papers in this special section.

In addition to channel counts, it is worth reflecting on some other major influences in the last decade . . . [Full Text of this Article]