Publications

In this abstract, thorough comparisons of depth images are showcased originating from various strategies of velocity determination with diverse accuracies. The area of study contains a large amount of very shallow with high velocity contrast channels together with thickening and thinning of carbonate build-ups with proven karsts presence. These complexities of the overburden lead to very unique and complex character of the data acquired. Generic processing technologies will not produce optimum imaging results implicating the true subsurface. Often, due to time and cost limitations, interpretations are done either on vintage seismic sections in time domain or on depth converted seismic sections using intermediate velocities such as single velocity function obtained from existing wells or smoothed velocity picked in time migration. Using these conventional methods in complex overburden as described can be significantly misleading in effectively unlocking deeper potential. In the process of minimizing depth uncertainties, effective eliminations of unwanted signals, followed by bandwidth extension has proven to be very crucial in determining the velocity estimation. Adding to the complexity, as the channels being very shallow in this area, standard methodologies to determine the shallow overburden velocities did not produce satisfying results, as the reflection response was recorded at a very short time. Only after effective signal restoration coupled with advanced Full Waveform Inversion methods, significant surface and interbed multiple suppressions, dipconstrained tomography, adequate velocities could be obtained to solve the existing sagging effects. Resolving all details of the subsurface velocities through effective seismic processing strategies have provided better-focused imaging, minimizing depth uncertainties and hereby unlocking deeper potentials. In addition, accurate determination of velocities implicating the true subsurface, form the key fundamentals towards accurate pore pressure predictions.