Integrated land seismic and VSP survey geometries offer improved imaging solution

Alexander A. Tabakov and Konstantin V. Baranov discuss their research into combining 2D and 3D land seismic with vertical seismic profile data to provide better imaging of small hydrocarbon accumulations and difficult geological environments. The increasing demand for detailed exploration of small hydrocarbon deposits and complicated structures cannot always be met by means of conventional seismic surveys such as surface 2D or 3D seismic or standalone VSP as they feature a number of significant limitations. Surface seismic (especially when carried out in complicated topographic conditions) suffers from near-surface uncertainties and strongly varying shot conditions which often lead to misinterpretation and decrease in resolution. VSP by its nature provides for higher resolution but can be carried out only in fixed directions. Furthermore, asymmetry of observation geometry in VSP causes amplitude distortions on resulting seismic images which cannot be compensated for.