What if I...? - The Use of Vibroseis 'Energy Tests' as an Aid in Parameter Choice

A core component in planning a land seismic survey is the choice of source and its parameters. Parameters tests are often performed as part of the survey start-up, but Interpretation of the results from these tests is frequently subjective, particularly when a complete line or swath is not acquired and processed. The typical instinct is to err on the side of caution and this may result in the application of an excessive amount of source energy, thus negatively impacting survey efficiency and cost. However, the effect from different sources and source parameters on signal-to-noise ratio and other key quality indicators can be tested and analyzed in a systematic way. This will allow comparison of a much wider variety of source options than is possible through the acquisition of a very limited number of costly and time-consuming test lines. We can also identify possible efficiency improvements resulting from acquiring data with equivalent signal-to-noise ratios, but different parameter combinations. A suite of such tests has been developed within WesternGeco and are referred to as energy tests. Within this paper, we will describe the results from such tests and its interpretation.