Inverse Q Filtering for High Resolution with High Fidelity and High S/N Ratio

A stable inverse Q filter should be able to produce high resolution with high fidelity and high S/N. This paper presents a number of case studies on the application of inverse-Q filtering to improve the resolution of seismic data. Stabilized inverse-Q filtering is able to simultaneously compensate the amplitude and correct the phase of seismic waveforms. After processing, the frequency bandwidth has been increased and the width of the wavelet has been narrowed, so that we are able to identify reflections of thin sand layers clearly. Because of the high signal-to-noise ratio with the stabilization scheme, low-amplitude zones of interest corresponding to high-fracture areas can be easily identified, and the detail within the anomalies can also be observed. Finally, spatial variations of tight-sand layers of gas reservoirs are depicted in the inversion profile with high resolution.