Circular Geometry for Wide-azimuth Towed-streamer Acquisition

Wide-azimuth (WAZ) towed-streamer acquisition has been established as a successful method for exploration and development of the complex subsalt structures in the Gulf of Mexico. Wide-azimuth data acquired so far proved to have better illumination, higher signal-to-noise ratio, and improved seismic resolution. The acquisition geometry used for WAZ surveys is a parallel geometry that employs multiple vessels. In this paper, we propose to acquire WAZ surveys with a single streamer vessel using a circular geometry and we describe the features of this new WAZ method. We also present the results of a feasibility test performed with circular geometry acquisition.