How to Obtain a Seamless Dataset for a Pre-stack Multi-survey Merge Using 5D Data Reconstruction?

Pre-stack merging multi-survey datasets is often challenging in terms of processing effort as well as time and human resources. It is problematic not only due to issues arising from survey matching (due to differences in sources and receivers characteristics) but also from variations in sampling, which may relate to acquisition azimuth, bin size, shot/receiver line spacing. For such datasets, it is important to regularise the sampling of the data in order to harmonise fold and minimise migration artefacts. In this paper we demonstrate the use of 5D data reconstruction for the benefit of multi-survey merging by mapping all the different surveys to a single acquisition design. The result is a dataset with a single acquisition configuration which has a constant fold and a significantly reduced level of migration noise. It also allows the preservation of azimuthal information by migrating in the COV domain. Its shows that 5D data reconstruction fully preserves the original seismic aspect allowing to easily migrate pre-stack multi-survey vintages in a single pass, which reduces the work of the geophysicist.