f Delivering Technical Limit Seismic Data: Nature Vs. Nurture

The quality of the seismic product depends on three interacting elements: the fixed physical constraints of the location, the acquisition methodology, and the processing sequence. Recent developments in marine technology have enabled a step change in acquisition, but how much difference will this make to the final product? We compare examples of the new ‘broadband’ methods to ‘conventional’ data, to explore how much extra signal may be expected at different parts of the frequency spectrum. In the right circumstances, substantial gains are possible at both low and high frequencies. In other, more challenging settings, matters such as improved processing or better azimuthal coverage may have more impact.