How and why Certain Concepts of Traditional Survey Design are Maladapted to UHRS?

The objective of 3D marine seismic survey design is to balance the bin size needed for the desired resolution with acquisition parameters and the accuracy of line keeping. The primary goal is to achieve seismic coverage with uniform fold across offsets and azimuths, while maximizing time efficiency and minimizing the risk of data gaps. This paper will briefly outline the parameters influencing 3D survey design and then examine the discrepancies between theoretical (nominal) and actual (field) fold distributions observed in 3D Ultra High Resolution (UHRS) surveys. These discrepancies highlight how traditional design assumptions are challenged by the amplified interplay between imaging objectives and the operational constraints and dynamic behavior of UHRS towed seismic arrays in open sea environments. In conclusion, we propose adapting the nominal towing geometry to accommodate the inherent instability of the array. Furthermore, we suggest that design bin sizes should be significantly larger than processing bin sizes to effectively scope projects and establish robust data acceptance criteria.