Field QC with VISTA a quick guide.

Mike Galbraith, GEDCO

1. Main steps in performing 3D Field QC using VISTA.

1.1 Read the SEGY data into the Project Data List. One data set usually consists of several SEGY files each of which was created from a single field tape cartridge (3480 or 3490). The reading of a SEGY file is done in the Project Data List Window. This window is open automatically when a project is created, or it also can be open from the top menu: Input/Project Data List. Click on , hold, drag to 3D and release (alternatively, just click on the first available row of the spreadsheet). Then click on , hold and drag to SEGY. Select the desired SEGY file. 1.2 Check the minimum and maximum values of each header word after the VISTA headers have been created from the SEGY files. This verifies that the files were good and that the correct dictionary was used. Most important are the FIELD_RECORD_NO and the CHANNEL_NO.

1.3 Plot the data for a quick check that the correct format was used (e.g. IEEE or IBM or ..). Look for clipping etc. as a sign that the wrong data format conversion was used. (The display can be activated either by clicking on in the Project Data List, or from the top menu: Interactive/Seismic Window Display) 1.4 Check the values of FIELD_RECORD_NO and CHANNEL_NO in the Header Window Display. Graph them and compare to the Observers Logs to ensure a good match. (To activate the Header View/Edit Window Display from the Project Data List click on , or from the top menu: Interactive/Header View/Edit Window Display ) 1.5 Use the Seismic Objects Input List (5th. icon from the right) to check the number of traces in each SEGY file. Click on , to return to the files list.

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1.6 Set up the Geometry. Click on , or from the top menu: Interactive/Geometry Window Display input SPS (S, R and X files) calculate Bin Grid Calculate fold and Offset Display Fold, Near Offset etc. Save to Headers (Match Field Record/Channel No.). Check the Geometry Log for any errors save Log as an ASCII file. 1.7 Create two time gates the first a window around the first breaks, the second a window below the first breaks which defines a good data area. The first window is normally called fb.tim and is used to calculate trace amplitude statistics. The second window (normally called data.tim ) will be used as a window for deconvolution, scaling, calculation of trace amplitude statistics etc. (To create time gates open Interactive/Seismic Window Display then click on . Then click on either or to define the top and/or the bottom limits of the window. Save it.) 1.8 Go to the Header Window and calculate the amplitude statistics for the time window called fb.tim. (DATA_RMSAMPLITUDE, DATA_MAXFREQ, etc.). (Open Interactive/Header Edit/View Window Display, click on , hold, drag to and release. At the bottom of the window that pops up choose the fb.tim file. O.K. to calculate. 1.9 QC Report 1: Create cross-plot of OFFSET vs. DATA_RMSAMPLITUDE). This cross-plot shows all the traces of the survey and identifies any traces which do not fit the expected trend of offset vs. amplitude. To create the cross-plot, first add the desired headers as columns of the spreadsheet by choosing the header from the list and clicking on , then mark the columns to plot, and finally click on , hold, and drag to the third sub-button ( ) 1.10 Make trace kills (Right mouse button option in the Graph/Mouse mode/Define selectionand then to kill, RMB/Mouse mode/Mark selected traces killed /) based on selection of boxes in this cross-plot identifying traces which do not follow the normal offset-amplitude curve. 1.11 QC Report 2: Open the Interactive/Attribute Window Display and plot: The Mean of the trace DATA_RMSAMPLITUDEs at Receiver positions. The Mean of DATA_MAXFREQ at Receiver positions. 3D Field QC with VISTA

The Mean of DATA_EXPAMPDECAY at Receiver positions. Repeat a,b,c and plot the same 3 header words at the shot positions. 1.12 Kill traces in a Seismic Window Display (Tile Vertical beside the Attribute window) by examining any anomalies in the various plots. 1.13 Repeat steps 7, 10 and 11 using the second time window (data.tim) 1.14 QC Plot 1: Run the LMO-Recv Stack flow chart and plot the result. This plot can assist in identifying Receivers which are reverse polarity. 1.15 Use the Header Window to make Histograms of DEAD_TRACE, DATA_RMSAMPLITUDE, DATA_MAXFREQ, DATA_EXPAMPDECAY. 1.16 Process the raw data to Brute stack using the following two flow charts:

The first flow chart takes the raw data as input and creates 3 data sets to do velocity analysis.

The second flow chart again starts with the raw data and creates a brute stack with an FX version as a second output. Finally view the 3D stack volume using Interactive / 3D Seismic View.

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2. Field QC Report A Template

Here is a suggested form for a QC report. 2.1 General In this section list information about: Recorder Personnel involved in the acquisition Software used 2.2 Survey List information about: Geometry of acquisition (Shot and receiver intervals, line intervals, patch dimensions, method of rolling the patch, etc.) Source information type, configuration (holes, depth of shot, etc.) Receiver information geophone type, arrays etc. 2.3 Data Flow List information about: Field tapes how they were created, labeled, transmitted etc. 2.4 Seismic QC The following displays/graphs/plots should be present with a brief explanation of any anomalies: 2.4.1 Map of shot receiver locations from the data headers. If any TIFF is available (e.g. topo map or aerial photograph or satellite photograph) they should be displayed in the background for position verification. (Interactive/Geometry Window Display or from the Project Data List click on )
361/518Templates 10.0 1.0 9.7 1.0 9.4 0.9 9.1 0.9 8.8 0.9 8.4 0.8 8.1 0.8 7.8 0.8 7.5 0.7 7.2 0.7 6.9 0.7 6.6 0.7 6.3 0.6 5.9 0.6 N o rth -S o u th (M E T E R S ) R RM ED S OU FFSO NFCD SA D L E ATTNT C ER Y 5.6 0.6 5.3 0.5 5.0 0.5 4.7 0.5 4.4 0.4 4.1 0.4 3.8 0.4 3.4 0.3 3.1 0.3 2.8 0.3 2.5 0.2 2.2 0.2 1.9 0.2 1.6 0.2 1.3 0.1 0.9 0.1 0.6 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 X: 90.97 Y: 2451.14 Bin: Shot: 1.0 - 10120.00 Recv: 6.0 - 6043.00 500
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50 91 31 06 11 22 1 0 90 0 10 94 0 50 86 31 01 11 1 7 11 0 0 0 11 04 0 5 0 81 11 10 0 30 9 6 11 12 11 14 0 5 0 76 11 20 0 30 9 1 11 2 4 0 11 07 50 7 1 11 30 0 30 86 11 34 0 11 0 2 11 4 0 0 50 6 6 11 44 0 30 8 1 1 0 97 11 50 0 50 61 11 5 4 0 30 7 6 11 6 0 0 10 9 2 50 5 6 11 64 0 30 7 1 11 70 0 5 0 51 1087 1 1 74 0 1 1 80 0 30 6 6 50 46 10 82 11 84 0 50 41 1 0 77 3 01 1 6 19 0 0 11 94 0 10 7 2 50 36 12 00 0 30 56 12 04 0 50 31 1 2 1 0 0 10 6 7 1 2 14 0 30 51 50 26 1 0 16 22 2 0 0 12 2 4 0 3 0 46 50 21 1 2 30 0 10 5 7 12 3 4 0 3 0 41 1240 0 50 16 1 0 52 12 44 0 30 3 6 12 5 0 0 50 11 12 54 0 30 31 10 47 12 6 0 0 30 26 1 2 64 0 50 0 6 1 0 42 12 70 0 1 2 74 0 30 2 1 50 01 1 2 80 0 5 1 0 37 12 8 4 0 30 16 12 9 0 0 12 94 0 1032 3 0 11 13 0 0 0 1 3 04 0 10 27 30 06 13 10 0 1 3 14 0 13 20 0 30 01 1 3 24 0 10 21 3 10 1 6 1 3 30 0 13 3 4 0 1 3 40 0 13 4 4 0 13 50 0 13 54 0 13 6 0 0 13 64 0 13 70 0

2.4.2

Displays of several shots throughout the survey. (Interactive/ Seismic Window Display, or from the Project data List click

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2.4.3

on , sort the data by shot by clicking on , holding and dragging to . Use the top sliding bar to go through the shots). Graph of RMS energy in a data window centered over a good data window containing the target times. The graph is a cross plot of FFID vs. CHANNEL with color to indicate the amplitude of each trace. a) Create the data window by opening Interactive/Seismic Window Display then click on . Click on either or to define the top and/or bottom limits of the window. Save it. b) To calculate the amplitude statistics for the time window, open Interactive/Headers View/Edit Window Display, click on , hold, drag to and release. Select the time gate file created in a). c) Add the desired headers as columns of the spreadsheet by choosing the header from the list and clicking on , then mark the columns to plot, and finally click on , hold, and drag to the fourth sub-button .
0.0 dB -1.9 dB -3.8 dB -5.6 dB -7.5 dB -9.4 dB -11.3 dB -13.1 dB -15.0 dB -16.9 dB -18.8 dB -20.6 dB -22.5 dB D A T A _ R M SA M PL IT U D E -24.4 dB -26.3 dB -30.0 dB -31.9 dB -33.8 dB -35.6 dB -37.5 dB -39.4 dB -41.3 dB -43.1 dB -45.0 dB -46.9 dB -48.8 dB -50.6 dB -52.5 dB -54.4 dB -56.3 dB -58.1 dB -60.0 dB CHANNEL_NO : 0 472.66 FIELD_RECORD_NO: 1539.04 50 100 150 CHAN NEL_NO -28.1 dB 250 300 350 400 450 1000 1050 FIELD_RECORD_NO 1100 1150

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2.4.4 2.4.5

Graph of RMS energy in a very deep window (a few hundred ms. before the end of recording). This is essentially a graph of ambient noise (color) vs. FFID (X) and channel(Y). Basic quality indicators and Bandwidth testing: a) Filter panels

b) Amplitude spectra (FX plots for several shots) (In Interactive/Seismic Window Display click on Ampl. Spectrum create plot, click on ).

, choose from the list

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MAIN SEISMIC 0.0 dB -1.9 dB -3.8 dB -5.6 dB -7.5 dB -9.4 dB -11.3 dB -13.1 dB -15.0 dB -16.9 dB -18.8 dB -20.6 dB -22.5 dB -24.4 dB -26.3 dB A m p l it u d e -30.0 dB -31.9 dB -33.8 dB -35.6 dB -37.5 dB -39.4 dB -41.3 dB -43.1 dB -45.0 dB -46.9 dB -48.8 dB -50.6 dB -52.5 dB -54.4 dB -56.3 dB -58.1 dB -60.0 dB Use Mouse To Zoom 90 80 70 60 F R E Q (H Z ) -28.1 dB 40 30 20 10 SHOT 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000

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c) FK spectra for different shots noisy, average, clean (In Interactive/Seismic Window Display click on , choose from the list F-K Spectrum Design Window, click on ).
FK Spectrum of Input Seismic 0.0 dB -1.9 dB -3.8 dB -5.6 dB -7.5 dB -9.4 dB -11.3 dB -13.1 dB -15.0 dB -16.9 dB -18.8 dB -20.6 dB -22.5 dB -24.4 dB -26.3 dB A m p l it u d e -30.0 dB -31.9 dB -33.8 dB -35.6 dB -37.5 dB -39.4 dB -41.3 dB -43.1 dB -45.0 dB -46.9 dB -48.8 dB -50.6 dB -52.5 dB -54.4 dB -56.3 dB -58.1 dB -60.0 dB Use Mouse To Zoom 10 20 30 40 F re q u e n c y H z -28.1 dB 60 70 80 90 -50.0 100 -40.0 -30.0 -20.0 -10.0 CYCLES/KM -0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0

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d) Deconvolution testing (with spectra before and after) e) Signal to noise plots for typical shots (In Interactive/Seismic Window Display click on , choose from the list Signal/Noise Estimation Output, click on ).

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SEISMICANALYSIS SHOT 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000

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Next a series of 6 cross-plots involving Offset vs. one of 3 header words RMS amplitude, Max.Frequency and exponential amplitude decay. Most traces in these cross-plots will follow a recognizable trend, so any traces that do not fit the norm can be considered to be noisy and may be marked for kill. To create a cross-plot, open Interactive/Header View/Edit Window Display, add the desired headers as columns of the spreadsheet by choosing the header from the list and clicking on , mark the columns to plot, click on , hold, and drag to the third sub-button ( ). 2.4.6 Cross-plot of Offset vs. RMS amplitude of a window over the first-break energy.

2.4.7 2.4.8

Cross-plot of Offset vs. RMS amplitude of a window over the target data area (good data). This window will be similar to a decon design window in processing. Cross-plot of Offset vs. the Maximum Frequency. This is the frequency corresponding to the highest amplitude in an amplitude spectrum of a

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T IM E (m s )

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0 1000 2000 OFFSET_SH_REC 3000 4000 5000 6000

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DATA_MAXFREQ : 238.31

OFFSET_SH_REC: -284.77

2.4.9 Same as 4.8 but using the data window of 4.7. 2.4.10 Cross-plot of Offset vs. the Exponential Decay factor. This is the exponent n of a function tent fitted by least squares regression to all the peaks of absolute value of the trace starting at the first break amplitude. Normally this exponent value will be negative (e.g. in the range -2 to -20 say) indicating a decline in amplitude with time. Any values near zero must be treated with suspicion as they indicate no change of amplitude with time. Any positive values indicate a noisy trace (increase of amplitude vs. time). 2.4.11 Same as 4.9 but using the data window of 4.6.
0 1000 2000 OFFSET_SH_REC 3000 4000 5000 6000 0

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DATA_EXPAMPDECAY :

1.01

OFFSET_SH_REC: 3933.25

2.4.12 And next a set of 12 plots of the Attribute window. Each of the 3 header words (RMS amplitude, Max.Frequency and exponential amplitude decay) as calculated using the window in 2.4.5 - is plotted in the Attribute window. First the average value (Mean) at each shot and secondly the Mean at each Receiver. Next the values of these 3 words are recalculated for the data window in 2.4.6. This makes a total of 12 plots as shown in the table below. First Break Window Data Window (4.6) Plot Mean at each Plot Mean at each Plot Mean at Plot Mean at each Shot Receiver each Shot Receiver

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RMS Amplitude Maximum Frequency Exponential Amplitude Decay

RMS Amplitude Maximum Frequency Exponential Amplitude Decay

RMS Amplitude Maximum Frequency Exponential Amplitude Decay

RMS Amplitude Maximum Frequency Exponential Amplitude Decay

2.4.13 Verification of position information using seismic data. First arrivals - actual vs. predicted (LMO) Shot/Receiver location prediction using first arrivals/energy/etc. Offset/Azimuth range limited shot and receiver stacks

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