Abstract: Enhancing salt and subsalt imaging in deep water, Gulf of Mexico, with common offset RTM gathers

Jianshun Sheng, Seung Yoo, Cristina Reta-Tang, Gary Rodriguez |

Editor’s Note: As a preview to our March 2018 RECORDER featuring the focus topic: Salt & Subsalt Imaging in the Gulf of Mexico, we present the following abstract for one of the featured articles.

We focus on extracting new value to previously acquired orthogonal WAZ surveys in the Mississippi Canyon area where some of the largest and still active deep water discoveries reside. Some analyses estimate that many large subsalt/presalt fields can still be discovered. In this study, the subsalt images which are critical to exploration are enhanced by applying new processing methodologies. The key technologies that have contributed to improved images are:

  1. Common Offset RTM (COR) gathers for dirty salt and subsalt velocity tomography update
  2. Dual-Directional Image Stack (DDIS) with target image-based sum weighting to improve poorly illuminated subsalt areas.

To view this full article, CSEG Members may access the March 2018 RECORDER issue here. If you are not a member this article will be released for public access in Fall 2018.

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Jianshun Sheng is Senior Processing Geophysicist at TGS, with 10+ years of experience in seismic data processing and strong expertise both in time and depth processing. He obtained Master Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rice University, Houston, Texas, and started his processing geophysicist career in oil and gas back in 2007 at CGG. 

After finishing his Ph.D on demultiple research and frequency dependent AVO analysis, Seung Yoo started his career at GXT playing leading roles in regional depth imaging projects. Currently, he works on depth imaging projects at TGS.

Cristina Reta-Tang is a Seismic Processing Manager at TGS with more than 20 years of experience in seismic processing. Her areas of interest are velocity model building and depth imaging in complex salt and subsalt areas. She holds a MS in Geophysical Sciences from the University of Memphis, Tennessee.

Gary Rodriguez graduated from the California Institute of Technology with a B.S. degree in Physics. He started his career in geophysics in 1984. He is currently employed at TGS, where he has served in various positions the past 12 years. In his current role of Chief Geophysicist, he provides technical support for depth imaging projects. 

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