For the Advancement of Low Frequency Seismic Technologies
Measuring Two or More Octaves of Low Frequency Seismic Data and Achieving Full Benefits from Broadened Seismic Bandwidth
The Consortium is focused on active seismology techniques. The seismic bandwidth is characterized as the useful frequency range of measured backscatter response of the earth due to a seismic source at or near the earth’s surface. Solutions for both land and marine environments are being developed by the Consortium research program.
Objectives
- Research and develop new technologies to advance low frequency seismic exploration two or more octaves beyond existing industry capabilities.
- Establish and document technical viability and usage specifications for low frequency seismic technologies.
- Licensing available to members for commercial use, development and sale of applications, products, and services.
Benefits
- Cost-effective means for greater E&P performance and value
- Fewer dry holes, improved placement of development wells and optimal field production
- Inversion, resolution, imaging beneath complex geology and imaging deep geology
New seismic equipment and services enable these enhancements.
Scope
Research and develop new technologies for step-change improvements in seismic acquisition of low frequencies and best practices using the new bandwidth in imaging and inversion.
- Acquisition Research Issues
- Theory Development
- Scaled Experiments
- Full and/or Application Scale Experiments including the Design, Construction, and Testing of Experimental Prototypes
- Imaging and Inversion Research Issues
- Theory
- Algorithm and Coding Development
- Numerical Testing
- Test Application to Experimentally Acquired Broadened Bandwidth Data
Leveraging other consortia may be possible where common interests exist.
Research consortium will develop recommendations and specifications for industrial use of successful technologies.
Deliverables
Consortium deliverables include research results, access to students, and licensing for commercial use.
Research results and reports are available to members documenting:
- Theory development and computer studies
- Theory and analytical developments, numerical analyses, and conclusions for practical application
- Testable predictions of critical elements needing experimental validation
- Scaled experiments
- Experimental methods, procedures, and results
- Conclusions on the validity or deficiencies in theory or experiment, and implications for full scale experiments
- Application scale prototypes and experiments
- Design and fabrication, device characterizations, experiments and results
- Recommendations and specifications for industrial exploration applications
- Imaging/inversion algorithm development and testing.
Sponsors will have access to:
- Experimental low frequency data
- Students working consortium projects
- Licenses for intellectual property generated by the consortium
- Background intellectual property needed to use consortium intellectual property, before non-members
Start-Up Contributions
The ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company has licensed intellectual property, provided experimental prototype equipment, and released contractors/consultants in the following areas as contribution to a consortium start-up.
- Marine Dipole Seismic Source – Uses the reflective ocean surface to enhance low frequencies.
- Counter Rotating Eccentric Mass Actuator – Provides large forces at low frequencies needed to enable marine dipole source and land acquisition.
- Pressure Gradient Transducer – Insensitive to motion and solves the noise problem in multicomponent streamers.