Many cold weather exploration and production areas are characterized by tundra, permafrost, ice lakes, and marshy, muskeg conditions. In these regions, seismic acquisition operations can be extremely difficult.
Perhaps even more daunting are the near-surface challenges that negatively impact seismic image quality. As acoustic energy passes between frozen and non-frozen layers in the near-surface, seismic rays can “bend” (or refract) unpredictably. Conventional seismic methods are challenged in these situations. Seismic energy is often mapped to inaccurate subsurface reflection horizons, causing the final seismic image to be distorted.
Full-wave imaging techniques and technologies often deliver a more accurate subsurface image in Arctic environments. At the core of full-wave imaging is VectorSeis, the award-winning digital 3C MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) sensor. VectorSeis captures broadband seismic data with the highest vector fidelity available in the marketplace. Since VectorSeis has three orthogonally-mounted sensors, particle motion and time-arrival differences can be measured and analyzed at each VectorSeis station and across the entire spread. This enables geophysicists to more accurately map reflected seismic energy into the correct location in the subsurface, delivering higher resolution images of the subsurface, even for deep targets.
Full-wave imaging is about more than just the sensor. Combinations of innovative field acquisition techniques and processing technologies are necessary to solve Arctic operational and imaging challenges. ION offers a broad portfolio of technologies and services that are designed to enhance image quality and sustain field productivity in cold weather settings, including:
