Marine seismic surveying employing interpolated multicomponent streamer pressure data

Abstract

It is described a method of interpolating and extrapolating seismic recordings, including the steps of deriving particle velocity related data from seismic recordings obtained by at least one streamer carrying a plurality of multi-component receivers and using the particle velocity related data to replace higher derivatives of pressure data in an expansion series.

1 . A method of interpolating and/or extrapolating seismic recordings, comprising:
 obtaining multi-component seismic data from at least one streamer carrying a plurality of multi-component receivers;   using spatial derivatives obtained from the multi-component seismic data in an interpolating and/or extrapolating filter, wherein the filter comprises one or more functions of the spatial derivatives associated with at least one direction defined in relation to the at least one streamer; and   applying the filter to the multi-component seismic data to yield new data associated with a location that has not been measured by the plurality of receivers in the seismic recordings.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spatial derivatives comprise pressure gradient values, particle velocities or derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spatial derivatives are finite difference approximations. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the functions of the spatial derivatives associated with the at least one direction are replaced by functions of spatial derivatives associated with a different direction. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the different direction comprises a direction substantially parallel to a plane in which streamers in a seismic spread are towed. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one direction is the cross-line direction between the at least one streamer and another streamer, and wherein the different direction is the in-line direction along the at least one streamer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one direction comprises a direction vertical to the at least one the streamer. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one direction comprises a direction substantially perpendicular to the main axis of the at least one streamer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one direction comprises a direction substantially parallel to the sea surface. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one direction comprises a direction substantially parallel to the main axis of a streamer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one direction comprises a direction along the at least one streamer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spatial derivatives are derived from the multi-component seismic data. 
     
     
         13 . A method of interpolating and/or extrapolating seismic recordings, comprising:
 obtaining multi-component seismic data from at least one streamer carrying a plurality of multi-component receivers; and   using cross-line spatial derivatives obtained or derived from the multi-component seismic data in an interpolating and/or extrapolating filter for the multi-component seismic data, wherein the cross-line spatial derivatives are replaced by functions of in-line spatial derivatives.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cross-line or in-line spatial derivatives comprise pressure gradient values, particle velocities or derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the multi-component seismic data comprises pressure data and/or particle motion data. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the in-line spatial derivatives describe a pressure wavefield measured along the at least one streamer.