2016 M-OSRP Executive Summary - Objectives, Plans and Deliverables for 2017

Posted on December 22, 2016

Dear Sponsors, Colleagues and Friends,

In this very serious world-wide petroleum industry downturn it is particularly incumbent upon us to make the M-OSRP business model and Return-On-Investment (ROI) , explicit, clear and compelling.

Towards that end, this note provides a brief summary of the projects, goals and deliverables within our program, and our plans going forward in 2017 . We are also communicating a special and heartfelt message of thanks and appreciation for this Winter Holiday Season and Best Wishes for the New Year.

In the link below please find videos and documents that describe where we are and where we are going in terms of projects, goals, deliverables and impact.

https://mosrp.uh.edu/news/papers-videos-where-we-are-going-2016

Below please find a succinct list and summary of the projects within M-OSRP:

PREPROCESSING FOR ONSHORE, OBS, and TOWED STREAMER ACQUISTION Developing and delivering new and more effective methods for the essential preprocessing steps that in addition to their intrinsic value are necessary prerequisites for the new high-end and most effective methods for eliminating free surface and internal multiples , and that subsequently depth image and invert primaries. Those prerequisites include: removing ground roll and preserving reflection data at all offsets, and source and receiver de-ghosting for towed streamer, on-shore and ocean bottom acquisition, accommodating both flat horizontal and non-flat acquisition surfaces.
MULTIPLE ELIMINATION FOR SURGICALLY REMOVING MULTIPLES THAT INTERFERE WITH TARGET AND RESERVOIR PRIMARIES Developing and delivering the next generation of urgently needed multiple removal capability, with the elimination of free surface and internal multiples, without depending on energy minimization adaptive subtraction and thereby accurately predicting and surgically removing a multiple that interferes with a target or reservoir primary, and with the unique ability to not damage the target or reservoir primary. The latter interference between a multiple and target primary can very frequently occur on shore and very often off-shore, as well. That next generation of capability will only be delivered by M-OSRP and for many sponsors that project and delivery is the business driver and ROI.
MORE EFFECTIVE MIGRATION AND DIRECT INVERSION VELOCITY ANALYSIS Progressing and delivering the first migration method for heterogeneous media that is equally effective at all frequencies at the target and reservoir. It provides improved structural resolution and amplitude, compared to all current migration methods including RTM. The documented codes for a 2D and 3D heterogeneous subsurface will be delivered in 2017. This new and more effective migration will require a velocity model and we will progress a direct non-linear inverse scattering series method for velocity analysis as an alternative to all current indirect velocity analysis methods, for example, CIG flatness and FWI.
GAME CHANGING MIGRATION, DIRECT AND WITHOUT A VELOCITY MODEL The direct inverse scattering series ( ISS) depth imaging without a velocity model will be progressed and delivered as a tool box option. In contrast to other new approaches to migration , for example, Interferometry and Marchenko imaging , that require a velocity model, the ISS direct imaging method is the only imaging method that is direct and doesn’t require a macro-velocity model or any other subsurface information.

The ISS direct depth imaging (without a velocity )subseries derives from the same exact set of equations, the inverse scattering series, that earlier derived, e.g. , the distinct ISS free surface and internal multiple subseries, and the subseries that performs Q compensation without knowing or needing to estimate Q. The ISS depth imaging subseries will once again have the same GAME-CHANGING delivery and impact and will play the same role, on processing primaries for structural determination and amplitude analysis , as ISS free surface and internal multiple removal has already delivered for effectively eliminating multiples. M-OSRP has the potential and opportunity to deliver that game changing next generation imaging effectiveness and capability- providing a new tool box option for the most complex, inaccessible and daunting imaging challenges- arranging for currently inaccessible targets and reservoirs to become accessible and delivered.

The projects listed above represent a comprehensive approach to addressing prioritized seismic exploration challenges, and a portfolio of deliverables including high impact game-changing multiple removal, imaging and inversion. That’s the M-OSRP business model and return on investment.

Please accept our THANKS AND APPRECIATION….

And finally and perhaps most importantly in this Season of giving “Thanks, Appreciation and Good Cheer “we thought it appropriate to share (in the link below).

https://mosrp.uh.edu/news/awards-recognition-201612

The recognition that has been received over the years and has been gratefully and cordially accepted on behalf of our brilliant, creative and productive colleagues and students, the courageous and visionary management at ARCO , Petrobras, Sohio and Schlumberger and our supportive and encouraging M-OSRP sponsors- and to express our gratitude for making those developments , deliveries and impact possible. Many thanks.

We look forward to staying in touch in 2017.

Best wishes to you and your family for a Wonderful Holiday Season and a Healthy, Happy and Successful New Year,

Art