Full-waveform inversion for salt: A coming of age

• DOI: 10.1190/tle38030204.1
• Publication Date: 2019-06-13T13:18:16Z
• Authors: Ping Wang; Zhigang Zhang; Jiawei Mei; Feng Lin; Rongxin Huang
• Keywords: Economic geology

Full-waveform inversion (FWI), proposed by Lailly and Tarantola in the 1980s, is considered to be most promising data-driven tool for automatically building velocity models. Many successful examples have been reported using FWI update shallow sediments, gas pockets, mud volcanoes. However, applications of salt structures had almost only seen on synthetic data until recent progress at Atlantis Field Gulf Mexico. We revisited some aspects algorithms minimize cycle-skipping amplitude discrepancy issues derived an algorithm that able build complex applied this a variety sets, including wide-azimuth full-azimuth (FAZ) streamer as well ocean-bottom-node data, with different geologic settings order demonstrate effectiveness method updates examine fundamentals problem. observed that, multiple cases, models from produced subsalt images superior quality. one FAZ example Keathley Canyon we do not necessarily need very high frequency imaging purposes. Based observation, envision sparse node acquisition may provide appropriate handle large bodies FWI. believe combination advanced will bring step change imaging.