Regularized full-waveform inversion with automated salt flooding

• DOI: 10.1190/geo2018-0146.1
• Publication Date: 2019-04-05T07:50:03Z
• Authors: Mahesh Kalita; Vladimir Kazei; Yunseok Choi; Tariq Alkhalifah
• Keywords: 01 natural sciences; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Full-waveform inversion (FWI) attempts to resolve an ill-posed nonlinear optimization problem retrieve the unknown subsurface model parameters from seismic data. In general, FWI fails obtain adequate representation of models with large high-velocity structures over a wide region, such as salt bodies and sediments beneath them, in absence low frequencies recorded signal, due nonlinearity nonuniqueness. We alleviate ill posedness associated data sets affected by using regularization. have split into two parts: First, we minimize misfit total variation model, seeking achieve inverted sharp interfaces; second, velocity drops depth model. Unlike conventional industrial flooding, our technique requires minimal human intervention no information about top salt. Those features are demonstrated on BP 2004 Sigsbee2A models, synthesized Ricker wavelet dominant frequency 5.5 Hz minimum 3 Hz. initiate process simple which increases linearly depth. The is well-retrieved when same constant density acoustic code used simulate observed data, still one most common tests. Moreover, allows us reconstruct reasonable depiction structure independently variable density. manage even capture some fine layering addition, evaluate versatility method field set Gulf Mexico.