Vertical Seismic Profiling VSP

Offset VSP
The standard VSP is zero-offset, but for more detailed work the sources can be offset from the well.

VSP can be used to image vertical structures.

Vertical Seismic Profiling

VSP uses this geometry:
One or more shots at the surface Geophones are in the well hole

Red rays are the direct rays Black rays are the reflected rays

Ocean VSP experiment. It may have a single geophone which is moved while the shot is repeated at the same point. Economically, this is very inefficient. Sometimes, multiple geophones can be put down the well. But this is more difficult since all the geophones must be mechanically locked to the well bore.

Land VSP experiment. It may have a single geophone which is moved while the shot is repeated at the same point. Economically, this is very inefficient. Sometimes, multiple geophones can be put down the well. But this is more difficult since all the geophones must be mechanically locked to the well bore.

VSP geophones
A single receiver

Multilevel receivers

Some sources from the Baker-Hughes website!

VSP parameters
About 50 to 100 feet between geophones. Can be adjusted for non-zero offset VSP. Usually a mechanical source (not shot) so that it can be repeated and the data stacked (summed).

Vertical Seismic Profiling

Requires a well, so its usually done to further delineate a prospect. Often done with a well-logging survey by the same contractors (Halliburton, Schlumberger). Expensive. Because the receivers are at depth, better signal and resolution is obtained. It can see reflectors below the well-bottom.

VSP applications
Velocity estimation. This is usually called a check-shot survey. Precise correlation of surface seismic data with depth and the well-logs. Separation of primary reflections from multiples for guidance in seismic section. Calibrate reflectivity coefficients from well log data. Provide seismic data processing parameters velocity, multiple suppression, deconvolution...

Complex structure imaging

Here, VSP is used to delineate the vertical edges of a salt dome.

Vertical Seismic Profiling

So what does this look lie when we plot it?
One or more shots at the surface Geophones are in the well hole

Red rays are the direct rays Black rays are the reflected rays

Vertical Seismic Profiling

Lets assume that the source is very very close to the well, so the actual geometry looks more like:
This is called a zero-offset VSP Red rays are the direct rays Black rays are the reflected rays

Now we make a plot of the expected travel times, note we can use the same plotting software:

Geophone Depth Direct ray

time

reflections

Reflection curve meets the direct ray curve when the geophone depth is the same as the reflector depth.

Theres multiples too! Predictive deconvolution can be used to suppress them just like for the regular reflection data

Geophone Depth Direct ray

time

Reflections and multiples

Direct ray multiples

Surface is here Direct wave

Multilples

Reflections

Tube wave T Reflection multiples

Refelcted tube wave T

Direct wave

Downgoing multiples

Reflections

We can find the layer velocity from the line slopes. Here is the constant velocity case

Geophone Depth Direct ray has slope: time/depth = 1/velocity

time

Reflected rays have slope: time/depth = -1/velocity

Here is a variable velocity case! By measuring the slopes of the individual segments we can get the interval velocities! There is no way to directly get interval velocities with regular reflection data! Geophone Depth

Direct ray has slope: time/depth = 1/velocity

time

Reflected rays have slope: time/depth = -1/velocity

We can separate out upgoing waves and downgoing waves based on their slopes. We are mainly interested in the upgoing reflections.

Geophone Depth Direct ray is a downgoing ray.

time

Reflections are upgoing waves

Direct ray multiples are downgoing waves.

VSP processing
The goal of VSP processing is often to make it look like part of a standard reflection survey. Then it can be spliced into the seismic section.
Offset-VSP is processed and spliced into section.

VSP Processing
Much of the same preliminary processing as with reflection data is the same:
Correlation if vibrator source. Deconvolution for multiple suppression and wavelet shaping. Stacking over repeated sources.

VSP Processing
The rest of the processing generally does the following:
Filter out downgoing waves so that only reflected waves are left
This is dip-filtering, it removes waves with positive slopes

Flatten the downgoing waves Stack the traces by summing them

original

Downgoing waves removed

Flatten reflections

Corridor stack

VSP corridor stack has been inserted into reflection section. This gives increased resolution and a better tie-in to the well.

Original offset VSP

Upgoing waves. Note curvature due to non-zero offset

Downgoing waves

Upgoing reflections

After decon for multiple suppression and sharpening.

Corridor stack inserted into reflection section. Note improved resolution. Curvature due to non-zero offset and deviated well.

This is an L-plot which compares the synthetic seismogram produced from the well logs to the VSP panel (from VSFusion website).