Synthetic vertical seismic profile

Abstract
A time‐domain model has been developed for calculation of a synthetic vertical seismic profile (SVSP) from a sonic log recorded in a borehole. The SVSP has proven to be extremely useful in the interpretation of seismic data since it allows the interpreter to analyze the propagation of the source pulse through the earth in depth as well as time. Previously, the synthetic seismogram technique allowed analysis of the earth’s response to the source pulse at the surface only. However, the development of the SVSP allows insight into the entire wave propagation problem since the calculation shows the response of the earth to the source pulse at any depth point in the subsurface. For example, the synthetic seismogram can be used to identify an event on the seismic section as a multiple, whereas, the SVSP cannot only identify a multiple, but can also show which path the source pulse took through the earth layers to create the multiple. The SVSP can also be used to analyze the change in character of the source pulse due to the layering effect of the earth, for example, effects of a thin bed sequence; to study amplitude variations due to transmission losses; and to examine the effects of different source pulse bandwidths on the final surface seismogram, etc. As interpreters gain experience in analyzing the SVSP, many more applications are expected to appear.

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