The evolution of FWI and its perceived benefits

2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 432
Author(s):  
Tony Martin ◽  
Andrew Long
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Seismic Imaging ◽  
Waveform Inversion ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Surface Features ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Velocity Models ◽  
Attribute Analysis ◽  
Seismic Volumes

Despite the mathematics behind full waveform inversion (FWI) being published in the early 1980s, it was 30 years before the method could be efficiently implemented on the scale of conventional 3D marine seismic volumes. FWI has evolved from using only transmitted waves and being constrained because towed streamer data lacked the very long offsets and ultra-low frequencies necessary to derive stable velocity updates beyond shallow depths. FWI now uses the full seismic wavefield (both transmitted and scattered wavefields), recovers deep velocity updates for standard offsets and frequencies and increasingly uses a wider range of frequencies that contribute to seismic imaging. We use several case examples to consider the benefits and caveats for robust FWI application: for resolving near-surface features and reducing seismic imaging uncertainty in areas with complex overburden heterogeneities; for resolving near-surface features and improving volumetric estimates; for using an enlarged bandwidth to resolve small model features; for updating the velocity in high contrast regimes; and for the creation of survey-wide, high-resolution models to reduce imaging uncertainty, complement attribute analysis, estimate elastic properties and prospect derisking. Collectively, we demonstrate how to produce high-resolution velocity models when conventional methods cannot and how to generate earth models in an accelerated fashion to reduce project turnaround. We describe pragmatic limits to what maximum FWI frequencies are reasonable and suggest ways that may soon by-pass signal processing and obtain direct earth attributes.

scholarly journals Velocity model building by 3D frequency-domain, full-waveform inversion of wide-aperture seismic data

Geophysics ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
pp. VE101-VE117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hafedh Ben-Hadj-Ali ◽  
Stéphane Operto ◽  
Jean Virieux
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Frequency Domain ◽  
Distributed Memory ◽  
Waveform Inversion ◽  
Steepest Descent Method ◽  
Frequency Domain Method ◽  
Full Waveform Inversion ◽  
Direct Solver ◽  
Velocity Models ◽  
Full Waveform

We assessed 3D frequency-domain (FD) acoustic full-waveform inversion (FWI) data as a tool to develop high-resolution velocity models from low-frequency global-offset data. The inverse problem was posed as a classic least-squares optimization problem solved with a steepest-descent method. Inversion was applied to a few discrete frequencies, allowing management of a limited subset of the 3D data volume. The forward problem was solved with a finite-difference frequency-domain method based on a massively parallel direct solver, allowing efficient multiple-shot simulations. The inversion code was fully parallelized for distributed-memory platforms, taking advantage of a domain decomposition of the modeled wavefields performed by the direct solver. After validation on simple synthetic tests, FWI was applied to two targets (channel and thrust system) of the 3D SEG/EAGE overthrust model, corresponding to 3D domains of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively. The maximum inverted frequencies are 15 and [Formula: see text] for the two applications. A maximum of 30 dual-core biprocessor nodes with [Formula: see text] of shared memory per node were used for the second target. The main structures were imaged successfully at a resolution scale consistent with the inverted frequencies. Our study confirms the feasibility of 3D frequency-domain FWI of global-offset data on large distributed-memory platforms to develop high-resolution velocity models. These high-velocity models may provide accurate macromodels for wave-equation prestack depth migration.

Full-waveform inversion for full-wavefield imaging: Decades in the making

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 324-334
Author(s):  
Rongxin Huang ◽  
Zhigang Zhang ◽  
Zedong Wu ◽  
Zhiyuan Wei ◽  
Jiawei Mei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Model Building ◽  
Seismic Imaging ◽  
Structural Information ◽  
Waveform Inversion ◽  
Velocity Model ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Full Waveform Inversion ◽  
Data Types ◽  
Velocity Models ◽  
Full Waveform

Seismic imaging using full-wavefield data that includes primary reflections, transmitted waves, and their multiples has been the holy grail for generations of geophysicists. To be able to use the full-wavefield data effectively requires a forward-modeling process to generate full-wavefield data, an inversion scheme to minimize the difference between modeled and recorded data, and, more importantly, an accurate velocity model to correctly propagate and collapse energy of different wave modes. All of these elements have been embedded in the framework of full-waveform inversion (FWI) since it was proposed three decades ago. However, for a long time, the application of FWI did not find its way into the domain of full-wavefield imaging, mostly owing to the lack of data sets with good constraints to ensure the convergence of inversion, the required compute power to handle large data sets and extend the inversion frequency to the bandwidth needed for imaging, and, most significantly, stable FWI algorithms that could work with different data types in different geologic settings. Recently, with the advancement of high-performance computing and progress in FWI algorithms at tackling issues such as cycle skipping and amplitude mismatch, FWI has found success using different data types in a variety of geologic settings, providing some of the most accurate velocity models for generating significantly improved migration images. Here, we take a step further to modify the FWI workflow to output the subsurface image or reflectivity directly, potentially eliminating the need to go through the time-consuming conventional seismic imaging process that involves preprocessing, velocity model building, and migration. Compared with a conventional migration image, the reflectivity image directly output from FWI often provides additional structural information with better illumination and higher signal-to-noise ratio naturally as a result of many iterations of least-squares fitting of the full-wavefield data.

Near-surface full-waveform inversion in a transmission surface-consistent scheme

Geophysics ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-57
Author(s):  
Daniele Colombo ◽  
Ernesto Sandoval ◽  
Diego Rovetta ◽  
Apostolos Kontakis
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Waveform Inversion ◽  
Surface Velocity ◽  
Full Waveform Inversion ◽  
Velocity Mapping ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Velocity Modeling ◽  
Full Waveform

Land seismic velocity modeling is a difficult task largely related to the description of the near surface complexities. Full waveform inversion is the method of choice for achieving high-resolution velocity mapping but its application to land seismic data faces difficulties related to complex physics, unknown and spatially varying source signatures, and low signal-to-noise ratio in the data. Large parameter variations occur in the near surface at various scales causing severe kinematic and dynamic distortions of the recorded wavefield. Some of the parameters can be incorporated in the inversion model while others, due to sub-resolution dimensions or unmodeled physics, need to be corrected through data preconditioning; a topic not well described for land data full waveform inversion applications. We have developed novel algorithms and workflows for surface-consistent data preconditioning utilizing the transmitted portion of the wavefield, signal-to-noise enhancement by generation of CMP-based virtual super shot gathers, and robust 1.5D Laplace-Fourier full waveform inversion. Our surface-consistent scheme solves residual kinematic corrections and amplitude anomalies via scalar compensation or deconvolution of the near surface response. Signal-to-noise enhancement is obtained through the statistical evaluation of volumetric prestack responses at the CMP position, or virtual super (shot) gathers. These are inverted via a novel 1.5D acoustic Laplace-Fourier full waveform inversion scheme using the Helmholtz wave equation and Hankel domain forward modeling. Inversion is performed with nonlinear conjugate gradients. The method is applied to a complex structure-controlled wadi area exhibiting faults, dissolution, collapse, and subsidence where the high resolution FWI velocity modeling helps clarifying the geological interpretation. The developed algorithms and automated workflows provide an effective solution for massive full waveform inversion of land seismic data that can be embedded in typical near surface velocity analysis procedures.

Introduction to this special section: Near-surface imaging and modeling

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 310-310
Author(s):  
Steve Sloan ◽  
Dan Feigenbaum
Keyword(s):  
Open Source Software ◽  
Special Section ◽  
Waveform Inversion ◽  
Radar Data ◽  
Surface Velocity ◽  
Surface Imaging ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Velocity Models ◽  
Full Waveform ◽  
Ground Penetrating

This special section on near-surface imaging and modeling was intended originally to focus on improving deeper imaging for exploration purposes through more accurate representations of the near surface, the highly variable zone that energy must traverse through on the way down and back up again to be recorded at the surface. However, as proposed manuscript topics started coming in, it became clear that this section would cover a wider range, from kilometers down to meters. Papers in this section highlight a range of near-surface-related work that includes applying full-waveform inversion (FWI) to improve near-surface velocity models, identifying potential sinkhole hazards before they collapse, the potential of smartphones as geophysical sensors, and new open-source software for ground-penetrating radar data.

Land FWI in the Delaware Basin, west Texas: A case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 324-331
Author(s):  
Gary Murphy ◽  
Vanessa Brown ◽  
Denes Vigh
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Waveform Inversion ◽  
Surface Velocity ◽  
High Signal ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Delaware Basin ◽  
West Texas

As part of a wide-reaching full-waveform inversion (FWI) research program, FWI is applied to an onshore seismic data set collected in the Delaware Basin, west Texas. FWI is routinely applied on typical marine data sets with high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), relatively good low-frequency content, and reasonably long offsets. Land seismic data sets, in comparison, present significant challenges for FWI due to low S/N, a dearth of low frequencies, and limited offsets. Recent advancements in FWI overcome limitations due to poor S/N and low frequencies making land FWI feasible to use to update the shallow velocities. The chosen area has contrasting and variable near-surface conditions providing an excellent test data set on which to demonstrate the workflow and its challenges. An acoustic FWI workflow is used to update the near-surface velocity model in order to improve the deeper image and simultaneously help highlight potential shallow drilling hazards.

Characterization of heterogeneous landfill: seismic waveform inversion and wavefield retrieval to integrated quantitative inversion of high-resolution seismic-electrical datasets

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranajit Ghose
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Preferential Flow ◽  
Waveform Inversion ◽  
Geophysical Methods ◽  
Matric Suction ◽  
Phreatic Surface ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Degradation Processes ◽  
Seismic Waveform ◽  
Seismic Wavefield

<p>A landfill body is typically highly heterogeneous. The scale of these heterogeneities - which are relevant for the purpose of assessment of preferential flow paths, the degradation processes, and the spatio-temporally varying aging and settlements - is quite often small considering the limiting resolution and confidence of the prevalent near-surface geophysical methods. High-density areas act as obstruction to fluid flow and are important for understanding the degradation processes. These areas manifest as scatterers in the recorded seismic wavefield. Strong presence of scattered energy is typical of seismic datasets acquired on landfills. Our research has been concentrated on resolving and monitoring density and porosity variations, as well as distribution of water saturation, phreatic surface, matric suction and stress. Dedicated schemes of early-arrival waveform tomography, full-waveform inversion and interferometric seismic wavefield retrieval complemented by electrical resistivity tomography show promise in high-resolution delineation and monitoring of these properties in a heterogeneous landfill. We will discuss the results of a novel inversion scheme which allows quantitative estimation of spatio-temporally heterogeneous matric suction, stress and porosity.</p>

Near-surface seismic imaging of tunnels using 3D elastic full-waveform inversion

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Smith ◽  
Dmitry Borisov ◽  
Ryan Modrak ◽  
Jeroen Tromp ◽  
Harley Cudney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Imaging ◽  
Waveform Inversion ◽  
Full Waveform Inversion ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Full Waveform
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