The common-reflection-surface stack provides a zerooffset simulation from seismic multicoverage reflection data. Whereas conventional reflection imaging methods (e.g. the NMO/dip moveout/stack or prestack migration) require a sufficiently accurate macrovelocity model to yield appropriate results, the common-reflectionsurface (CRS) stack does not depend on a macrovelocity model.We apply the CRS stack to a 2-D synthetic seismic multicoverage dataset. We show that it not only provides a high-quality simulated zero-offset section but also three important kinematic wavefield attribute sections, which can be used to derive the 2-D macrovelocity model. We compare the multicoverage-data-derived attributes with the model-derived attributes computed by forward modeling. We thus confirm the validity of the theory and of the data-derived attributes.For 2-D acquisition, the CRS stack leads to a stacking surface depending on three search parameters. The optimum stacking surface needs to be determined for each point of the simulated zero-offset section. For a given primary reflection, these are the emergence angle α of the zero-offset ray, as well as two radii of wavefront curvatures R N and R NIP . They all are associated with two hypothetical waves: the so-called normal wave and the normal-incidence-point wave. We also address the problem of determining an optimal parameter triplet (α, R NIP , R N ) in order to construct the sample value (i.e., the CRS stack value) for each point in the desired simulated zero-offset section. This optimal triplet is expected to determine for each point the best stacking surface that can be fitted to the multicoverage primary reflection events.To make the CRS stack attractive in terms of computational costs, a suitable strategy is described to determine the optimal parameter triplets for all points of the simulated zero-offset section. For the implementation of the CRS stack, we make use of the hyperbolic second-order Taylor expansion of the stacking surface. This representation is not only suitable to handle irregular multicoverage acquisition geometries but also enables us to introduce simple and efficient search strategies for the parameter triple. In specific subsets of the multicoverage data (e.g., in the common-midpoint gathers or the zero-offset section), the chosen representation only depends on one or two independent parameters, respectively.

The simulation of a zero-offset stack section from multicoverage seismic reflection data for 2-D media is a widely used seismic reflection imaging method that reduces the amount of data and enhances the signal-to-noise ratio. The aim of the common-reflection-surface stack is not only to provide a well-simulated zero-offset stack section but also to determine certain attributes of hypothetical wavefronts at the surface useful for a subsequent inversion. The main advantage of the common-reflection-surface stack is the use of analytical formulae that describe the kinematic reflection moveout response for inhomogeneous media with curved interfaces. These moveout formulae are valid for arbitrary shotreceiver pairs with respect to a common reference point and do not depend on the macro velocity model. An analytic reflection response that fits best to an actual reflection event in the multicoverage data set is determined by coherency analysis. We applied the common-reflection-surface stack to various synthetic and real data sets. For synthetic data sets, i. e. for a given model, data-derived as well as model-derived (forward calculated) wavefront attributes were computed. This enables us to verify the wavefront attributes determined by the commonreflection-surface stack exposing a wide agreement with the expected results. For real data sets we compare conventional stacking results and the common-reflection-surface stack.

No abstract

Stacking has been used in seismic data processing for a long time. In fact, stacked sections (or volumes in 3D) are standard deliverables in the industry, and the concepts of common-midpoint (CMP) gathers and normal moveout (NMO) correction are mentioned in almost every textbook on seismic processing. Although the general trend is toward prestack imaging (either in time or in depth), the construction of stacked sections remains an important step within the seismic processing flow, since they are almost always the first available interpretable images of the subsurface.

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.