Targeted high-end processing to deliver a rapid P-image from the Tangguh ISS® OBN survey

Well planning is one of the most demanding aspects of drilling engineering for hydrocarbons. Hence, seismic exploration objectives often require the interpretation of the seismic image as early as possible to facilitate well planning. This task becomes challenging when one needs to employ advanced acquisition to image complex geological structures. Ocean Bottom Seismic (OBS) surveys, especially high density OBS ones, are gaining attention in modern marine acquisition for the recording of wide azimuths, long offsets and data with high fold to address complicated imaging problems. However, the increase in data volume and processing complexity (due to the nature of multicomponent data) from high-density OBS surveys magnifies the turnaround issue of obtaining the seismic image for early well planning. Cases where the surveys are performed over challenging areas, such as shallow water environments, further complicate the processing and hence lengthen the turnaround. In this paper, we describe a targeted P-wave only processing flow, using advanced methods of deghosting, demultiple, velocity model building and migration. The flow can provide an optimal solution that meets both the drilling program’s needs and the complex processing requirements for shallow water OBN surveys that aim to image structures with large velocity contrasts. This approach is described using data acquired utilizing state-of-the-art ISS® ocean-bottom nodes deployed in relatively shallow (20-80 m) water over the Tangguh gas field, Indonesia.