Rugose seabed and near seafloor features in marine seismic datasets such as canyons, mass transport deposits and paleo-channels, present a major imaging challenge that can be overcome by a rigorous and careful approach in the earth model building process. To obtain an accurate image of the deeper target levels, a modelling and data driven update of the distinctive velocity characteristics of the overburden features are necessary. Without adequately addressing the complexity of the shallow velocity field, the final depth image of the target intervals can be poorly focussed and contaminated with non-geologic structural distortions. Inadequate corrections ultimately have an adverse impact upon the interpretation of the dataset.
This paper presents a successful earth modelling approach used to obtain an accurate depth image for a marine dataset located on the shelf break in the Otway Basin. The case study area includes extensive seafloor canyons and associated paleo-channels, requiring the strategic use of several geologically constrained model updating technologies in order to obtain a final imaged section free of velocity related structural distortions.
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