1999 RESEARCH UTAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1. Migration Deconvolution of 3D Prestack Data Shows Noticeable Improvement in Resolution and Artifact Reduction for Some Data.
   • IMPLICATION: Acquisition Footprint can be Partly Suppressed in Prestack Data.
   • PROBLEMS: Some Reflectors Lose Strength. Some Instability in W. Texas Example.

2. DMO Deconvolution Developed and Applied to Data.
   • IMPLICATION: Acquisition Footprint can be Partly Suppressed in DMO Images.
   • PROBLEMS: Not Enough Data Tested.

3. 3-D Wavepath Migration Shows Significant Speedup in CPU Time Compared to Kirchhoff Migration.
   • IMPLICATIONS: 3-D Integral Prestack Migration in 1/10 or Less Cost!
   • Fast Velocity Analysis Method.
   • PROBLEMS: Sensitivity to Incidence Angle Estimation.

4. Seismic Interferometry
   • IMPLICATION: Mitigation of source and receiver statics.
   • PROBLEM: Not enough data examples, incomplete understanding of limitations and benefits.

5. Extensive Synthetic Tests Suggest Salt Bodies and Ore Bodies can be Imaged by PS Transmission Waves.
   • IMPLICATION: Single Well Imaging of Salt Flanks Realistic?
   • Ore Body Imaging with Crosswell Experiments.
   • PROBLEMS: Not Enough Data Tests.

6. Reduced-Time Migration.
   • IMPLICATION: More Accurate Migration Images in Presence of Velocity Errors.
   • PROBLEMS: Not Enough Data Tests.

7. Development of Adaptive Reverse-Time Migration.
   • IMPLICATION: For some Velocity Models, an Order-of-Magnitude Reduction in Computation Time relative to Standard Reverse-Time Migration.
   • Image Both Primaries and Multiples Simultaneously.

8. Time-to-Depth Conversion by Velocity Continuation.
   • IMPLICATION: Better Time Migrated Sections.
   • PROBLEMS: Theory Only, No Numerical Tests.

9. Multicomponent Data Processing.
   • IMPLICATION: Better Quality Migration Images.
   • PROBLEMS: Not Enough Data Tests.

10. True Amplitude Remigration by Stationary-Phase Migration.
    • IMPLICATION: Improved AVO Method.
    • PROBLEMS: Not Enough Data Tests.

11. Model Resolution for Traveltime Tomograms.
    • IMPLICATION: Resolution Estimates for Smooth Velocity Models and Finite-Band Data.