Analysis of the West Castle seismic surveys part I. Near surface characterization using a high-resolution 3C seismic survey

Gabriela M. Suarez Barbero, Robert R. Stewart

Seismic surveys were acquired in the early fall of 2006 in the West Castle Area of Southwestern Alberta. The 2D vertical-component 10 km crooked line and a 3C 2D high resolution survey were processed with the objective of obtaining new information about the subsurface structures and the near-surface layers of this geologically complex area. The 3C high resolution survey showed two near-surface layers of velocities in the range of 700-2700 m/s. The final processed image of the 2D crooked line allowed the interpretation of some of the major geological structures of the areas such as the Lewis thrust. Results also suggested that improvement in the acquisition and processing are required. Pre-stack depth migration and special crooked line processing techniques are possible options to attain a better subsurface image.