Getting something for nothing-or not: interpolating coherent noise

David C. Henley, Joe Wong

Seismic data acquisition techniques continue to evolve towards the increasing use of single sensors and finer spatial sampling, in order to improve both the spatial and vertical resolution of seismic reflection images. Part of the increased resolution comes from the improved ability to estimate and remove coherent noise from source gathers with finer receiver spacing. For most practical acquisition situations, however, the receiver spacing cannot be made small enough to completely avoid aliasing of the higher frequency components of the noise. Some simple processing tactics which may improve this situation are demonstrated here, using data provided by the physical modelling system at CREWES. These methods involve trace-shift (LMO) de-aliasing, simple radial trace domain interpolation, and a non-linear radial trace noise attenuation trick. These methods can improve coherent noise removal for a source gather with an existing receiver spacing, but are generally not as effective as halving the receiver spacing during the actual acquisition.