Video n. 65

Interactive Direct Volume Rendering of a Migrated Seismic Section

E.Gobbetti, A.Zorcolo, E.Bonomi, L.Brieger, C.M.Nardone and E.Pieroni

CRS4 TR, Cagliari, Italy, May 1998.

  • Date: 05/98
  • Duration: 00:03:40
  • Production: CRS4 (I) D
  • Master: 003-002-9809
  • Encoding: PAL
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    Abstract

    Seismic data migration is an image reconstruction technique based on the inversion of the scalar wave equation. In the migration process, the recorded pressure waves are used as initial conditions for a wave field governed by the scalar wave equation, which propagates downward and in reverse time. 3D seismic imaging, a computationally- and I/O-intensive task, is reportedly the key technological advance in oil exploration today. Subsurface depth imaging, which is the outcome of repeated steps of 3D seismic data migration, requires Gbytes of data which must be reduced, transformed, visualized and interpreted to obtain meaningful information. Since cost control and risk minimization are paramount for the oil industry, it is important to have a fast total turnaround loop leading to an accurate result. Enhancing the algorithmic and run-time efficiency of migration codes has been the core activity of the Geophysics group at CRS4, a work is carried out within an industrial partnership with AGIP SpA. We have developed an experimental interactive tool that makes it possible to interactively inspect and analyse 3D scalar volumes produced by the seismic migration code. This video-tape illustrates our approach with interactive sequences recorded live on a SGI Onyx IR workstation.

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