Method for obtaining estimates of a model parameter so as to characterise the evolution of a subsurface volume over a time period using time-lapse seismic

1. A method for characterizing changes within a subsurface volume between a first time and a second time, said method comprising:

performing a first survey of the subsurface volume at said first time to obtain first seismic data acquired by the transmission of seismic signals into the subsurface volume and subsequent detection of some or all of the seismic signals after reflection within the subsurface, said first seismic data corresponding to the first time;

processing said first seismic data by migrating the first seismic data to obtain a seismic image of the subsurface volume;

reversing said processing for relevant portions of said seismic image by de-migrating the relevant portions of said seismic image to obtain relevant portions of first seismic data, wherein the relevant portions of said seismic image comprise locally coherent events which relate to portions of the seismic image having spatial coherency; and the relevant portions of first seismic data comprise kinematic invariants having de-migrated positions which are invariant a model used for the migration and/or de-migration;

performing a second survey of the subsurface volume at said second time to obtain second seismic data acquired by the transmission of seismic signals into the subsurface volume and subsequent detection of some or all of the seismic signals after reflection within the subsurface volume, said second seismic data corresponding to the second time;

characterizing said changes within the subsurface volume between the first time and the second time by estimating the changes between said second seismic data and said relevant portions of first seismic data, said estimating comprising determining changes between the kinematic invariants of the first seismic data and local second seismic data, said local second seismic data being local to said kinematic invariants of the first seismic data, wherein characterizing said changes within the subsurface volume between the first time and the second time is performed substantially simultaneously with performing said second survey, thereby characterizing said changes in real time; and

using the characterized changes to aid hydrocarbon recovery from a reservoir.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein acquisition geometry values used in performing said migrating comprises first acquisition geometry values relating to a first acquisition geometry used in obtaining said first seismic data, and acquisition geometry values used in performing said de-migrating comprises second acquisition geometry values relating to a second acquisition geometry used in obtaining said second seismic data, said first acquisition geometry being different to said second acquisition geometry.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of determining changes comprises performing a localized inversion for said changes centered on the kinematic invariants.

4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein said step of performing a localized inversion comprises performing an inversion within data windows centered on the kinematic invariants.

5. A method according to claim 3 , further comprising the step of transforming the determined changes between the kinematic invariants of the first seismic data and local second seismic data into useful parameters.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein said transforming into useful parameters comprises performing an attribute migration to obtain 4D time-shift attribute maps.

7. A method according to claim 5 , wherein said transforming into useful parameters comprises performing 4D tomography to obtain 4D velocity change data.

8. A method according to claim 7 , wherein said performing 4D tomography comprises minimizing an objective function with respect to the determined changes between the kinematic invariants of the first seismic data and local second seismic data, said objective function describing the variation of the 4D velocity change data with the determined changes between the kinematic invariants of the first seismic data and local second seismic data, in terms of travel times per region of the subsurface volume.

9. A non-transitory computer medium program comprising computer readable instructions which, when run on suitable computer apparatus, cause the computer apparatus to perform the method according to claim 1 .

10. A non-transitory computer medium program carrier comprising the computer program of claim 9 .

11. Apparatus comprising one or more processors specifically adapted to carry out the steps of the method according to claim 1 .