Method and system for eliminating seismic acquisition footprint through geological guidance

1. A method of forming an artifact attenuated seismic image, comprising:

obtaining an input seismic image;

selecting a seismic partition from the input seismic image;

determining a seismic dip for the seismic partition;

determining, using a computer processor, a flattened seismic partition from the seismic partition based, at least in part, on the seismic dip;

determining, using the computer processor, a filtered seismic partition from the flattened seismic partition;

determining, using the computer processor, an unflattened seismic segment based, at least in part, on the filtered seismic partition; and

determining, using the computer processor, the artifact attenuated seismic image based, at least in part, on the unflattened seismic segment.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a portion of a subterranean region of interest with a likelihood of containing hydrocarbons based, at least in part, on the artifact attenuated seismic image;

determining a well path through the subterranean region of interest based, at least in part, on the identified portion of the subterranean region of interest; and

performing the well path using a drilling system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input seismic image is a common mid-point stack.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input seismic image is a seismic time-domain image.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the filtered seismic partition from the flattened seismic partition comprises applying a median to a horizontal spatial dimension of the flattened seismic partition.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the seismic dip for the seismic partition comprises:

transforming the seismic partition into a frequency-wavenumber spectrum; and

identifying the seismic dip based, at least in part, on a peak value of the frequency-wavenumber spectrum.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the flattened seismic partition comprises shifting an applicate axis of each of a plurality of seismic traces in the seismic partition by a shift based, at least in part, on the seismic dip.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer processor, the instructions comprising functionality for:

receiving an input seismic image;

selecting a seismic partition from the input seismic image;

determining a seismic dip for the seismic partition;

determining a flattened seismic partition from the seismic partition based, at least in part, on the seismic dip;

determining a filtered seismic partition from the flattened seismic partition;

determining an unflattened seismic segment based, at least in part, on the filtered seismic partition; and

determining the artifact attenuated seismic image based, at least in part, on the unflattened seismic segment.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising:

identifying a portion of a subterranean region of interest with a likelihood of containing hydrocarbons based, at least in part, on the artifact attenuated seismic image;

determining a well path through the subterranean region of interest based, at least in part, on the identified portion of the subterranean region of interest.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the input seismic image is a common mid-point stack.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the input seismic image is a seismic time-domain image.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein determining the filtered seismic partition from the flattened seismic partition comprises applying a median to at least one horizontal spatial dimension of the flattened seismic partition.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein determining a seismic dip for the seismic partition comprises:

transforming the seismic partition into a frequency-wavenumber spectrum; and

identifying a seismic dip based, at least in part, on a peak value of the frequency-wavenumber spectrum.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein determining a flattened seismic partition comprises shifting the applicate axis of each seismic trace in the seismic partition by a shift based, at least in part, on the seismic dip.

15. A system for forming an artifact attenuated seismic image, comprising:

a seismic source to emit a radiated seismic wave;

a plurality of seismic receivers for detecting and recording an observed seismic dataset generated by the radiated seismic wave; and

a seismic processor configured to:

receive an input seismic image;

determine a seismic partition from the input seismic image;

determine a seismic dip for the seismic partition;

determine a flattened seismic partition from the seismic partition based, at least in part, on the seismic dip;

determine a filtered seismic partition from the flattened seismic partition;

determine an unflattened seismic segment based, at least in part, on the filtered seismic partition; and

determine the artifact attenuated seismic image based, at least in part, on the unflattened seismic segment.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the seismic processor is further configured to:

identifying a portion of a subterranean region of interest with a high likelihood of containing hydrocarbons based, at least in part, on the artifact attenuated seismic image;

determining a well path through the subterranean region of interest based, at least in part, on the identified portion of the subterranean region of interest.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the input seismic image is a common mid-point stack.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the input seismic image is a seismic time-domain image.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein determining a filtered seismic partition from the flattened seismic partition comprises applying a median to at least one horizontal spatial dimension of the flattened seismic partition.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein determining a seismic dip for the seismic partition comprises:

transforming the seismic partition into a frequency-wavenumber spectrum; and

identifying a seismic dip based, at least in part, on a peak value of the frequency-wavenumber spectrum.