Look-ahead VSP workflow that uses a time and depth variant Q to reduce uncertainties in depth estimation ahead of a drilling bit

1. A method comprising:

receiving seismic data acquired by at least one receiver of a geologic survey system configured to perform a geologic survey of a subterranean formation, wherein the seismic data is associated with reflected acoustic signals generated by a source of the geologic survey system;

calculating a ground force signal by stacking the acoustic signals generated by the source;

calculating, using the ground force signal, a time and depth variant quality factor (Q) of the subterranean formation, wherein the at least one receiver comprises a plurality of receivers, and wherein calculating, using the ground force signal, the time and depth variant quality factor (Q) of the subterranean formation comprises:

calculating, using the ground force signal, a respective Q for a plurality of intervals in the subterranean formation, wherein the plurality of intervals are defined by a respective depth of the plurality of receivers within the subterranean formation;

compensating, based on the time and depth variant Q, attenuation in the seismic data; and

using the compensated seismic data to generate seismic images of the subterranean formation, wherein the compensated seismic data is used in looking ahead of a drilling bit that is drilling a wellbore in the subterranean formation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geologic survey system is a vertical seismic profile (VSP) system, and wherein the seismic data is VSP data.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating, using the ground force signal, the time and depth variant quality factor (Q) of the subterranean formation comprises:

using a spectral ratio method to calculate the time and depth variant quality factor.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating, based on data from nearby wells, an initial Earth model.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

creating, based on the seismic data, a corridor stack;

inverting the corridor stack to create an acoustic impedance profile of the subterranean formation;

using an empirical relationship to derive a density from the initial Earth model;

fitting (i) measured density from wellbore logging data and (ii) the derived density from the initial Earth model; and

using the acoustic impedance profile and the fitted density to calculate a velocity profile ahead of a drilling bit that is drilling a wellbore in the subterranean formation.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

generating, using the velocity profile ahead of the drilling bit, a depth profile ahead of the drilling bit.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

using a spectral ratio method to estimate a Q of the ground force signal; and

determining, based on the Q of the ground force signal, whether losses in the seismic data are due to geology of the subterranean formation.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

calculating a standard deviation of the ground force signal; and

determining, based on the standard deviation of the ground force signal, whether losses in the seismic data are due to geology of the subterranean formation.

9. A device comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors and storing programming instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the programming instructions instructing the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving seismic data acquired by at least one receiver of a geologic survey system configured to perform a geologic survey of a subterranean formation, wherein the seismic data is associated with reflected acoustic signals generated by a source of the geologic survey system;

calculating a ground force signal by stacking the acoustic signals generated by the source;

calculating, using the ground force signal, a time and depth variant quality factor (Q) of the subterranean formation, wherein the at least one receiver comprises a plurality of receivers, and wherein calculating, using the ground force signal, the time and depth variant quality factor (Q) of the subterranean formation comprises:

calculating, using the ground force signal, a respective Q for a plurality of intervals in the subterranean formation, wherein the plurality of intervals are defined by a respective depth of the plurality of receivers within the subterranean formation;

compensating, based on the time and depth variant Q, attenuation in the seismic data and

using the compensated seismic data to generate seismic images of the subterranean formation, wherein the compensated seismic data is used in looking ahead of a drilling bit that is drilling a wellbore in the subterranean formation.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the geologic survey system is a vertical seismic profile (VSP) system, and wherein the seismic data is VSP data.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein calculating, using the ground force signal, the time and depth variant quality factor (Q) of the subterranean formation comprises:

using a spectral ratio method to calculate the time and depth variant quality factor.

12. The device of claim 9 , the operations further comprising:

generating, based on data from nearby wells, an initial Earth model.

13. The device of claim 12 , the operations further comprising:

creating, based on the seismic data, a corridor stack;

inverting the corridor stack to create an acoustic impedance profile of the subterranean formation;

using an empirical relationship to derive a density from the initial Earth model;

fitting (i) measured density from wellbore logging data and (ii) the derived density from the initial Earth model; and

using the acoustic impedance profile and the fitted density to calculate a velocity profile ahead of the drilling bit.

14. The device of claim 13 , the operations further comprising:

generating, using the velocity profile ahead of the drilling bit, a depth profile ahead of the drilling bit.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer system to perform operations comprising:

receiving seismic data acquired by at least one receiver of a geologic survey system configured to perform a geologic survey of a subterranean formation, wherein the seismic data is associated with reflected acoustic signals generated by a source of the geologic survey system;

calculating a ground force signal by stacking the acoustic signals generated by the source;

calculating, using the ground force signal, a time and depth variant quality factor (Q) of the subterranean formation, wherein the at least one receiver comprises a plurality of receivers, and wherein calculating, using the ground force signal, the time and depth variant quality factor (Q) of the subterranean formation comprises:

calculating, using the ground force signal, a respective Q for a plurality of intervals in the subterranean formation, wherein the plurality of intervals are defined by a respective depth of the plurality of receivers within the subterranean formation;

compensating, based on the time and depth variant Q, attenuation in the seismic data; and

using the compensated seismic data to generate seismic images of the subterranean formation, wherein the compensated seismic data is used in looking ahead of a drilling bit that is drilling a wellbore in the subterranean formation.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the geologic survey system is a vertical seismic profile (VSP) system, and wherein the seismic data is VSP data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein calculating, using the ground force signal, the time and depth variant quality factor (Q) of the subterranean formation comprises:

using a spectral ratio method to calculate the time and depth variant quality factor.