Method and system for determining attenuated seismic time

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining first seismic data based on a seismic survey regarding a geological region of interest;

obtaining grid data based on the geological region of interest,

wherein the grid data comprises a plurality of grid nodes disposed between a respective seismic source among a plurality of seismic sources and a respective seismic receiver among a plurality of seismic receivers, and

wherein the first seismic data corresponds to a seismic survey based on the plurality of seismic sources and the plurality of seismic receivers;

determining, by a computer processor, a plurality of travel times using the first seismic data, the grid data, an Eikonal function, and a velocity model for the geological region of interest;

determining, by the computer processor, a plurality of attenuated travel times using the plurality of travel times, the grid data, and a forward modeling function comprising a plurality of gradient components;

determining, by the computer processor, a plurality of updated attenuated travel times using the plurality of attenuated travel times, the grid data, the forward modeling function, and a fast sweeping method, wherein the fast sweeping method comprises a plurality of alternating sweeps of the grid data using the forward modeling function; and

generating, by the computer processor, an attenuation model of the geological region of interest using the plurality of updated attenuated travel times.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a seismic image for the geological region of interest based on the attenuation model and second seismic data,

wherein the attenuation model is used to compensate the second seismic data for amplitude attenuation from one or more lithological interfaces within the geological region of interest.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that a respective parallel processor among a plurality of parallel processors is assigned to perform a respective sweep among the plurality of alternating sweeps,

wherein at least one of the plurality of parallel processors is disposed in a graphical processing unit (GPU).

4. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the attenuation model is a Q model that describes a plurality of seismic quality factor values for the geological region of interest.

5. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the grid data corresponds to a two-dimensional rectangular grid comprising a first corner, a second corner, a third corner, and a fourth corner,

wherein the plurality of alternating sweeps comprises a first sweep, a second sweep, a third sweep, and a fourth sweep,

wherein the first sweep determines first attenuated travel time data from the first corner to the fourth corner, and

wherein the second sweep determines second attenuated travel time data from the fourth corner to the first corner.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the plurality of updated attenuated travel times satisfy a predetermined criterion,

wherein the plurality of updated attenuated travel times are updated iteratively until the predetermined criterion is satisfied.

7. The method of claim 6 ,

wherein the predetermined criterion is a convergence criterion.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, using one or more frequency-dependent attenuation regions in the attenuation model, a plurality of interfaces within the geological region of interest; and

determining, using the plurality of interfaces, a presence of hydrocarbons in the geological region of interest.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

acquiring, using a seismic surveying system, the first seismic data regarding the geological region of interest.

10. A system, comprising:

a network comprising a plurality of parallel processors; and

a seismic interpreter comprising a computer processor, wherein the seismic interpreter is coupled to the network, the seismic interpreter comprising functionality for:

obtaining first seismic data based on a seismic survey regarding a geological region of interest;

obtaining grid data based on the geological region of interest,

wherein the grid data comprises a plurality of grid nodes disposed between a respective seismic source among a plurality of seismic sources and a respective seismic receiver among a plurality of seismic receivers, and

wherein the first seismic data corresponds to a seismic survey based on the plurality of seismic sources and the plurality of seismic receivers;

determining a plurality of travel times using the first seismic data, the grid data, an Eikonal function, and a velocity model for the geological region of interest;

determining a plurality of attenuated travel times using the plurality of travel times, the grid data, and a forward modeling function comprising a plurality of gradient components;

determining, using the plurality of parallel processors, a plurality of updated attenuated travel times using the plurality of attenuated travel times, the grid data, the forward modeling function, and a fast sweeping method, wherein the fast sweeping method comprises a plurality of alternating sweeps of the grid data using the forward modeling function; and

generating an attenuation model of the geological region of interest using the plurality of updated attenuated travel times.

11. The system of claim 10 ,

wherein a respective parallel processor among a plurality of parallel processors is assigned to perform a respective sweep among the plurality of alternating sweeps, and

wherein at least one of the plurality of parallel processors is disposed in a graphical processing unit (GPU).

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the seismic interpreter further comprises functionality for:

generating a seismic image for the geological region of interest based on the attenuation model and second seismic data,

wherein the attenuation model is used to compensate the second seismic data for amplitude attenuation from one or more lithological interfaces within the geological region of interest.

13. The system of claim 10 ,

wherein the attenuation model is a Q model that describes a plurality of seismic quality factor values for the geological region of interest.

14. The system of claim 10 ,

wherein the grid data corresponds to a two-dimensional rectangular grid comprising a first corner, a second corner, a third corner, and a fourth corner,

wherein the plurality of alternating sweeps comprises a first sweep, a second sweep, a third sweep, and a fourth sweep,

wherein the first sweep determines first attenuated travel time data from the first corner to the fourth corner, and

wherein the second sweep determines second attenuated travel time data from the fourth corner to the first corner.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the seismic interpreter further comprises functionality for:

determining whether the plurality of updated attenuated travel times satisfy a predetermined criterion,

wherein the plurality of updated attenuated travel times are updated iteratively until the predetermined criterion is satisfied, and

wherein the predetermined criterion is a convergence criterion.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the seismic interpreter further comprises functionality for:

determining, using one or more frequency-dependent attenuation regions in the attenuation model, a plurality of interfaces within the geological region of interest; and

determining, using the plurality of interfaces, a presence of hydrocarbons in the geological region of interest.

17. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a seismic surveying system, wherein the seismic surveying system comprises at least one seismic source and a plurality of seismic receivers,

wherein the seismic surveying system acquires the first seismic data.

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

obtaining first seismic data based on a seismic survey regarding a geological region of interest;

obtaining grid data based on the geological region of interest,

wherein the grid data comprises a plurality of grid nodes disposed between a respective seismic source among a plurality of seismic sources and a respective seismic receiver among a plurality of seismic receivers, and

wherein the first seismic data corresponds to a seismic survey based on the plurality of seismic sources and the plurality of seismic receivers;

determining a plurality of travel times using the first seismic data, the grid data, an Eikonal function, and a velocity model for the geological region of interest;

determining a plurality of attenuated travel times using the plurality of travel times, the grid data, and a forward modeling function comprising a plurality of gradient components;

determining a plurality of updated attenuated travel times using the plurality of attenuated travel times, the grid data, the forward modeling function, and a fast sweeping method, wherein the fast sweeping method comprises a plurality of alternating sweeps of the grid data using the forward modeling function; and

generating an attenuation model of the geological region of interest using the plurality of updated attenuated travel times.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions further comprise functionality for:

generating a seismic image for the geological region of interest based on the attenuation model and second seismic data,

wherein the attenuation model is used to compensate the second seismic data for amplitude attenuation from one or more lithological interfaces within the geological region of interest.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 ,

wherein the grid data corresponds to a two-dimensional rectangular grid comprising a first corner, a second corner, a third corner, and a fourth corner,

wherein the plurality of alternating sweeps comprises a first sweep, a second sweep, a third sweep, and a fourth sweep,

wherein the first sweep determines first attenuated travel time data from the first corner to the fourth corner, and

wherein the second sweep determines second attenuated travel time data from the fourth corner to the first corner.