Selection of receiver line orientation for seismic data acquisition array

1. A method for selecting a receiver line grid for performing seismic exploration comprising:

determining the location of a plurality of source lines in a survey area, wherein the source lines form an irregular pattern;

determining a fold variation for each of a plurality of receiver line grids and associated cell grids, wherein each receiver line grid is positioned in the survey area and has a differing orientation relative to the source lines and wherein each cell grid comprises a plurality of cells; and

selecting a receiver line grid and associated cell grid from the plurality of receiver line grids and associated cell grids for performing seismic exploration in the survey area based on the determined fold variations of the receiver line grids and associated cell grids, said selected receiver line grid and associated cell grid having a lower relative fold variation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the source lines are constrained to roads, trails, or other allowable access paths in the survey area.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver line grids are defined by receivers oriented such that each receiver is equi-distant from six other receivers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each receiver line grid comprises:

a first plurality of receiver lines, wherein the first plurality of receiver lines are substantially parallel to one another; and

a second plurality of receiver lines, wherein the second plurality of receiver lines are substantially parallel to one another,

wherein the second plurality of receiver lines intersects with the first plurality of receiver lines.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the fold variation for a plurality of receiver line grids and associated cell grids comprises:

calculating the fold variation for each cell in each receiver line grid and associated cell grid; and

averaging the fold variations of all cells in each receiver line grid and associated cell grid.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the fold variation for each cell is calculated according to the following equation:

(|F C −F C1 |+|F C −F C2 |+|F C −F 3 |+|F C −F 4 |)÷4F C ×100

wherein F C is the fold level of the cell for which the fold variation is being calculated; and

wherein F C1 , F C2 , F C3 , and F C4 are the fold levels of adjacent cells.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the fold variation for each cell is calculated according to the following equation:

(|F C −F C1 |+|F C −F C2 |)÷2F C ×100

wherein F C is the fold level of the cell for which the fold variation is being calculated; and

wherein F C1 and F C2 are the fold levels of adjacent cells in the inline direction or the crossline direction.

8. A method of selecting a 3D seismic data acquisition array comprising:

selecting a survey area;

determining the location of a plurality of source lines in the survey area wherein the source lines form an irregular pattern;

pre-planning a plurality of receiver line grids, wherein each receiver line grid has a differing orientation relative to the source lines;

generating a plurality of receiver lines with a first cell grid by assigning a first cell grid to each receiver line grid, wherein each first cell grid comprises a plurality of cells and wherein each first cell grid has a cell size and an orientation;

generating a fold level for a plurality of cells in each receiver line grid with a first cell grid;

determining a fold variation for each receiver line grid with a first cell grid; and

selecting a receiver line grid from the plurality of receiver line grids with a first cell grid based on the fold variation, said selected receiver line grid with a first cell grid having a lower relative fold variation.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

varying at least one of the cell size and the orientation of the first cell grid to form a second cell grid;

generating a plurality of receiver line grids with said second cell grid by assigning said second cell grid to each receiver line grid;

generating a fold level for a plurality of cells in each receiver line grid with said second cell grid;

determining a fold variation for each receiver line grid with said second cell grid; and

selecting a receiver line grid from the plurality of receiver line grids with said second cell grid based on the fold variation, said selected receiver line grid with a second cell grid having a lower relative fold variation.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the source lines are irregularly oriented.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the source lines are constrained to roads, trails, or other allowable access paths in the survey area.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the receiver line grids are defined by receivers oriented such that each receiver is equi-distant from six other receiver.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein each receiver line grid comprises:

a first plurality of receiver lines, wherein the first plurality of receiver lines are substantially parallel to one another; and

a second plurality of receiver lines, wherein the second plurality of receiver lines are substantially parallel to one another,

wherein the second plurality of receiver lines intersects with the first plurality of receiver lines.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the second plurality of receiver lines is substantially orthogonal to the first plurality of receiver lines.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the first plurality of receiver lines is oriented at a first angle relative to an axis or the survey area and wherein the second plurality of receiver lines is oriented at a second angle relative to the axis of the survey area.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein determining the fold variation for each receiver line grid comprises:

calculating the fold variation for each cell in each receiver line grid; and

averaging the fold variations of all cells in each receiver line grid.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the fold variation for each cell is calculated according to the following equation:

(|F C −F C1 |+|F C −F C2 |+|F C −F 3 |+|F C −F 4 |)÷4F C ×100

wherein F C is the fold level of the cell for which the fold variation is being calculated; and

wherein F C1 , F C2 , F C3 , and F C4 are the fold levels of adjacent cells.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the fold variation for each cell is calculated according to the following equation:

(|F C −F C1 +|F C −F C2 |)÷2F C ×100

wherein F C is the fold level of the cell for which the fold variation is being calculated; and

wherein F C1 and F C2 are the fold levels of adjacent cells in the inline direction or the crossline direction.

19. A method of performing a seismic survey comprising:

selecting a survey area, wherein the survey area has an axis;

determining the location of a plurality of source lines in the survey area wherein the source lines form an irregular pattern;

pre-planning a plurality of receiver line grids, wherein each receiver line grid has a differing orientation relative to the axis;

assigning a cell grid to each receiver line grid, wherein each cell grid comprises a plurality of cells and wherein each cell grid has a cell size and an orientation;

generating a fold level for each cell in each receiver line grid;

determining a fold variation for each receiver line grid;

selecting a receiver line grid from the plurality of receiver line grids based on the determined fold variation, said selected receiver line grid having a lower relative fold variation;

generating seismic signals at a plurality of source points, wherein the source points are located along the source lines; and

detecting the seismic signals at a plurality of receivers, wherein the receivers are located along the selected receiver line grid.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

varying at least one of the cell size and the orientation of the cell grid assigned to each receiver line grid;

generating a second fold level for each cell with a varied cell size of orientation in each receiver line grid;

determining a second fold variation based on the generated second fold levels for each receiver line grid;

selecting a second receiver line grid from the plurality of receiver line grids based on the second fold variation;

generating seismic signals at a plurality of source points, wherein the source points are located along the source lines; and

detecting the seismic signals at a plurality of receivers, wherein the receivers are located along the selected second receiver line grid.