Tube‐wave suppression in single‐well seismic acquisition

Abstract

Single‐well seismic imaging is significantly hampered by the presence of borehole tube waves. A tube‐wave suppressor has been tested using single‐well seismic equipment at the Lost Hills (California) oil field. The suppressor uses a gas‐filled bladder kept slightly above borehole fluid pressure. Field tests show a measurable reduction in tube‐wave energy as compared to body waves propagating in the surrounding reservoir rock. When using a high‐frequency (500–4000 Hz) piezoelectric source, the P‐wave–tube‐wave amplitude ratio was increased by 33 dB. When using a lower frequency (50–350 Hz) orbital vibrator source, the S‐wave–tube‐wave amplitude ratio was increased by 21 dB while the P‐wave–tube‐wave amplitude ratio was increased by 23 dB. These reductions in tube‐wave amplitudes significantly improve single‐well data quality.