Review Paper: An outlook on the future of seismic imaging, Part III: Joint Migration Inversion

The next generation seismic imaging algorithms will consider multiple scattering as indispensable information, referred to as Full Wavefield Migration. In addition, these algorithms will also include autonomous velocity updating in the migration process, referred to as Joint Migration Inversion. Full wavefield migration and joint migration inversion address the industrial needs of improving images of very complex reservoirs as well as the industry ambition of producing these images in a more automatic manner ('automation in seismic processing'). In this vision paper on seismic imaging, full wavefield migration and joint migration inversion are formulated in terms of a closed-loop, estimation algorithm that can be physically explained by an iterative double focusing process (full wavefield Common-Focus-Point technology). A critical module in this formulation is forward modelling, allowing feedback from migrated output to unmigrated input ('closing the loop'). For this purpose a full wavefield modelling module has been developed that utilizes an operator description of complex geology. Full wavefield modelling module is pre-eminently suited to function in the feedback path of a closed-loop migration algorithm. 'The Future of Seismic Imaging' is presented as a coherent trilogy, proposing in three consecutive parts the migration framework of the future. In part I it was shown that the proposed full wavefield modelling module algorithm differs fundamentally from finite difference modelling, as velocities and densities need not be provided. Instead, full wavefield modelling module uses an operator description of the subsurface. In Part II it was shown how the theory of Primary Wavefield Migration can be extended to Full Wavefield Migration by correcting for elastic transmission effects and by utilizing multiple scattering. In Part III it is shown how the full wavefield migration technology can be extended to Joint Migration Inversion, allowing full wavefield migration of blended data without knowledge of the velocity. Velocities are part of the joint migration inversion output, being obtained by an operator-driven parametric inversion process. The potential of the proposed joint migration inversion algorithm is illustrated with numerical examples.