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Elastic-Wave Acquisition Systems

The document describes new equipment and experiments being conducted by CREWES to improve seismic data acquisition and modeling. It summarizes: 1) The development of an omni-directional geophone system and hammer sources that can generate both P and S waves for 3D seismic surveys. 2) Upgrades to the physical modeling tank including making it larger and using glass to aid in sensor alignment and model viewing. 3) The construction of a reusable river channel model to test the acoustic response of different fluid and porous materials.

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42 views7 pages

Elastic-Wave Acquisition Systems

The document describes new equipment and experiments being conducted by CREWES to improve seismic data acquisition and modeling. It summarizes: 1) The development of an omni-directional geophone system and hammer sources that can generate both P and S waves for 3D seismic surveys. 2) Upgrades to the physical modeling tank including making it larger and using glass to aid in sensor alignment and model viewing. 3) The construction of a reusable river channel model to test the acoustic response of different fluid and porous materials.

Uploaded by

Mithun
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Elastic-wave acquisition systems

Elastic-wave seismic acquisition systems

Eric V. Gallant, Malcolm B. Bertram, and Robert R. Stewart

ABSTRACT
CREWES has designed and built an omni-directional geophone and cable set for the
University of Calgary’s Geometrics Strataview 60 seismograph. This lightweight system
has been field-tested and has given good results. Along with this geophone system we
have also been testing various plates and blocks for hammer seismic energy sources.
These can generate both P-wave and S-wave energy, depending on the design.

A new acoustic modelling tank has been acquired and measuring four feet square and
two feet deep. Made of 15mm-thick glass, the depth will eliminate water column
multiples and the width will eliminate edge effects from the sides. The glass sides will
also aid in the alignment of the models and the sensors. A reusable river channel model
has been built to test the acoustic response of various fluids and porous solids. Liquids
such as water and oil and porous solids such as sand, steel shot and glass beads will be
used for various experiments.

SINGLE CHANNEL OMNI-DIRECTIONAL GEOPHONES


CREWES has recently designed and built a set of 75 omni-directional geophones for
use with the Geometrics Strataview 60 seismograph. The omni-directional geophones are
intended to be used for channel-limited recording systems, where full vector recording is
desired. These geophones have a single Geospace 20DM 28 Hz element, which can
maintain manufacturer’s output specifications to a tilt of 90 degrees. The geophone case,
with a single spike and a levelling bubble, came from the manufacturer designed to hold
the geophone element in a horizontal orientation. CREWES adapted these cases to
accommodate a second spike on the side of the case, so the geophone element can be
oriented vertically (Figure. 1). By using the geophone in the horizontal orientation, both
SV- and SH-waves (by rotating the geophone case relative to the line) can be recorded.
Removing the spike from the bottom of the geophone case and mounting it on the new
side location allows P-waves to be recorded. CREWES also designed and manufactured
seismic cables to go with the 75 omni-directional geophones. These cables have 15
takeouts at a 2.5-metre station interval, for a maximum offset of 150 metres, with four
cables live (60 channels) and one spare set of geophones and cable leading the spread.
This system with light cables and single element geophones is easily portable and can
still accomplish 3-C surveys. Samples of data from the omni-directional geophones are
shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4. These data sets are from Devon Island, Nunavut, from the
Haughton Crater test site. New spikes for the omni-directional geophones were also
designed and built. These have a hexagonal shank to keep the geophone from rotating out
of azimuth when planted in the horizontal configuration.

CREWES Research Report — Volume 14 (2002) 1


Gallant, Bertram, and Stewart

FIG. 1 Single-channel omni-directional geophones. The top left geophone is in the vertical
position and the top right geophone is in the horizontal position. Note the levelling bubble on the
left side of the top of the case. In the foreground is the CREWES designed adapter plate and hex-
sided geophone spike. The white plastic bolts on the geophones are to keep the unused threads
clean of mud or snow.

FIG.2. Two consecutive raw shot gathers using vertical oriented geophones and a vertical impact
with a hammer. The recording parameters are: .05ms sample rate with traces every 2 metres,
with a 200ms AGC.

2 CREWES Research Report — Volume 14 (2002)


Elastic-wave acquisition systems

FIG.3. Two consecutive raw shot gathers using transverse oriented, horizontal geophones, with
impact towards the west. The recording parameters: .5ms sample rate with traces every 2
metres.

FIG.4. Two consecutive raw shot gathers using transverse oriented, horizontal geophones, with
impact towards the east. Recording parameters: .5ms sample rate with traces at every 2 metres.

HAMMER PLATES AND BLOCKS


Various hammer source blocks and plates have been built and tested by CREWES.
Aluminum is used for these because it does not ring after being struck as does steel.
Some of the plate designs tried are shown in Figure 5. a plate with spikes and a cylinder
for vertical point sources, and a tapered block and a flat top pyramid (Figure 6) for both
P-wave and S-wave generation. The tapered block and the pyramid have changeable teeth
for use in hard consolidated ground or loose sand/gravel ground covers.

CREWES Research Report — Volume 14 (2002) 3


Gallant, Bertram, and Stewart

FIG. 5. Hammer seismic plates and blocks. On the left is a flat plate with geophone-like spikes
and to its right is a cylinder. Both of these are vertical point sources. On the far right is the
tapered block which can generate both P-wave and S-wave energy.

FIG. 6. Flat top pyramid for generating both P-wave and S-wave beside a three pound sledge
hammer.

MODELLING TANK UPGRADE


The acoustic modelling tank has been replaced by a four foot square by two foot deep
glass aquarium. The existing acoustic tank worked for most surveys, but we could not
provide the depth of water for thicker models required to eliminate water column

4 CREWES Research Report — Volume 14 (2002)


Elastic-wave acquisition systems

multiples. The new tank holds 900 litres of water with a weight of about 900 kilograms.
Because it is built of glass, it is easy to see into the tank for alignment of the models and
sensors.

FIG. 7. A very complex fold-thrust model from the C-CORE Laboratory, Memorial University, in
Saint John’s, Newfoundland. The model, which is 650mm long x 100mm wide and 120mm high at
the highest point, is made from silicone putty and plastercine.

FIG. 8. Fixed offset physical modelling acoustic data from the fold-thrust model in Figure 7.
Source/receiver offset 15mm, shot interval 1mm, 720 traces with 1000ms AGC.

PHYSICAL MODELLING
A reusable river channel model (Figure 9) has been built. The 600mm x 600mm x
100mm thick model is constructed of cast acrylic ( Vp = 2750ms and Vs = 1375ms ).
Made of two 50mm layers of acrylic, the model has a hollow meandering channel 45mm

CREWES Research Report — Volume 14 (2002) 5


Gallant, Bertram, and Stewart

wide x 10mm deep cut from edge to edge into one of the 50mm thick layers. This channel
has a secondary deeper channel 15mm deep and 10mm wide, which meanders across the
45mm width of the main channel. A series of experiments is planned that will use
different channel fills that can be repeated over time. Using various fluids such as water
and oil, and porous solids such as sand, steel shot or glass beads, we will be able to
measure the effects of changing velocity, density and porosity.

FIG.9. The reusable river channel model. Made of cast acrylic the dimensions are 600mm x
600mm x 100mm thick. The width of the channel is 45mm.

CONCLUSIONS
Good quality P-wave and S-wave data have been recorded on Devon Island and
elsewhere using the new omni-directional geophones in vertical and horizontal

6 CREWES Research Report — Volume 14 (2002)


Elastic-wave acquisition systems

orientations. We have constructed hammer seismic plates and blocks that have proven
successful in the field.

A new river channel model has been built that will give us measurements of changing
seismic response with variations in channel fill. The model will be used for 3D
multicomponent surveys and time lapse imaging.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to acknowledge Andy Read and the staff of the Faculty of
Science Workshop, at The University of Calgary for the manufacture and help in the
design of the omni-directional geophone, the hammer seismic sources and the reusable
river channel model, which was machined using a CNC milling machine.

The authors would like also acknowledge the Foothills Research Project and the
Center for Cold Ocean Research and Engineering (C-CORE), Memorial University, St
John’s, Newfoundland, for the use of their fold-thrust model.

REFERENCES

Gallant E.V., Lawton D.C, and, Bertram, M.B., 1991: Development of a physical modelling system for 3-C
x 3-D experiments: CREWES Research Report, Vol. 3

Gallant E.V., Lawton D.C., Brown R.J., and Stewart R.R, 1994: Physical Modelling System Update:
CREWES Research Report, Vol. 6

Gallant E.V., Stewart R.R., Lawton D.C., and Bertram, M.B., 1996: New technologies in marine seismic
surveying: Overview and physical modelling experiments: CREWES Research Report, Vol. 7

Gallant E.V., Bertram M.B, and Stewart R.R., 1997: New multi-component acquisition equipment: An
initial report, CREWES Research Report, Vol. 9

Lawton D.C., Cheadle S.P., Gallant E.V., and Bertram M.B., 1989: Physical Seismic Modelling .of a
sand-filled channel, CREWES Research Report, Vol. 1

CREWES Research Report — Volume 14 (2002) 7

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