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SEG-D Field Tape Format

Land START – Middle East & Asia Learning Center

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Objectives

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During this lecture you will:
• Be introduced to the terminology of data formats
• Gain an understanding of the SEG-D format
• Become aware about shot timing problems
• See an example SEG-D header

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JMLC 2008
Format

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All multi-file tapes consist of some or all of the following:-
A general header that identifies the tape, or this part of the tape.
A header for each "batch" of data (for example, one field record) on the tape.
A header for the individual traces (de-multiplexed) or scans (multiplexed) on the tape.
The seismic samples themselves (in whatever format).
This sequence is repeated along the tape, with an "End-of-file" (a particular code) recorded at the
end of each file on the tape. A file may consist of many individual traces or records, and the tape
may consist of many different files.

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Multiplexed Data

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• All groups receive data simultaneously after shot is fired
• Data will be in wrong order - all channels at one time sample, followed
by all channels at the next sample
• The data is ordered by time, not as seismic traces.
Multiplexed data would be A001, B001, C001, D001, E001, A002, B002, C002,
D002, E002, A003, B003, C003, D003, E003 etc
time Channel1 channel2 channel3 Channel4 channel5
2ms A001 B001 C001 D001 E001
4ms A002 B002 C002 D002 E002
6ms A003 B003 C003 D003 E003
8ms A004 B004 C004 D004 E004

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JMLC 2008
Demultiplexed Data

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•Data needs to be reordered into trace sequential format.
•All samples from channel 1 followed by all the samples from channel 2
etc
•Carried out by modern recording systems - demultiplexed data
Demultiplexed data would be A001, A002, A003, A004, B001, B002, B003,
B004, C001, C002, C003, C004 etc

time Channel1 channel2 channel3 Channel4 channel5

2ms A001 B001 C001 D001 E001
4ms A002 B002 C002 D002 E002
6ms A003 B003 C003 D003 E003
8ms A004 B004 C004 D004 E004

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JMLC 2008
Formats

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• The “Society of Exploration Geophysicists” has described several
recording formats for seismic data: www.seg.org
• Formats include SEG-A, SEG-B, SEG-C: old recording formats,
replaced by SEG-D
• SEG-Y – standard format for data interchange
• SEG-D is the name of the standard format for the recording of field data
• The SEG-D standard has been revised twice since the introduction.
Revision 2 was made to better handle high density tapes (3590, D2 etc.)
• SEG-D Rev0 – I/O System 2
• SEG-D Rev1 – Sercel 388, I/O Image, Syntrak 960
• SEG-D Rev2 – Sercel 408, Q-Land

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JMLC 2008
SEG-D

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The Tape
• The shots are recorded as complete files, separated by an End Of File
mark (EOF)

FILE EOF FILE EOF FILE EOF FILE EOF EOF

BEGINNING END
OF TAPE (BOT) OF TAPE (EOT)

• The tape is always ended with an End Of Tape mark (EOT). The EOT
consists of two EOF marks

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JMLC 2008
SEG-D

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The File
• Each file is composed of 2 parts – the header & the seismic data

SEG-D HEADER DATA

START END
OF FILE OF FILE

• The “SEG-D HEADER” contains information about the “DATA”

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JMLC 2008
 SEG-D Header

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The “Header” is itself composed off 4 different types of header

SEG-D HEADER DATA

START END
OF FILE OF FILE

GENERAL SCAN EXTENDED HEADER EXTERNAL

HEADER TYPE HEADER
HEADER

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SEG-D Header

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1. General Header
• File number
• Format code (8015, or 8058, or ...)
• General constant (reel No.)
• Time
• “Base scan interval” = Sample rate
• No. of channel sets
• Length of Extended and External headers

GENERAL SCAN EXTENDED HEADER EXTERNAL

HEADER TYPE HEADER
HEADER

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JMLC 2008
SEG-D Header

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2. Scan Type Header
• Contains one channel set descriptor for each channel set (32 bytes):
– Ch. Set starting time & end time (record length)
– Descale multiplier (MP factor)
– No of channels in channel set
– Channel type(s)
– Sample rate
– Filter cut-off and slope

GENERAL SCAN EXTENDED HEADER EXTERNAL

HEADER TYPE HEADER
HEADER

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JMLC 2008
SEG-D Header

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3. Extended Header
• Source and receiver lines configuration
• Vib. Type/station units serial numbers
• Cable lengths

GENERAL SCAN EXTENDED HEADER EXTERNAL

HEADER TYPE HEADER
HEADER

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 SEG-D Header

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4. External header
• User (or recording system) defined, general information
– Q writes prospect, client, crew etc
• Shot related data about:
– SP number
– Position
– Vib performance

GENERAL SCAN TYPE EXTENDED HEADER EXTERNAL

HEADER HEADER HEADER

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SEG-D Channel Sets

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A Channel Set is a set of adjacent channels having the same properties
(data type, MP factor (gain) , filters, etc.)

SEG-D
HEADER DATA

AUX CH. SEISMIC

START END
OF SET(S) CHANNEL SET(S) OF
FILE FILE

Auxiliary channel sets (Time break, Up hole, Vib. Pilot,etc) are recorded
first, then Seismic channels set(s)

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Trace Headers

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Each trace within the channel set starts with a trace header

SEG-D
HEADER DATA

START END
OF OF
FILE FILE

TRACE
DATA (ONE TRACE)
HEADER

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Trace Headers

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The trace header contains information about each individual trace (20 bytes)
• File number
• Channel set number
• Trace number
• 1st timing word
• Sample skew (0)
Trace Header Extension:
• Receiver line number
• Receiver point number

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 Timing Word

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Each scan of data from the phones is preceded by a timing
word

Ch 1, 2, 3, 4 . . . . . . n

TIMING 1 SCAN
WORD

The timing word describes the time elapsed from Energy

Event (vibs/guns firing) to the Scan of Interest

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JMLC 2008
 Timing Word

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• The timing word from the first scan of the channel is included in the
trace header for verification of the timing of the record
• The first timing word (FTW) must remain at virtually the same value
from channel to channel and from file to file
• If the FTW varies, it means that the timing of the records is unstable
• Used by recording systems operating in Asynchronous mode – e.g
TRIACQ in marine
• Land systems typically run in Synchronous mode – timing checked by
start-time test, CTB etc. hence FTW = 0

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JMLC 2008
 Timing Word Problems

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There are common problems that will lead to this type of error
• Unstable source controller timing
– TB is sent to recorder at wrong time
• Lack of synchronisation of the spread
– Shooter and vib systems
– Changing radio types

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JMLC 2008
 Recording Formats

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SEG-D rev 1 & 2 supports several different recording formats. The
most interesting are:
–8015 20 bit (2.5 bytes) binary, Demultiplexed
–8048 32 bit 2’s complement integer, Demultiplexed
–0015 20 bit binary, Multiplexed
–8058 32 bit binary Demultiplexed
–8036 24 bit 2’s complement integer, Demultiplexed – Q-
Land

Q-Land System & FRS - SEGD rev2 tape format (SEG-D) InTouch Content ID:3042663

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JMLC 2008
 SEG-D - Revision 2

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New in rev. 2:
• Recording of data blocks larger than a single trace
– Allows ~10% more data on the tapes

• “Tape label” written to tape at BOT

– Tape no, seg-d rev. #, Equipment manufacturer code, creation date,
crew name, acquisition system serial no
• File numbers greater than 9999 are supported
– Not implemented in some recording systems
• Uses 2 or more general header blocks
• Allows recording of channel sets containing other data than wiggles e.g.
Positioning data

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JMLC 2008
 Example SEG-D Rev 2

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START END
LABEL EOF FILE EOF FILE EOF FILE EOF FILE EOF EOF
OF TAPE OF TAPE

SEG-D HEADER DATA

START END
SOURCE DATA AUX SEISMIC DATA NAV. DATA
OF FILE OF FILE
4 Ch. Sets 1 Ch. Set pr. Ch. Set #n
streamer

Gen. Gen. Ch. Set Ch. Set Ch. Set Extended External
HDR #1 HDR #2 Descriptor #1 Descriptor #2 .... Descriptor #n Header Header

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JMLC 2008
 Schlumberger Private
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JMLC 2008