METHOD OF ANALYZING CAPABILITIES OF MULTIPLE-SUPPRESSION COMPUTER SEISMIC DATA PROCESSING SOFTWARE

Computer-implemented methods of processing seismic data for the purpose of suppression of multiple reflections, or multiples, are subjected to quantitative evaluation. The evaluation is done by a computerized testing procedure. A known earth model is formed. From this model, data composed of primary reflections only, and data containing multiple reflections only are generated. These are retained separately, but a third data set representing their sum is also formed to serve as an original data set for processing. The original data set or sum is then processed by the processing method being evaluated. The processed results are then decomposed by a time-varying, least squares technique into primaries-only and multiples-only components. The decomposed primaries-only and multiples-only components so formed are then compared against the values of the original sets from the known earth model. The comparisons made are visual as well as numerical, quantitative comparisons, which may include simple difference plots, full- or partial-trace energy comparisons, or plots of least-squares decomposition coefficients. Users thus are provided with indications of how the processing techniques may be expected to perform on real data.