Vertical Seismic Profiling and Its Exploration Potential

The present book is the author's third on the subject of vertical seismic profiling (VSP). Ten years have elapsed since the pUblication of the fIrst book. During this period, VSP has become the principal method of seismic observations in boreholes and the chief method of experimental studies of seismic waves in the real earth. VSP combines borehole studies in the seismic frequency band, well velocity surveys, proximity or aplanatic surveys, all of which previously existed as separate methods. The high effectiveness ofVSP, its great practical value, the express nature and clarity of the results obtained have all contributed towards a very rapid acceptance of the method. In the USSR VSP has been used in an overwhelming majority of areas and is being used increasingly in many foreign countries as well. This has been greatly facilitated by the translation into English and the publication in the U. S. A. by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists of the book Vertical Seismic Profiling (Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1974). As the method has become more familiar, it has attracted growing interest outside the USSR This has been substantiated by the special seminar on VSP (Oklahoma, 1979) which was organized for 22 U. S. companies and universities and presented by the author.

One: Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP).- 1/Physical and Geological Principles of VSP.- 1. Down-hole Seismic Observations.- 2. Principal Features of VSP.- 3. Polarization Method of VSP (PM-VSP).- 4. Wave Correlation in VSP.- 2/VSP Instrumentation and Techniques.- 1. Unwanted Waves of Mechanical Origin in VSP.- 2. VSP Instrumentation.- 3/Recording Procedures and Data Processing.- 1. Source Excitation Conditions.- 2. Observation Procedure.- 3. Particular Aspects of VSP Data Processing.- 4. Processing PM-VSP Data.- 4/Specific Features of VSP Wave Kinematics.- 1. Kinematic Characteristics of Waves in Homogeneous Media.- 2. Kinematic Properties of Waves in a Two-Layered Medium.- 3. Kinematic Characteristics of Waves in Multilayered Media.- Two: Seismic Waves in the Real Earth.- 5/The Direct Wave.- 1. Procedure for Studying the Direct Wave.- 2. The Influence of Excitation Conditions on the Direct Wave.- 3. Studying the Shape of the Direct Wave.- 6/The VSP Method for Longitudinal Reflected Waves.- 1. Longitudinal Primary and Multiple Reflected Waves in VSP.- 2. The Effect of the Near-Surface and the Low-Velocity Zone on the Field of Primary and Multiple Reflected Waves.- 3. Primary and Multiple Reflected Waves in Certain Types of Geologic Sections.- 4. Wave Fields Associated with the Upper Portion of the Geologic Section.- 5. Experience Gained in the Study of the Wave Fields in Mining Areas.- 6. Relative Intensity of Multiples Obtained from VSP Data.- 7/The VSP Method for Refracted Waves.- 1. Waves Associated with Thin High-Velocity Layers.- 2. Waves in Carbonate Sections in Platform Regions.- 3. On the Origin of Waves Associated with a Thick Layer.- 8/The VSP Method for Transverse (Monotype and Converted) Waves.- 1. Characteristics of Correlation of Transverse Waves.- 2. Direct Transverse Waves.- 3. Transverse Reflected (Monotype and Converted) Waves.- Three: VSP and Investigation of the Region Surrounding the Borehole.- 9/Certain Aspects of the Determination of Velocities from VSP Data.- 1. Determination of Velocities from the Traveltime Curves of First Arrivals.- 2. Determination of Apparent and Layer Velocities from Traveltime Curves of Reflected Waves.- 3. Determination of Average Velocities for P- and S-Waves from Vertical Trave time Curves of Reflected Monotype Waves.- 4. Determination of vs from Vertical Traveltime Curves of Converted (Reflected and Transmitted) Waves.- 5. Determination of Anisotropy.- 6. Constructing Velocity Cross-sections from VSP Data and Sonic Logs.- 7. Determination of Velocity and Density from Production Geophysics Data.- 10/Solution of Structural Problems.- 1 Observation Procedures in the VSP Reflection Method (VSPRM).- 2 Processing Details.- 3 The Polarization Method of a Common Depth Point in VSP.- 4 Experience Gained in the Application of VSP to the Solution of Structural Problems.- 11/The Study of Physical Properties of Rocks Surrounding the Borehole.- 1. Conditions the Initial Data Must Satisfy.- 2. Absorption of Seismic Energy.- 3. Reflecting Properties of Horizons.- 4. Determination of Elastic Parameters.- 5. VSP and Forecasting the Geologic Section.- 6. Measurements between Boreholes.- 12/The Polarization of Seismic Waves and its Potential for Studying the Rocks Surrounding the Borehole.- 1. On the Polarization of Seismic Pulses.- 2. Studying the Direction of Particle Displacement Along a Vertical Profile.- 3. Particle Displacement Directions in the Vertical Plane.- 4. Studying Displacement Directions in Space.- 5. Studying the Parameters of Elliptically-Polarized Oscillations.- 6. The Effects of the Low-Velocity Zone on Particle Displacement Directions.- 13/The Exploration Potential of VSP and the Prospects for its Progressive Development.- 1. Problems Solved by VSP.- 2. VSP and the Potentialities for Improving the Effectiveness of Surface Observations at the Exploration Stage.- 3. Potentialities of VSP During the Exploration and Exploitation Stages of a Field (Production Seismics).- 4. Studying the Effect of a Deposit on Wave Field Parameters.- 5. VSP Research Tasks.- Conclusion.- References.