Shot to Shot Source Signature Variation Correction

In this paper we discuss the ability to correct for shot to shot source signature variations and show how this could impact current survey source specifications. Contractual survey specifications define acceptability limits as to which changes can be tolerated based on source wavelet attribute changes. Parts of two acquisition sequences have been acquired with deliberate survey source out-of-spec configurations. The out-of-spec tests included both source dropouts and pressure drop in separate sequences. Shot by shot source signatures have been generated from near field measurements. These were used to correct the seismic data for source wavelet changes including those caused by the out-of spec pressure and source dropouts. We have demonstrated in this work that changes in the source signature, including changes beyond out-of-spec limits, can be estimated at every shot point and can efficiently be corrected for in processing. Current source out-of-spec limits are possibly too rigid if source variations can be estimated at each shot point and corrected for in processing.