REGULARIZING 3-D DATA SETS WITH DMO

The combination of DMO and DMO(-1) is used here to change the original acquisition geometry of a 3-D seismic data set into a more convenient form. For example, irregular 3-D surveys can be projected onto a regu lar midpoint-offset grid with zero source-receiver azimuth and equal i ncrements in offset. The algorithm presented here is based on a new, n onaliased 3-D DMO algorithm in (f, x) domain. It does not require any knowledge of the velocity function for constant or rms velocity variat ions. The computer program was designed to process and to output very large multifold 3-D data sets. A synthetic example of a point diffract or in 3-D space and a 3-D experiment in a physical modeling tank are u sed to demonstrate the procedure. In both cases, the results obtained after the data set is regularized are compared with a data set that wa s acquired initially with the desired configuration. These comparisons show very good agreement. Analysis of the procedure indicates that it may not reconstruct AVO correctly. This is an inherent problem that o ccurs because the reorganization procedure changes the angle of incide nce.