Data-driven wavefield focusing and imaging with multidimensional deconvolution: Numerical examples for reflection data with internal multiples

Standard imaging techniques rely on the single scattering assumption. This requires that the recorded data do not include internal multiples, i.e., waves that have bounced multiple times between reflectors before reaching the receivers at the acquisition surface. When multiple reflections are present in the data, standard imaging algorithms incorrectly image them as ghost reflectors. These artifacts can mislead interpreters in locating potential hydrocarbon reservoirs. Recently, we introduced a new approach for retrieving the Green’s function recorded at the acquisition surface due to a virtual source located at depth. We refer to this approach as data-driven wavefield focusing. Additionally, after applying source-receiver reciprocity, this approach allowed us to decompose the Green’s function at a virtual receiver at depth in its downgoing and upgoing components. These wavefields were then used to create a ghost-free image of the medium with either crosscorrelation or multidimensional deconvolution, presenting an advantage over standard prestack migration. We tested the robustness of our approach when an erroneous background velocity model is used to estimate the first-arriving waves, which are a required input for the datadriven wavefield focusing process. We tested the new method with a numerical example based on a modification of the Amoco model.