Modeling air gun signatures in marine seismic exploration considering multiple physical factors
Li Guo-Fa1,2, Cao Ming-Qiang1,2, Chen Hao-Lin3, and Ni Cheng-Zhou3
1. State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resource and Prospecting (China University of Petroleum), Beijing 102249, China.
2. Key Laboratory of Geophysical Exploration of China National Petroleum Corporation, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China.
3. BGP Offshore, PetroChina, Tianjin 300280, China.
Abstract Based on analyzing the limit of Ziolkowski’s bubble oscillation formulation, a new model with various physical factors is established to simulate air gun signatures for marine seismic exploration. The practical effects of physical factors, such as heat transfer across the bubble wall, air gun port throttling, vertical rise of the bubble, fluid viscosity, and the existence of the air gun body were all taken into account in the new model. Compared with Ziolkowski’s model, the signatures simulated by the new model, with small peak amplitude and rapid decay of bubble oscillation, are more consistent with actual signatures. The experiment analysis indicates: (1) gun port throttling controls the peak amplitude of air gun pulse; (2) since the hydrostatic pressure decreases when the bubble rises, the bubble oscillation period changes; (3) heat transfer and fluid viscosity are the main factors that explain the bubble oscillation damping.
This research is financially supported by the National 973 Program (Grant No. 2007CB209608) and National 863 Program (Grant No. 2007AA06Z218).
Cite this article:
LI Guo-Fa,CAO Ming-Qiang,CHEN Hao-Lin et al. Modeling air gun signatures in marine seismic exploration considering multiple physical factors[J]. APPLIED GEOPHYSICS, 2010, 7(2): 158-165.
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