2015/16 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

SOEE5155M Seismic Fundamentals and Acquisition

15 creditsClass Size: 50

Module manager: Dr Mark Hildyard
Email: M.Hildyard@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2015/16

Pre-requisite qualifications

Course entrance pre-requisite

This module is mutually exclusive with

SOEE5157M

Applied Geophysical Methods

Module replaces

SOEE5154 and combines the seismic acquisition component of SOEE5165 and the seismic fundamentals of SOEE5154.

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

The purpose of this module is to review the fundamentals of seismology, provide practical application of seismic theory to petroleum exploration, and to develop an understanding of the techniques and technologies used in seismic reflection acquisition and of the considerations for survey design.

Objectives

Seismic Fundamentals: knowledge in the fundamentals of seismic waves and the ability to evaluate the accuracy of seismic models and synthetic seismograms based on theoretical seismological concepts

Acquisition: to study the surveying techniques used to acquire seismic reflection data on land and at sea, to understand the underlying physical principles that control the choice of acquisition parameters, to have exposure to industry-standard software (MESA™) for carrying out acquisition design, to reinforce and apply knowledge of seismic reflection data acquisition by demonstrating a limited-scale reflection survey over a shallow minerals target.

Learning outcomes
After completion of this modules, students will be able to: understand fundamentals of seismic wave propagation and application of seismic simulation for petroleum exploration applications; understand the theory and principles behind seismic reflection survey acquisition and be able to make basic survey designs; understand the principles seismic forward modelling and generate synthetic reflection seismic data from a suite of seismic forward modelling algorithms. The learning outcomes will be assesses using practicals and unseen exam.

Syllabus

Seismic Fundamentals: stress, strain, continuum mechanics and elasticity, wave types, anisotropy and heterogeneity, wave propagation concepts, synthetic seismograms and algorithms

Acquisition: factors controlling survey design-geological objectives, transmissivity of the Earth and recording environment; ambient and source-generated noise; seismic arrays; the CMP technique; seismic sources - land and marine; CMP spread configurations and recorder types; receiver design; 3D surveying techniques

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Laboratory	1	4.00	4.00
Lecture	12	2.00	24.00
Practical	8	2.00	16.00
Private study hours			106.00
Total Contact hours			44.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Private study

Completion of practicals and assessments, computer exercises, literature search, reading text books, and revision for examination.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Assessment and feedback during practicals.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Practical	Practical 1	7.50
Practical	Practical 2	7.50
Practical	Practical 3	20.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		35.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	2 hr 00 mins	65.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		65.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 15/09/2015

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