Zero-offset sections with a deblurring filter in the time domain

Summary We present a velocity independent workflow for constructing a zero-offset reflection section that preserves most of the reflections and diffractions. This workflow constructs a migration image volume by prestack time migration (PSTM) using a series of constant-velocity models. A deblurring filter for each constant-velocity model is applied to each time migration image to get a deblurred image volume. In order to preserve all events in the image volume, each deblurred image panel is demigrated and then summed over the velocity axis. The resulting demigration section is equivalent to a zero-offset reflection section. Compared with the workflow without deblurring filter, the composite zero-offset reflection section has higher resolution. A more accurate estimate of the velocity distribution can be obtained from this workflow using time-migration velocity analysis, which can then used as the velocity model to migrate the zero-offset section. Numerical tests are used to validate the effectiveness of this method with 3D synthetic data.