This book describes the seismic methods used in geophys ical exploration for oil and gas in a comprehensive, non rigorous, mathematical manner. I have used it and its predecessors as a manual for short courses in seismic methods, and it has been extensively revised time and again to include the latest advances in our truly remark able science. I once called it, "Advanced Seismic Inter pretation," but the geophysicists who attended the courses always wondered when I was going to start dis cussing interpretation. They discovered at the end that I never did discuss interpretation as they knew it. No men tion was made of reflection picking, posting times, map ping, contouring, and things they already knew perfectly well. Instead, I discussed Fourier transforms, sampling theory, impulse responses, distortion operators, Wiener filters, noise in f-k space, velocity spectra, wave-equation migration, and direct detection of hydrocarbons as each of these topics appeared on the seismic scene. I wanted the geophysicists to think beyond the routine ofinterpre tation, to develop a better understanding of why seismic sections look as they do, to have a better feel for what digital processing is doing, for good or evil, to the seismic data. I attempted to stretch their minds. Whitehead said it best: "A mind once stretched by a new idea can never shrink to its former dimension. " May this book be a suc cessful mind-stretcher. R. L.

Addresses the methodology of an amplitude interpretation and the subsequent benefits and limitations expected in rock-property settings. Included are relationships between rock properties and geophysical observations, practical problems, field examples, general rules, and case histories.

The reasons for writing this book are very simple. We use and teach com puter aided techniques of mathematical simulation and of pattern recogni tion. Life would be much simpler if we had a suitable text book with methods and computer programmes which we could keep referring to. Therefore, we have presented here material that is essential for mathematical modelling of some complex geological situations, with which earth scientists are often confronted. The reader is introduced not only to the essentials of computer modelling, data analysis and pattern recognition, but is also made familiar with the basic understanding with which they can plunge into when solving related and more complex problems. This book first makes a case for seismic stratigraphy and then for pattern recognition. Chapter 1 provides an extensive review of applications of pattern recognition methods in oil exploration. Simulation procedures are presented with examples that are fairly simple to understand and easy to use on the computer. Several geological situations can be formulated and simulated using the Monte Carlo method. The binary lithologic sequences, discussed in Chapter 2, consist of alternating layers of any two of sand, shale and coal.

This book is about exploration for oil and gas and focuses particularly on seismic exploration in the hunt for hydrocarbons. The first part, "The Hunt for Hydrocarbons," gives general background informa tion, with an introductory chapter on the beginnings of the oil business followed by three chapters that in clude elements of petroleum geology, geophysical methods, and drilling and logging. The second part, "Seismic Exploration for Hydrocarbons," consists of two chapters that describe rudiments of the seismic method and velocity measurements; two chapters dis cussing theory based on wave propagation and the convolutional model; and a chapter devoted to each of the three phases of seismic exploration: acquisi tion, processing, and interpretation. I have concen trated on seismic exploration because most of the oil and gas that has been found has been located by this method, and it is the only method that has the poten tial for the increased precision needed in what Hal bouty (1982) calls "the deliberate search for the subtle trap. " In contrast to elementary and introductory books that present the seismic method superficially and qualitatively, this book develops the method quanti tatively, using only elementary mathematics (algebra and trigonometry), so that readers should be able to do things afterwards that they couldn't do before, and thereby get a deeper appreciation of the business of hunting for hydrocarbons. The book also probes into some sophisticated topics that wouldn't be mentioned IX x use in short courses at a variety of levels.

Geophysics, the excellent exploration tool which traditionally uses the latest techniques has been in great demand, and has assisted by remarkable development of the methods which consist of gravimetry, electromagnetics and, the most important, seismic reflection. The book is presented like an encyclopedia. One may find an exact definition, illustrated with simple sketches, precise formulae & orders of magnitude & data which have so often been missing.

Originating in 1967 as notes to accompany a basic seminar for the Canadian SEG and then expanded in 1968 as an SEG Continuing Education course, this text focuses on how to choose processes and parameters for any given field data.