User Guide

PostStack™ Family Software
User Guide
©2011 Halliburton
Release 5000.8.0.0 December 2011
© 2011 Halliburton.
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PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Contents v
Contents
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
Introduction ................................................................................................... 11
Overview ............................................................................................................. 11
Scope of this Manual ................................................................................... 11
Online Help ................................................................................................... 12
Starting PostStack™ Software .................................................... 13
Overview ............................................................................................................. 13
From the OpenWorks® Command Menu ........................................................ 14
From Seismic View, 3D and 2D ........................................................................ 17
From Map View .................................................................................................. 18
Procedure, 3D ............................................................................................... 18
Procedure, 2D ............................................................................................... 20
Opening an Existing Session ........................................................ 23
Overview ............................................................................................................. 23
What Is a Session? ............................................................................................ 24
Prebuilt Sessions Supplied .............................................................................. 25
Procedure ........................................................................................................... 34
Specifying the Input Data ................................................................. 35
Overview ............................................................................................................. 35
Introduction ........................................................................................................ 36
Selecting a Seismic View File ........................................................................... 37
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Contents vi
Selecting a 2D SeisWorks® Seismic File ........................................................ 39
Selecting a 3D SeisWorks® Seismic File ........................................................ 42
Selecting a SEG-Y File ...................................................................................... 48
SEG-Y Input Overview ................................................................................. 48
SEG-Y Analyzer Overview ........................................................................... 51
2D Procedure ................................................................................................ 53
3D Procedure ................................................................................................ 63
Selecting a ProMAX® Seismic File .................................................................. 72
Overview ....................................................................................................... 72
Procedure ..................................................................................................... 73
Output File Naming and Working with Seismic Data Manager ..................... 80
Advantages of Change ................................................................................ 80
Specifying the Output Format ...................................................... 83
Overview ............................................................................................................. 83
How PostStack™ Software Scales Data .......................................................... 84
Automatic Scaling ........................................................................................ 84
Manual Scaling ............................................................................................. 85
No Scaling ..................................................................................................... 86
Seismic Data Formats ....................................................................................... 87
Bricked File ........................................................................................................ 102
Compressed File ................................................................................................ 106
2D Vertical File ................................................................................................... 108
3D Vertical File ................................................................................................... 119
Slice (.3dh) - 3D Only ......................................................................................... 124
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Contents vii
Cube Data File (.cd) - 3D Only .......................................................................... 128
2D and 3D SEG-Y ............................................................................................... 132
2D Procedure ................................................................................................ 132
3D Procedure ................................................................................................ 136
Outputting at Time Zero for NonZero Start Time Data ............................. 140
Estimating Output File Size .............................................................................. 141
Output File Naming and Working with Seismic Data Manager ..................... 143
Advantages of Change ................................................................................ 143
Processing History ............................................................................................ 145
Running a Session ................................................................................. 147
Overview ............................................................................................................. 147
Building a Flow .................................................................................................. 148
Adding and Deleting Processes ................................................................. 149
Adding and Deleting Flows ......................................................................... 150
Displaying Various Flows ............................................................................ 151
Selecting a Run Option ..................................................................................... 152
Histogram ..................................................................................................... 152
Spectral ......................................................................................................... 154
Processing the Job ........................................................................................... 164
Testing the Job ............................................................................................. 164
Running the Job ........................................................................................... 167
Checking the Job Log .................................................................................. 169
Managing Jobs ............................................................................................. 172
Displaying Processed Data .............................................................................. 175
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Contents viii
Automatic Broadcast ................................................................................... 175
Manual Broadcast ........................................................................................ 175
Storing a Session .............................................................................................. 176
Saving a Session .......................................................................................... 176
Archiving a Session ..................................................................................... 177
Deleting a Session ............................................................................................. 181
Exiting PostStack™ Software .......................................................................... 183
Typical Workflows ................................................................................... 185
Overview ............................................................................................................. 185
For Use With Other Landmark Software Products ......................................... 186
PostStack™ Software .................................................................................. 186
PAL™ Software ............................................................................................ 190
For Building a PostStack™ Flow ..................................................................... 192
For Processing Data from a Vertical Section File .......................................... 193
For Processing and Loading SEG-Y Data ....................................................... 196
For Extracting Attributes with PAL™ Software .............................................. 199
Datums, Constant Shifts,
and Variable Shifts .................................................................................. 201
Overview ............................................................................................................. 201
Helpful Definitions ............................................................................................. 203
Datums and the Shifting of Data ...................................................................... 204
Computation for Time Data ......................................................................... 204
Computation for Depth Data ....................................................................... 204
Additional Mistie Corrections ........................................................................... 206
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Contents ix
Constant Shifts ............................................................................................. 206
Variable Shifts (2D Horizons Only) ............................................................. 206
Preferred Shift Sets ...................................................................................... 206
Datums and Release 5000.0.0 Project Upgrade .............................................. 208
Computing Datum Shifts - Examples .............................................................. 209
Time Examples ............................................................................................. 209
Depth Examples ........................................................................................... 211
System Administration ....................................................................... 213
Overview ............................................................................................................. 213
Configuring Your Tape Device ......................................................................... 214
Theory ........................................................................................................... 214
Usage ............................................................................................................ 214
Using the Dialog Box ................................................................................... 215
Improving Tape Performance ..................................................................... 223
Setting Up Device Driver Information .............................................................. 225
Sun Solaris ................................................................................................... 225
Linux .............................................................................................................. 226
Setting Up StorageTek (STK) Devices ............................................................. 228
STK-4280/4220 Cartridge Tape Drives ....................................................... 228
STK-9914 Tape Drives ................................................................................. 231
STK Tape Libraries ...................................................................................... 235
Appendix ......................................................................................................... 237
Overview ............................................................................................................. 237
Basic Terms ....................................................................................................... 238
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Contents x
Flow ............................................................................................................... 238
Session ......................................................................................................... 238
Conventions Used in PostStack™ Software ................................................... 239
Common Commands ................................................................................... 239
Mnemonics ................................................................................................... 239
Number Editors ............................................................................................ 240
Icons in PostStack™ Software ......................................................................... 241
References ......................................................................................................... 241
Index .................................................................................................................... 243
Introduction PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Overview 11
Introduction
Overview
PostStack™ and PAL™ software are companion products designed to
help you extract more useful information from your seismic data.
Documentation to help you use PostStack Family™ Software
effectively is available online, in the Help menu.
Scope of this Manual
This is a task-oriented manual designed to help you get maximum
benefit from the PostStack™ Software Family. It is arranged as
follows:
• Introduction gives a brief overview of PostStack™ and PAL™
software. Conventions used throughout the applications are
explained.
• Starting PostStack™ Software provides instructions for starting
PostStack™ Software Family from the OpenWorks® Command
Menu, Seismic View, Map View, and the Seismic Tools launcher.
• Opening an Existing Session defines a session, lists the prebuilt
sessions that are supplied, and outlines the procedure for opening a
session.
• Specifying the Input Data provides instructions for inputting data
by broadcasting from seismic view, or by selecting a vertical
seismic file, SEG-Y file, or ProMAX® Seismic file.
• Specifying the Output Format explains how PostStack™ software
scales data and provides instructions for outputting data in six
formats: bricked, compressed, vertical file, time slice file, cube
data file, and SEG-Y.
• Running a Session provides instructions for building a flow,
processing a job, displaying processed data, storing and deleting
sessions, and exiting PostStack™ software.
Introduction PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Overview 12
• Typical Workflows provides workflows for using PostStack™
software in combination with other Landmark Software products.
• Datums, Constant Shifts, and Variable Shifts describes how you
can work more easily and more accurately with seismic data
processed to the different datums in Release 5000.0.0.
• System Administration explains how to configure your tape
device, and how to set up device driver information and Storage
Tek (STK) devices.
• Appendix contains basic information about PostStack™ terms,
conventions, icons, and references.
Online Help
For your convenience, the PostStack Family™ Software User Guide,
the PostStack Family™ Software Reference Manual, and release notes
are provided online. To access them, use the Help menu on the
PostStack Family™ Software main dialog box. The options are as
follows:
• User Guide brings up a cascade menu listing the Table of
contents, all chapters, and the Index for the PostStack Family™
Software User Guide. Clicking on any entry in the list takes you to
that section of the guide.
• Reference Manual brings up a cascade menu listing the table of
contents, all chapters, and the "Index" for the PostStack Family™
Software Reference Manual. Clicking on any entry in the list takes
you to that section of the manual.
• Release Notes displays the release notes for the version of
PostStack™ Software Family you are running. Release notes
contain information about new features, known problems, and
workarounds.
• Version and About displays the version number and a list of the
checked-out licenses.
Certain dialog boxes also contain a Help button, which brings up the
documentation related to that dialog box.
Starting PostStack™ Software PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Overview 13
Starting PostStack™ Software
Overview
You can launch PostStack™ software from OpenWorks® or from
SeisWorks® software.
If you start PostStack™ software from the OpenWorks® Command
Menu, you are asked to specify the Interpretation Project and 3D
Survey for 3D data or the Interpretation Project for 2D, and define the
input data. No SeisWorks® license is required to run PostStack™
software when launched from OpenWorks® software.
If you start PostStack™ software from within SeisWorks® software,
the current SeisWorks® Interpretation Project (and 3D Survey for 3D
data) is automatically used for the PostStack™ session. The input data
is defined
• automatically if you start PostStack™ software from a Seismic
View.
• manually if you start PostStack™ software from a Map View.
This chapter discusses the three methods for starting PostStack™
software.
In This Chapter:
• From the OpenWorks® Command Menu
• From Seismic View, 3D and 2D
• From Map View
Starting PostStack™ Software PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 From the OpenWorks® Command Menu 14
From the OpenWorks® Command Menu
Although you typically run SeisWorks® and PostStack™ software
concurrently, it is not necessary. You can start PostStack™ software
directly from the OpenWorks® Command Menu without tying up a
SeisWorks® license. If you later start SeisWorks® software, the two
applications will establish communications.
To start PostStack™ software from the OpenWorks® Command Menu,
perform the following steps:
1. From the OpenWorks® Command Menu, select
Applications ➛ Seismic Processing ➛ PostStack/PAL
Applications ➛ Attributes & Velocity ➛ PostStack/PAL.
If the Interpretation Project is not selected, the Select Project dialog
box will appear and you will select the Project Database and the
Interpretation Project first:
Starting PostStack™ Software PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 From the OpenWorks® Command Menu 15
The following PostStack™ Family Launcher dialog box appears if the
Interpretation Project is selected.
2. Toggle on 2D or 3D for the PostStack™ session.
3. If you are working with 3D data, click on List and choose the 3D
Survey.
4. Select the software products to run:
• PostStack™
• PostStack ESP™
This option is available only if you have a PostStack ESP™
license as well as a PostStack™ license.
• PAL™
The PAL™ option is available only if you have a PAL™ license
as well as a PostStack™ license.
Starting PostStack™ Software PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 From the OpenWorks® Command Menu 16
5. Click on Launch. A message appears, telling you that the
PostStack™ session has been initiated and asking you to choose
the desired screen for the application.
If an Interpreter has not been selected, an Available Interpreters
dialog box appears. Select an interpreter from the available list and
click OK. If an interpreter is selected, the name appears on the
OpenWorks® Command Menu.
6. Click on the screen where you want PostStack™ software located.
The PostStack™ Family main dialog box appears. Because
PostStack™ software was started from OpenWorks® software, the
Input Data is not defined.
7. Click on Input Data, and specify the input data:
• SeisWorks® Seismic File—See Selecting a 2D
SeisWorks® Seismic File or Selecting a 3D
SeisWorks® Seismic File for instructions.
• SEG-Y —See Selecting a SEG-Y File for instructions.
• ProMAX® Seismic—See Selecting a ProMAX® Seismic
File for instructions.
Attempting to run unlicensed options
If you select an unlicensed option and attempt to launch PostStack™ software,
a warning dialog is displayed and the PostStack™ user interface does not
appear.
You must unselect the unlicensed option and relaunch PostStack™ software to
get the user interface.
Starting PostStack™ Software PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 From Seismic View, 3D and 2D 17
From Seismic View, 3D and 2D
When you start PostStack™ software from a Seismic View, the seismic
section currently displayed in that view is taken as the PostStack™
default input data.
The procedure is the same whether you are working in SeisWorks® 3D
or SeisWorks® 2D software.
To start PostStack™ software from a Seismic View, perform the
following steps:
1. In Seismic View, select
• View ➛ PostStack Family ➛ PostStack if you have a license
for PostStack™ software only.
• View ➛ PostStack Family ➛ PostStack/PAL if you have a
combined license for PostStack™ and PAL™ software.
A message appears, telling you that PostStack™ software has been
started and asking you to choose the desired screen for the
application.
2. Click on the screen where you want the PostStack™ application
located. The PostStack Family main dialog box appears. Because
PostStack™ software was started from a Seismic View, the
Input Data, by default, is the trace data currently displayed in that
view.
3. Start building a flow (Building a Flow), or open an existing
session (Opening an Existing Session) to use the flows it
contains.
Starting PostStack™ Software PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 From Map View 18
From Map View
When you start PostStack™ software from a Map View, first specify
the areal extent and time range of the input seismic data.
Because SeisWorks® 3D and SeisWorks® 2D offer different methods
of defining areal extent, the procedure for starting PostStack™
software from a Map View is slightly different in the two applications
However, the menu route is the same.
Procedure, 3D
To start PostStack™ software from a 3D Map View, perform the
following steps:
1. In Map View, select one of the following:
• View ➛ PostStack Family ➛ PostStack if you have a license
for PostStack™ software only.
• View ➛ PostStack Family ➛ PostStack/PAL if you have a
combined license for PostStack™ and PAL™ software.
Starting PostStack™ Software PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 From Map View 19
The Volume of Interest dialog box appears:
2. The text field labeled Vertical file to be input to PostStack/PAL
posts the name of the most recently displayed vertical seismic file
(.3dv file).
• To use data from this file, do nothing.
• To use data from another file, click on List and choose a file
from the list of all currently available .3dv files.
3. Specify the areal extent of the data to be used by any of these
methods:
• Lines and Traces allows you to define the range of lines and
traces to be included by entering the line/trace numbers in the
appropriate number editors.
• Select from Map allows you to define the areal extent by
drawing a selection rectangle in Map View.
• Entire Survey includes all lines and traces in the project.
Starting PostStack™ Software PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 From Map View 20
4. Specify the time range from which seismic data will be drawn by
setting the Start and Interval scales to the desired values.
5. Click on OK. A message appears, asking you to choose a screen
for the PostStack™ application.
6. Click on the screen where you want the PostStack™ application
placed. The following PostStack™ main dialog box appears. Note
that Input Data is posted as the vertical seismic file specified.
7. Start building a flow (Building a Flow), or open an existing
session (Opening an Existing Session) to use the flows it
contains.
Procedure, 2D
To start PostStack™ software from a 2D Map View, perform the
following steps:
1. From the Map View menu bar, select one of the following:
• View ➛ PostStack Family ➛ PostStack if you have a license
for PostStack™ software only.
• View ➛ PostStack Family ➛ PostStack/PAL if you have a
combined license for PostStack™ and PAL™ software.
Starting PostStack™ Software PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 From Map View 21
The Volume of Interest dialog box appears:
2. The text field labeled Vertical file to be input to PostStack/PAL
posts the name of the most recently displayed vertical seismic file
(.2v2 file).
• To use data from this file, do nothing.
• To use data from another file, click on List and choose the
desired file from the resulting list of all currently available .2v2
files.
3. Define the areal extent of the data to be used by any of these
methods:
• Line Control File lets you limit the computation to the lines
specified in a line control file (.2cl). To use an existing .2cl file,
click on Open and select the desired file.
• List brings up a list of all lines in the working project and lets
you choose lines by line name, vintage, contractor, source, or
date.
Starting PostStack™ Software PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 From Map View 22
• Select a Line from Map lets you choose a line by clicking on it
in Map View.
• Entire Project includes all seismic lines from the working
project.
• Areal Extent from Map lets you define the areal extent by
drawing a selection rectangle in Map View.
4. To save the line selection you made in step 3 for future use, enter a
filename for Line Control File and click on Save As.
5. Specify the time range from which seismic data will be drawn by
setting the Start and Interval scales to the desired values.
6. Click on OK. A message appears, asking you to choose a screen
for the PostStack™ application.
7. Click on the screen where you want the PostStack™ application
placed. The main dialog box appears. Note that the Input Data is
posted as the vertical seismic file specified.
8. Start building a flow (Building a Flow), or open an existing
session (Opening an Existing Session) to use the flows it contains.
Opening an Existing Session PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Overview 23
Opening an Existing Session
Overview
When you first enter PostStack™ software, a new session is
automatically opened, and you can immediately begin building a
processing flow. Alternatively, you can open an existing session and
use or edit any of the flows it contains.
This chapter defines a session, lists the prebuilt sessions that are
supplied, and outlines the procedure for opening a session.
In This Chapter:
• What Is a Session?
• Prebuilt Sessions Supplied
• Procedure
Opening an Existing Session PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 What Is a Session? 24
What Is a Session?
A session is simply a collection of all the processing flows you build
and save under that session name. Specifications for input data can be
saved using Save I/O under Options on the main menu bar (see
Storing a Session). If input data specifications are not saved in the
session file, you can open a session and use the flows with any seismic
data.
Session files can be stored in three locations:
• the project directory—Session files stored with the project are
available only when you are working with that same project.
• the user library—Session files stored in this directory are available
across projects and can be used by anyone with access to the
directory. You define the location of the user library by setting the
PSUSERHOME variable. (See note below.) If you do not set this
variable, PostStack™ software automatically establishes the user
library under your home directory, $HOME/sess.
• the system library—Session files stored in the PostStack™ system
library are available across projects and can be used by anyone
sharing the same $PSHOME location. The system library is
automatically created in $PSHOME/port/sess.
Defining the location of the user library
To define which directory will be your user library, set the environment
variable PSUSERHOME in the appropriate initialization file (.cshrc, .login, or
.lgclogin for C shells; .lgcprofile for Bourne or Korn shells).
Use the following syntax:
• C shells: setenv PSUSERHOME /path/directory_name
• Bourne or Korn shells: PSUSERHOME = "/path/directory_name"
To allow several users access to the same library, set PSUSERHOME in each
user’s initialization file to the same directory, and make sure all the users have
read access to that directory.
Opening an Existing Session PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Prebuilt Sessions Supplied 25
Prebuilt Sessions Supplied
PostStack™ software comes with the following nine session files
already loaded in the system library. You can open one of these sessions
and then use or edit any of the flows it contains.
Flow # Process Parameters/Options
ps1 PS Amplitude Scaling
Flow 1 Automatic Gain Control Mean Value Normalization
Scaling Window Length: 500 ms
Flow 2 Trace Equalization Mean Value Equalization
Start Time: 700 ms; Interval: 1300 ms
Flow 3 Time-Variant Scaling 3 Gates with time and gain as follows:
1) Time = 0-500 Gain = 1.5
2) Time = 700-1800 Gain = 3.7
3) Time = 2500-4000 Gain = 6.5
Flow 4 Envelope Scaling Amplitude Envelope Response:
Slow (3-6)
ps2 PS Basic Filtering
Flow 1 Bandpass (Ormsby) 8-12-40-50 filter
Flow 2 Bandpass (Butterworth) 18 dB/octave-8 -40-72 dB/octave filter
Flow 3 Phase Rotation 0° rotation
Flow 4 Polarity Reversal
Flow 5 Resample Filter Output sample rate: 4
Anti-Alias Filter applied
Flow 6 Autocorrelation Window: 700-1300
Flow 7 3D Nonlinear Filter
(3D Process Only)
Number of traces = 3
Number of lines = 3
Number of Samples = 5
ps3 PS Basic Deconvolution
Flow 1 Deconvolution Minimum Phase Spiking
Operator Length: 80 ms
White Noise: 0.1%
Time Gate Number: 1
Start Time: 700 ms; Interval: 1800 ms
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5000.8.0.0 Prebuilt Sessions Supplied 26
Flow 2 Deconvolution Minimum Phase Predictive
Operator Length: 120 ms
Prediction Distance: 36 ms
White Noise: 0.1%
Time Gate Number: 1
Start Time: 700 ms; Interval: 1800 ms
Flow 3 Spectral Balance Scaling Time Window: 250 ms
Number of Frequency Panels: 5
5-10-60-70 filter
Flow 4 Wavelet Convolution Operation: Deconvolve
Wavelet Source: OpenWorks® software
Filter Option: Inverse Phase (Dephase)
Operator
Percent Noise in Time Domain
ps4 PS Data Enhancement
Flow 1 Trace Mix Weighting: Triangular
# Traces to Mix: 3
Flow 2 FX Deconvolution Horizontal Window Length: 10 traces
# Filter Samples: 5 traces
Time Window Length: 1000 ms
Time Window Overlap: 100 ms
Flow 3 Coherency Filter Horizontal Window Length: 20 traces
Time Window Length: 1000 ms
Time Window Overlap: 100 ms
Flow 4 Dip-Scan Stack Horizontal Window Length: 7 traces
Minimum Dip: -6 ms/trace
Maximum Dip: +6 ms/trace
Flow 5 FK Weighting FK Power Exponent: 1.3
Flow 6 FK Fan Filter Filter Application Mode: Accept
Minimum Dip: -6 ms/trace
Maximum Dip:+ 6 ms/trace
ps5 PS shifting/stretching
Flow 1 Bulk time shift with
increase in trace length.
Note: This flow is
obsolete with the ability
to set beginning and end
time in input.
Trace Length: 5000 ms
Bulk Time Shift: 0 ms
Flow 2 Flatten to Horizon Flatten: activated
Horizon Name: must be set by user
Flattening Time: 1000 ms
Flow 3 Time to depth conversion Output sample rate: 10
Flow # Process Parameters/Options
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5000.8.0.0 Prebuilt Sessions Supplied 27
Flow 4 Depth to time conversion Output sample rate: 10
ps6 PS Attributes
Flow 1 Reflection Strength
Flow 2 Instantaneous Phase
Flow 3 Instantaneous Frequency
Flow 4 Quadrature Trace
Flow 5 Apparent Polarity
Flow 6 Response Phase
Flow 7 Response Frequency
Flow 8 Perigram
Flow 9 Cosine of Phase
Flow 10 Perigram * Cosine of
Phase
timeDepth PS simple time to depth conversion using a TDQ velocity model
Flow 1 Time to Depth conversion Bandpass (Butterworth): Low Pass 8,
High Pass 40, Low Slope 18, High Slope
72
Trace Equalization: 1 gate 700-4500 ms
Time to Depth Conversion: Output
Sample Rate 10, Maximum frequency of
interest 80
Flow 2 Depth to time conversion Bandpass (Butterworth): Low Pass 8,
High Pass 40, Low Slope 18, High Slope
72
Trace Equalization: 1 gate 700-4500 ms
Time to Depth Conversion: Output
Sample Rate 4, Maximum frequency of
interest 80
usernet PAL™/PS Flows from August 1985 UserNet article
Flow 1 Attribute Extraction
(Maps):
Spectral Statistics
Analysis Window: 950-1050 ms
Dominant Frequency Series
Output Horizon Prefix: Usernet
No scaling
Flow 2 Perigram - Cosine of
Phase
Flow # Process Parameters/Options
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5000.8.0.0 Prebuilt Sessions Supplied 28
Flow 3 Trace Mix
Bandpass (Ormsby)
Trace Equalization
Weighting: Triangular
# Trace to Mix: 3
Gate Number: Single Gate
8-12-50-60 filter
Mean Value Equalization
Start Time: 700 ms; Interval: 1300 ms
Flow 4 Spectral Balance Scaling Time Window: 250 ms
Number of Frequency Panels: 5
5-10-60-70 filter
Flow 5 Attribute Extraction:
Amplitude Statistics
Complex Trace Statistics
Spectral Statistics
Analysis Window: 950-1050 ms
All six amplitude statistics
Average Instantaneous Frequency
Peak Spectral Frequency
Slope from Peak to Max Frequency
Max Frequency for Estimates: 100
#Traces for Spectral Averaging: 1
Output Horizon Prefix: Usernet
No scaling
Wavelet PS use a syntool wavelet to zero-phase your data
Flow 1 Convolute with a SynTool
dephase operator and
bandpass, scale your data
Wavelet Convolution: Operation
Convolve, Wavelet Source OpenWorks®
software
Bandpass (Butterworth): Low Pass 8,
High Pass 90, Low Slope 18, High Slope
72
AGC: Scaling Window Length 1500 ms,
Mean Value Normalization
Flow # Process Parameters/Options
Opening an Existing Session PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Prebuilt Sessions Supplied 29
If you have a license for PostStack ESP™ processing, you can run five
additional sessions. Several of these flows bracket the PostStack ESP™
processes with specific start and end times in the input menu.
Flow # Process Parameters/Options
ESP1 Test ESP Parameters using ESP 3D Along Horizon:
If you read I/O on input, data will be limited from 900 - 1100 ms. Make sure
all output data options are toggled off.
Flow 1 Window Length Test: This only runs 40 ms, 80 ms, then 20 ms. Add
additional tests to fine tune the window further.
ESP 3D Along Horizon:
submit first, make sure other
two are toggled off
ESP 3D Along Horizon:
submit after the above, make
sure other two are toggled off
ESP 3D Along Horizon:
submit last, make sure other
two are toggled off
Default parameters except:
Analysis Window: Constant Time
Window
Reference Time (ms): 1000
Centered Time Window (ms): 40
Output ESP Horizon:
fscantest1_40_12_EL_MIN
Default parameters except:
Analysis Window: Constant Time
Window
Reference Time (ms): 1000
Centered Time Window (ms): 80
Output ESP Horizon:
fscantest2_80_12_EL_MIN
Default parameters except:
Analysis Window: Constant Time
Window
Reference Time (ms): 1000
Centered Time Window (ms): 20
Output ESP Horizon:
fscantest3_20_12_EL_MIN
Opening an Existing Session PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Prebuilt Sessions Supplied 30
Flow2 Scan Pattern Test: You must change the window length to the value
determined from viewing the output horizons from Flow 1.
ESP 3D Along Horizon
(from Flow 1)
ESP 3D Along Horizon
(from Flow 1)
ESP 3D Along Horizon
(from Flow 1)
Default parameters except:
Analysis Window: Constant Time
Window
Reference Time (ms): 1000
Centered Time Window (ms):
determined from Flow 1
Scan Pattern: One Trace
Output ESP Horizon:
fscantest4_??_12_OT_MIN
Default parameters except:
Analysis Window: Constant Time
Window
Reference Time (ms): 1000
Centered Time Window (ms):
determined from Flow 1
Scan Pattern: Cross
Output ESP Horizon:
fscantest5_??_12_CR_MIN
Default parameters except:
Analysis Window: Constant Time
Window
Reference Time (ms): 1000
Centered Time Window (ms):
determined from Flow 1
Scan Pattern: Star
Output ESP Horizon:
fscantest6_??_12_ST_MIN
Flow 3 Maximum Statistic Test: You should have selected all the main
parameters from Flow 1 and Flow 2.
Flow 3 ESP 3D Along Horizon Default parameters except:
Analysis Window: Constant Time
Window
Reference Time (ms): 1000
Centered Time Window (ms):
determined from Flow 1
Scan Pattern: determined from Flow
2
Evaluation Statistic: Maximum
Output ESP Horizon:
fscantest7_??_12_??_MAX
Flow # Process Parameters/Options
Opening an Existing Session PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Prebuilt Sessions Supplied 31
ESP2 ESP 3D and ESP 2D Vertical File Generation for 3D projects.
If you read I/O on input, data will be limited to 0-3000ms.
Flow 1 ESP 3D Dip Options: Unconstrained
Scan Pattern: Ell - 2 Traces
Window Length (ms): 40
Maximum Dip Search (ms/tr): 12
Evaluation Statistic: Minimum
Remove DC Bias: On
Flow 2 ESP 2D Window Length (ms): 40
Maximum Dip Search (ms/tr): 12
Remove Bias: On
ESP3 ESP 2D and ESP 3D TimeSllice Generation for 3D projects.
If you read I/O on input, data will be limited from 1000 - 1500 ms.
Flow 1 ESP 3D Dip Options: Unconstrained
Scan Pattern: Ell - 2 Traces
Window Length (ms): 40
Maximum Dip Search (ms/tr): 12
Evaluation Statistic: Minimum
Remove DC Bias: On
Flow 2 ESP 2D Window Length (ms): 40
Maximum Dip Search (ms/tr): 12
Remove Bias: On
Flow # Process Parameters/Options
Dip. Dip calculation using resample for a more accurate representation of
the dip volumes. If you read I/O on input, data will be limited from 800 - 2000
ms.
Flow 1 Resample
Dip and Azimuth
Resample
Output Sample Rate 1.0 ms.
Apply Anti-Alias Filter
Window Length (ms): 40
Maximum Dip Search (ms/tr): 12
Output Statistic Dip
Output Sample Rate 4.0 ms
Apply Anti-Alias Filter
Flow # Process Parameters/Options
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5000.8.0.0 Prebuilt Sessions Supplied 32
Dipazim.Dip and Azimuth combined calculation that uses Resample to
accurately represents the combined volume. This is followed by two scalars
to map to the existing dipazim colorbar.
Flow 1 Resample
Dip and Azimuth
Constant Scalar
Constant Scalar
Output Sample Rate 1.0 ms.
Apply Anti-Alias Filter
Window Length (ms): 40
Maximum Dip Search (ms/tr): 8
Output Statistic Combined Dip and
Azimuth
-1 times Data value
32 plus Data value
Flow # Process Parameters/Options
Opening an Existing Session PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Prebuilt Sessions Supplied 33
If you have a combined PostStack/PAL™ license, you will also receive
two PAL™ sessions.
Flow # Data Attribute Attribute Extraction
Analysis
Window
Scaling
pal1 PAL™ Basic Attribute Extraction
Flow 1 Amplitude Statistics 950-1050 ms None
Flow 2 Complex Trace Statistics 950-1050 ms None
Flow 3 Spectral Statistics 950-1050 ms None
Flow 4 Sequence Statistics 950-1050 ms None
Flow 5 Correlation Statistics 950-1050 ms None
pal2 PAL™ Extended Attribute Extraction
Flow 1 Reflection Strength Amplitude Statistics 950-1050 ms None
Flow 2 Instantaneous Phase Amplitude Statistics 950-1050 ms None
Flow 3 Instantaneous Frequency Amplitude Statistics 950-1050 ms None
Flow 4 Perigram - Cosine of
Phase
Amplitude Statistics 950-1050 ms None
Opening an Existing Session PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Procedure 34
Procedure
To open an existing session, perform the following steps:
1. To use the processing flows saved in an earlier session, select
Session ➛ Open. The Open Session dialog box appears.
2. Select a source location:
• Current Project to see session files stored with the project.
• User Library to see session files stored in your personal
library.
• System Library to see session files stored in the PostStack™
system library.
All the sessions stored in the specified location are posted in the
dialog box. An ‘x’ under I/O indicates that I/O information exists.
3. To read existing I/O information toggle on Read I/O Information.
4. Double click on the name of the desired session, or select the
session and click OK. The session is opened, and you can use any
of the flows.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Overview 35
Specifying the Input Data
Overview
Initially, the way the input data is defined depends on how you start
PostStack™ software (Starting PostStack™ Software). However,
once the PostStack™ session is under way, you can change the input
data at any time. This chapter discusses how to specify the input data.
In This Chapter:
• Introduction
• Selecting a Seismic View File
• Selecting a 2D SeisWorks® Seismic File
• Selecting a 3D SeisWorks® Seismic File
• Selecting a SEG-Y File
• Selecting a ProMAX® Seismic File
• Output File Naming and Working with Seismic Data
Manager
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Introduction 36
Introduction
The four input methods are described below.
• Seismic View uses the current vertical seismic file, seismic lines,
and time range in Seismic View.
• SeisWorks® seismic file defines SeisWorks® lines for use.
• SEG-Y file defines the general data parameters and header
locations for extracting geometry and other information.
• ProMAX® seismic file selects the input dataset, trace read
selection, and maximum traces in the ensemble.
Click Input Data in the PostStack™ Family main dialog box. Select an
input option from the resulting Input Data dialog box.
Use 16-bit or 32-bit data if possible
SeisWorks® vertical section files can be in various formats: 8-bit integer,
16-bit integer, 8-bit floating, 16-bit floating, or 32-bit floating point. We
recommend that you use 16-bit or 32-bit floating point files, if available, for
processing and attribute extractions since these formats give greater data
precision.
You can use 8-bit data as input to PostStack™ software, but be aware that
valuable information may be lost because of clipping and that the resolution
will not be as good as with 16-bit or 32-bit data.
PostStack™ software converts all input data to 32-bit floating point for internal
calculations. This conversion maximizes the allowable range for values
resulting from those calculations. However, converting 8-bit input data to
32-bit will not recover any information not present in the 8-bit data.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a Seismic View File 37
Selecting a Seismic View File
You can send (broadcast) data specifications from Seismic View to
PostStack™ software via the Pointing Dispatcher™ software (PD).
To input 2D or 3D data from Seismic View, perform the following
steps:
1. Display the lines of interest in Seismic View, using the time range
to use in PostStack™ software.
2. Check that the PostStack main dialog box is in listening mode
The border around the main dialog box is green. (The Pointing
Dispatcher™ software is on). If it is not, click on the PD border to
switch it from red to green.
3. In Seismic View, use Shift-MB2 to broadcast data specifications to
PostStack™ software. Input Data indicates Seismic View and the
name of the vertical section file.
4. Click on Input Data from the main PostStack™ dialog box.
Toggle on Seismic View and click Information. The Seismic
View Parameters dialog box displays the data specifications from
Seismic View.
5. Close the Seismic View Parameters dialog box.
Pointing Dispatcher™ software has limited capability if you are
using a mixed 2D/3D Interpretation project
If more then one 3D Survey is present, not all 3D data will PD correctly.
For vertical file data (.3dv)
For vertical file data (.3dv), when you broadcast 3D seismic data from a
Seismic View, Poststack/PAL™ software always uses the inline .3dv file.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a Seismic View File 38
6. Click on OK in the Input Data dialog box.
Seismic View option is not active until you send information.
Until you actually transfer data specifications from SeisWorks®
software to PostStack™ software, the Seismic View option on the Input
Data dialog box is dimmed. When you start PostStack™ software from
a Seismic View or send a PD message from a Seismic View, the option
becomes accessible, and the data specifications are applied.
You can check those data specifications by clicking on the Information
button for the Seismic View option. But the only way to change them is
to redisplay the desired data in Seismic View and send a new PD
message to PostStack™ software.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a 2D SeisWorks® Seismic File 39
Selecting a 2D SeisWorks® Seismic File
To define the input data by selecting a vertical seismic file, perform the
following steps:
1. In the PostStack™ main dialog box, click on Input Data.
2. Toggle on SeisWorks Seismic File, and click on Parameters. The
SeisWorks® Seismic File Parameters dialog box appears.
3. To specify the Input File, click on List and select one of the
seismic files. Use Reinitialize List on the Seismic File Select
dialog box to see the most up-to-date list of SeisWorks® Seismic
Files. Click Apply to select a file and OK to close dialog box.
4. Choose a method for defining areal extent from the following
options:
• Point File limits the computation to the lines/line segments and
time ranges specified in the point file (.ptf) you select. Proceed
to Step 5.
• Extents allows you to define the lines to be included within this
dialog box. Proceed to Step 6.
5. If you chose Point File, select a Point File by clicking on List and
selecting a point file. Then click on OK to save the point file
settings. The lines and time ranges as specified in the point file are
used as input data for PostStack™ software. Proceed to Step 7.
6. If you chose Line/Areal Extents, define the input lines by one of
these methods:
• List displays the Line Select window with a list of all lines in
the project. Highlight the desired lines and click on OK. You
can
—select an individual line
—drag a rectangle to select a single block of lines
—use Shift MB1 to select a block between the last selected line
and the current cursor location
—use Control MB1 to select multiple individual lines
—use Control MB1 to drag a rectangle to select a multiple block
of lines.
• Entire Project includes all the lines in the working project.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a 2D SeisWorks® Seismic File 40
• Areal Extent from Map defines line segments to include by
drawing a selection rectangle in SeisWorks® Map View. Click
MB1 to anchor the first corner of the rectangle; move the cursor
to the diagonally opposite corner and click MB2.
The lines you have selected are posted in the SeisWorks® Seismic
File Parameters dialog box, along with their starting and ending
shotpoints.
• Clear removes all selections.
7. Choose a method for defining the Data Input Window from the
following options:
• Constant Time defaults to the start and end times of the input
data.
• Horizon Guided lets you input a time window of constant
length guided by a selected interpreted time horizon.
8. If you choose Constant Time, use the defaults or select Start
Time (ms) and End Time (ms). If any input line’s data does not
exist in the window, it is padded with zeros.
9. If you choose Horizon Guided, select a horizon from the
List.Toggle on Centered Gate for a user defined Time Width
(ms) window centered about the horizon (this is the default). Or
deselect Centered Gateto specify the Time Above horizon and
Time Below horizon to offset the window about the horizon.
Horizon guided input superficially resembles flattening to a
horizon on input. However, it is not the same because each input
traceretains its correct position in time and no shifting or
interpolatingcan change this position.
For certain processes (StructureCube™, trace mix, dip, etc.) the Use
Exact Window (Resample so Horizon falls on Sample Point)
option should be selected. This feature should only be used where
clearly needed, that is when it is required to compute 3D processes
in a horizon guided window like Structure Cube. This feature of
course will only work as well as the input guide horizon has been
picked and smoothed. The process of shifting to the nearest sample
(at the horizon) assumes a perfect horizon; small flaws will still
cause problems in 3D processes. For this reason it should be used
with some caution. To test before running the full dataset, the data
display with Spectral Analysis is exactly the way the 3D processes
see the data. Process like PAL would not need this option turned on.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a 2D SeisWorks® Seismic File 41
Currently, the method that captures the start time does not
interpolate to the horizon time but to the nearest sample. For
Structure Cube and ESP, this method can produce jumps or
discontinuities in the data that appear as vertical faults. It is
recommended that you not use Horizon Guided input for these 3D
processes.
Only traces with a horizon pick are processed
If data of interest is missing, use SeisWorks® software to define the
horizon over the zone of interest or the complete dataset.
This gives the interpreter the control of the interpolation over
unpicked regions.
Special note about horizon guided input
Horizon guided input should not be used when running Structure
Cube or ESP or other 3D processes. To limit the amount of
processing time the Constant Time gate can be used.
Limiting the time range of the input data reduces processing
time
You can speed up PostStack™ processing significantly by inputting
only the data that you need. A job run with 0 to 4000 ms of input data
will take twice as long as a job run with 500 to 2000 ms of input data.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a 3D SeisWorks® Seismic File 42
Selecting a 3D SeisWorks® Seismic File
To define the input data by selecting a vertical seismic file, perform the
following steps:
1. In the PostStack™ main dialog box, click on Input Data.
2. Toggle on SeisWorks® Seismic File, and click on Parameters.
The 3D SeisWorks® Seismic File Parameters dialog box appears.
3. To specify the Input File, click on List and select one of the
SeisWorks® Seismic files available for this project. The dataset
names are appended with either a .3dv for a vertical file, .cmp for
a compressed file, or .bri for a bricked file.
The following Seismic File Selection dialog box allows you to:
• Search for a specific file by a search string.
• Filter the Seismic Files list to limit files to those containing a
search string.
• Reset the list to all files.
• Details gives you additional information about each dataset.
You are given File Format, Optimized For, Sample Rate,
Domain, Vertical Range, Line Range, Trace Range, Brick Sizes,
Cache Hints, and Fidelity for Compressed files.
• Reinitialize List to the most up-to-date list of SeisWorks®
Seismic Files.
4. Choose one of the following methods of defining areal extent:
• Point File limits the computation to the lines/line segments and
time ranges specified in the point file (.ptf) you select. Proceed
to Step 5.
• Line/Areal Extents allows you to define the lines to be
included within this dialog box. Proceed to Step 6.
5. To select a Point File, click on List and choose a file. Click on
OK. The lines and time ranges as specified in the point file are
used as input data for PostStack™ software. Proceed to Step 7.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a 3D SeisWorks® Seismic File 43
6. If you chose Line/Areal Extents, specify the Input Direction.
The options are to Optimize for Output to:
• Vertical File allows you to select Direction. Toggle on Lines to
process along the line orientation. Toggle on Traces to process
along the trace orientation.
The initial default read direction is based on the optimized
direction the dataset was written out at. As soon as a dataset is
selected, the read direction changes to the optimized read
direction for the dataset.
For Inline or Crossline optimized brick files, the default read
direction will change to Line or Trace respectively. Even
though Any Vertical brick, Horizontal brick and Compressed
files are designed to be read in any direction, they will have one
direction with better performance than the others. If the input
file is an Any Vertical or Horizontal brick, or Compressed
format, the optimal read direction will default to the direction
the data used to create the file was set at.
If the input read direction is changed, the direction will be reset
to the optimal default each time the Input menu is opened.
As noted below, selection of the input direction will vary based
on the purpose of the chosen PostStack/PAL/ESP processes;
Spectral display; or the use of the output file in other
applications. For the purpose of improved performance for
processing and display, we recommend using the default
optimal direction for the dataset.
• Timeslice automatically sets the input orientation to crosslines
or traces, depending on the most efficient way to write the data
to timeslices. This orientation is constant for a project.
• CD automatically sets the input orientation to inlines or lines,
depending on the most efficient way to read and write the data
to cube data files. This orientation is not constant for a project
but rather depends on the view direction you choose for your
output cube data file.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a 3D SeisWorks® Seismic File 44
Setting the option called Optimized for Output to
Set Optimized for Output to Vertical File if a brick or compressed
file are also selected. For best resource use, select Line or trace to
match the optimization in Brick Output.
Timeslice and CD options may not result in the best
orientation for processing
When working in the optimized direction for timeslice or cube data
output, PostStack™ is able to output large blocks of data rather than
a single sample at a time. However, the optimum orientation for data
input/output may not be the best orientation for particular processes.
This is an issue for data enhancement processing that involves
multiple traces (such as, f-k weighting, f-k filtering, dip-scan stack.).
To perform the best processing you may not be able to use the
optimized output option for timeslice and CD output during the same
run. In such cases, it may be faster to output a .3dv file, and then
create CD and timeslice files in separate PostStack™ runs.
When is processing direction important?
The processing direction is the direction along which groups of
traces are grabbed for processing. For most of the type of
computations done in PostStack™ software, either direction gives
the same results.
However, for the multitrace data enhancement computations, line
orientation does affect the results. Be sure to conduct your initial
testing and process the full data volume in the same processing
orientation for the following:
• trace mix
• coherency filtering
• dip-scan stack
• f-k weighting
• f-k fan filter.
Depending on your objectives, you may want to do two passes,
processing the data first along one orientation, outputting the results,
and then processing these initial results along the other orientation.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a 3D SeisWorks® Seismic File 45
7. Define the areal extent of input lines and traces by one of the
following methods:
• Lines/Traces/Increment lets you enter the numbers of the
starting and ending lines and traces, and the increment, in the
appropriate number editors. The specified line/trace increment
must be a multiple of the master grid set. For example, if the
master grid trace increment was defined to be 7 in your survey,
the valid values for trace increment would be 7, 14, 21, 28, etc.
An increment of 7 outputs every trace, an increment of 14
outputs every other trace, an increment of 21 outputs every
third trace, and so on.
• Select from Map allows you to define which lines and traces to
include by drawing a selection rectangle in SeisWorks® Map
View. Click MB1 to anchor the first corner of the rectangle;
move the cursor to the diagonally opposite corner and click
MB2. This option cannot be used with merged 2D/3D projects
for selecting 3D seismic data from the Map View.
• Entire Survey includes all the lines and traces in the project.
8. Choose a method for defining the Data Input Window from the
following options:
• Constant Time lets you select start and end times of the input
data. You can either enter the entire time range or a subset of
this range. You can also select Entire Trace to reset the
window to the maximum input time range for the currently
selected data volume.
• Horizon Guided lets you input a time window of constant
length guided by a selected interpreted time horizon. The
window can be either center about the horizon or offset from the
center.
9. If you choose Constant Time, select Start Time (ms) and
End Time (ms) or toggle on Entire trace.
10. If you choose Horizon Guided, select a horizon from the List.
Toggle on Centered Gate for a user defined Time Width (ms)
window centered about the horizon (this is the default). Or,
deselect Centered Gate to specify the Time Above horizon and
Time Below horizon to offset the window about the horizon.
Horizon guided input superficially resembles flattening to a
horizon on input. However, it is not the same because each input
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a 3D SeisWorks® Seismic File 46
trace retains its correct position in time and no shifting or
interpolating can change this position.
For certain processes, such as StructureCube™, trace mix, and dip,
you should select the Use Exact Window (Resample so Horizon
falls on Sample Point). This feature should be used only where
clearly needed, that is, when you are computing 3D processes in a
horizon guided window like Structure Cube™.
Even then, this feature works only as well as the input guide horizon
has been picked and smoothed. The process of shifting to the
nearest sample (at the horizon) assumes a perfect horizon; small
flaws will still cause problems in 3D processes. For this reason, you
should use the Use Exact Window (Resample so Horizon falls on
Sample Point) with some caution.
To test the option running the full dataset, use Spectral Analysis.
The data display is exactly the way that 3D processes see the data,
because all 3D processes implicitly assume that all the traces have
the same start time, whatever it is. You should observe slightly
smoother reflections with this option turned on than with it turned
off. The differences can be subtle.
Note
The Use Exact Window option address some of the previously
identified problems using Horizon Guided input for 3D processes like
Structure Cube™ and ESP™. Without this option the trace start time at
the horizon was set to the nearest sample as a function of the sample
rate (i.e. 0, 4, 8 , ...) When Use Exact Window is turned on the trace
start time is the closest sample value at the horizon. If the horizon still
has discontinuities in it, this situation will still adversely affect the
results even with the option turned on.
Only traces with a horizon pick are processed
If data of interest is missing, use SeisWorks® software to define the
horizon over the zone of interest or the complete dataset.
This functionality gives the interpreter the control of the interpolation
over unpicked regions.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a 3D SeisWorks® Seismic File 47
Limiting the time range of the input data reduces processing
time
You can speed up PostStack™ processing significantly by inputting
only the data that you need. A job run with 0 to 4000 ms of input data
will take twice as long as a job run with 500 to 2000 ms of input data.
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Selecting a SEG-Y File
PostStack™ software allows you to load data from SEG-Y:
• SeisWorks® 2D tape
• SeisWorks® 2D disk
• SeisWorks® 3D tape
• SeisWorks® 3D disk
Use this option to perform data loading and processing in the same
workflow. SEG-Y Input in conjunction with SEG-Y Analyzer can
provide robust data-loading capabilities. SEG-Y Input communicates
with SEG-Y Analyzer by the Pointing Dispatcher™ (PD) software.
SEG-Y Input Overview
SEG-Y Input is used to add seismic data to 3D surveys and 2D lines. If
you are loading SEG-Y data for new 2D line(s), SEG-Y Input will
create the 2D line(s) in the OpenWorks database and update the
navigation information from the navigation in the SEG-Y headers.
If you are loading new SEG-Y data for a 2D line or lines that already
exist in the OpenWorks® project, you can choose whether to reload the
navigational information for that line(s) or simply load the amplitude
data and retain the existing navigational information.
For loading 3D data, you must define the 3D grid using Seismic Data
Manager (Data > Management > Seismic Data Manager on the
OpenWorks® Command Menu) before you can load the seismic data.
Click on the Help button inside the Seismic Data Manager for
information about creating the 3D survey.
PostStack™ software will load SEG-Y data to the OpenWorks®
database
For most SEG-Y data, PostStack™ software will automatically format the
output data as required by SeisWorks® software and other Landmark
geophysical applications and load it to the current OpenWorks® database. The
PostStack™ application provides an alternative to using the Batch Control
Monitor (BCM) software to load new data to the OpenWorks® database.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 49
Note: Before loading 2D and 3D SEG-Y data, the 2D and 3D storage
partitions must be defined in Seismic Data Manager. The flow will
error out if they are not defined and the user does not have write
permissions into them.
Note: SEG-Y Input fails on processes that access horizons from the
OpenWorks® database. There are limitations to the processes that run
with SEG-Y input and SEG-Y output. In general, only core processes
or processes operating on single traces work. This is because complex,
multi-trace tools such as PAL™ and ESP™ software require
information that is not normally present in the flow when the data
comes in as SEG-Y Input.
SEG-Y Data Components
SEG-Y data has two major components: the reel identification header
and the trace data blocks.
Reel Identification Header
The reel identification header contains information about the trace data
blocks. This header is divided into two blocks:
• The Textual File header consists of 3200 bytes of information
stored in EBCDIC or ASCII card image format. A total of 40 lines
of 80 columns are provided to write information pertaining to data
acquisition, data processing, etc.
• The binary header trails the EBCDIC header and consists of 400
bytes of binary information. The first 60 bytes are assigned to
specific purposes; the other 340 bytes are provided for optional
use. Some of the key byte assignments in the 400-byte binary
header are listed below:
Byte Numbers Description
3205-3208 Line number
3217-3218 Sample interval in ms
3221-3222 # of samples per data trace
3225-3226 Data sample format code
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 50
Trace Data Blocks
The trace data blocks follow the 3600 bytes of reel identification header
information. Each trace data block consists of a fixed 240-byte trace
identification header and then the actual seismic trace data. Some of the
key byte assignments in the 240-byte trace identification header are
listed below:
With the new SEG-Y REV1 format there are new designated header
word locations for 3D data. These locations are listed below::
Byte Numbers Description
1-4 Trace sequence number
9-12 Original field file ID
21-24 CDP ensemble number
73-76 Source X coordinate
77-80 Source Y coordinate
81-84 Group X coordinate
85-88 Group Y coordinate
Byte Numbers Description
181 CDP_X coordinate
185 CDP_Y Coordinate
189 Inline Numbers
193 Crossline Number
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When reading or writing coordinates from location 181 and 185, the
coordinate scalar (header word 71-72) is applied to the coordinates if
applicable (4 byte or 2 byte integer format). There are many variations
in where important location information is stored, and this information
must be retrieved to load 3D data effectively.
Trace Sample Format
To further complicate data loading, trace data samples can be written in
any of four standard SEG-Y data sample formats or in several
nonstandard formats that have emerged over the years:
PostStack™ software has the flexibility to read all the tape sample
formats listed above.
SEG-Y Analyzer Overview
There are two ways to bring up SEG-Y Analyzer: by toggling on the
Analyze option in the SEG-Y Data Input dialog box or selecting
Tools > SEG-Y Analyzer from the main menu bar
This section briefly describes the SEG-Y Analyzer. For detailed
instructions on using the SEG-Y Analyzer, refer to its online help.
The SEGY Analyzer is used to analyze SEG-Y ID and trace headers,
and copy seismic data from tape to disk. You can also use it to send a
list of seismic files, including line name information, to
PostStack/PAL™ software. These files can be used for amplitude
analysis, previewing in Spectral Analysis, and loading.
Trace Sample Format Description
SEG-Y Standard Formats
IBM Float 32-bit floating point
Integer 4-Byte 32-bit fixed point
Integer 2-Byte 16-bit fixed point
Fixed Point with Gain 32-bit fixed point with gain
Non-Standard Formats
IEEE Float 32-bit IEEE floating point
Float 2-Byte 16-bit floating point
Integer 1-Byte 8-bit fixed point
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Batch Tape/Disk File Analysis
You can perform batch or interactive seismic data analysis. The
analysis consists of examining SEG-Y ID and trace headers to see
whether expected information is present in the files and in what format.
The seismic data can reside on tape or disk. To aid in the analysis, you
can build seismic templates to contain information about the
differences between the seismic data and standard SEG-Y. These
templates can be saved.
There are two batch analysis options, one for analyzing tape and one
for disk. Both allow you to select up to 300 files to analyze at a time.
Analysis information is written to a log file and some summary
information is written to the screen (into the spreadsheet) as each file is
being analyzed. The screen is also updated to indicate which file is
currently being examined. Batch analysis can be interrupted at any
time. As with all other options that read tape, the tape drive can be
attached to a remote machine.
Copy Tape to Disk
The Copy tape to disk option copies up to 300 tape files to a disk
directory. During the copy process, you are shown how much free disk
space (in megabytes) is still available on the disk. The spreadsheet is
also updated with summary information and the number of tape records
and bytes copied per file. You can skip (as a file is being copied) to the
next tape file in the list. The message area at the bottom of the screen
also updates indicating which tape file is currently being processed. As
with the analysis options, you can interrupt the copy at any time.
During copy, you can perform trace/time subsetting on a file-by-file
basis. You can also scale/clip the data on a file-by-file basis. A disk
directory is created if it does not exist. An individual disk file is created
for each tape file copied. The disk file name assigned is the line name
extracted from the SEG-Y tape file with .segy appended to the end. If a
file name assigned to a file being copied matches an existing file name,
a x_ is appended to the filename. An xx_, xxx_, etc. is tried until a
unique file name is found.
You can specify a template to use during the copy. If the template
specifies a different location/length for the line name in the file, the line
name is extracted from the new location and used. You can assign a line
name to individual tape files before copying. However, this overrides
the line name extraction and becomes the file name.
Remove any disk files created by this option.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 53
Interactive Analysis
The interactive analysis option analyzes SEG-Y files. It creates a
template that describes the differences between the file being examined
and standard SEG-Y. You can interactively edit byte number and
formats, and apply arithmetic expressions to trace header fields. Run
Copy tape to disk before SEG-Y analyzer.
SEG-Y Template Definition
You can edit SEG-Y templates using the following tools:
• from within the interactive analysis tool
• with the seismic template editor tool
The seismic template that you create is PD’d with each file to
Poststack/PAL™ software. This template is the differences between
those files and standard SEG-Y.
For detailed information on loading data from SEG-Y tape or disk,
please refer to its online help.
2D Procedure
To input data from a 2D SEG-Y file to PostStack™ software, follow
these steps:
1. In the PostStack™ Family main dialog box, click Input Data.
2. In the Input Data dialog box, toggle on SEG-Y, and click
Parameters. The Datum information dialog box appears.
Type of SEG-Y Analyzer Information passed to SEG-Y Input
SEG-Y Analyzer passes: if disk, the SEG-Y file path or if tape, the file
number, the Line name if present in the EBCDIC header, and a single template
used to read the data.
While the SEG-Y Analyzer is limited to 300 files concurrently, it can be rerun
with the information sent to SEG-Y Input appended to the existing data in the
Enter Linenames dialog box. SEG-Y Input can handle any number of lines.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 54
The Datum information dialog provides the current Interpretation
Project Datum and the Replacement Velocity for the Project Data
Base or Interpretation Project you are currently working in and
reports the Storage Datum units.
It is critical that the Datum of the PDB/IP and the datum of the
Seismic data be correctly set when loading 2D SEGY data.
Currently, the data model only supports the loading of time domain
data when the datum of the PDB/IP is set to match the datum of the
2D SEGY data. Once the 2D data is loaded, the PDB/IP datum can
be reset to the required datum for interpretation. The seismic data
will then be displayed relative to the datum of the PDB/IP.
Select OK, and the SEG-Y Data Input dialog box appears.
Media Parameters
3. Toggle on the storage Media from the following:
• Tape The default time range is the range for the first input SEG-
Y file. Any trace that does not cover this range is padded. You
can select a window to redefine the time range.
• Disk The default time range is the range that covers all input
SEG-Y files. Any trace that does not cover this range is padded.
You can select a window to redefine the time range. If you
define a window that is larger than the input range, it is changed
to the overlap between the defined window and the input range.
Proceed to Step 5.
To use SEG-Y Analyzer, click on Analyze. For detailed
instructions on using the SEGY Analyzer, refer to its online help.
4. Specify the Tape Device where your SEG-Y tape resides by
clicking on List. The Tape Device Select dialog box appears.
Select or enter the tape device. Note that the list contains the
hostname. Proceed to Step 5.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 55
5. Specify the SEG-Y Format of the tape or disk file from one of the
following:
• Auto-Detect Rev0/Rev1—this option looks for a Rev1
incantation in the first card image header and then checks if
binary reel header bytes 301-302 contain the Rev 1 incantation
0X0100.
• Standard Rev1—fixed trace length
• Standard Rev0
• Variable Length Trace Rev 1—variable trace length.
• Variable Length Trace Rev 0
If Rev1 and if the file has extended textual file headers, these are
stripped off and printed to the job.output file, but are not otherwise
used,
File Input Specification Parameters
6. Click on Enter Linenames for the Enter Linenames dialog box,
shown on the next page.
Tape devices should be configured by your system administrator
PostStack™ requires a configuration file describing the characteristics of the
tape devices you will be using for SEG-Y input. Your system administrator
created this file while installing PostStack™.
Only those tape devices listed in the configuration file (and thus mapped to
tape alias names) will be available to you in PostStack™. If you need to add
another tape device, you can click on Configure to summon the PostStack™
Device Configuration dialog box. Please refer to Configuring Your Tape
Device for information on configuration. However, we recommend that to
prevent problems only the system administrator configure tape devices.
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Enter Linenames Dialog Box
This dialog box is used to select the input lines:
The dialog box contains a sequential list of lines. The columns indicate
whether to Read the line (✓) or designate a File # or File Path, and
enter the Prefix, and Linename. You can populate this information
using SEG-Y Analyzer or manually. The PreFix and Linename fields
are combined to form the new or existing line name in the database.
The total number of characters for the unique line name (Prefix +
Linename) cannot exceed 30. Anything more than 30 characters will
be stripped off. To edit a line, click in the far left column of the row.
Use the following menu options:
• Select Linenames to choose a linename from the list. Then
click on Insert or Replace. If the Replace option is chosen,
ensure that the cursor is not in the Linename field. Replace
will not work. Click in a different field first, then select
Replace.To add a linename, click on a Linename box and type
in a new linename. You can also copy a line name from an
external list in an xterm using MB1 and then past it into a the
box with MB2.
Note: We recommend not leaving any blank spaces in a
linename. Any blanks left in the linename are converted to
underscores. Some of the seismic utilities look for 2D line
names up to but not including the first underscore.
• Select SEG-Y File appears if Disk is selected. Then click on
Insert or Replace to add the selected SEG-Y File. Replace
will replace the SEG-Y file on the selected line. Insert will
create a new line after the selected line. Use the file filter to
specify the path and name of the file. Each line must be input
with a separate disk file. That is, only one line per disk is
allowed.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 57
• Import ASCII Table appears if Disk is selected. Use this
feature to import a table containing the SEG-Y pathname and
the line name. The table shall contain one or two blank
separated strings, the first being a full SEG-Y pathname, the
optional second being the corresponding line name. ASCII
Import Add button reads the ASCII file and populates to the
end of the table. Filter helps you navigate to the Table. ASCII
Import can also be used to add the line names for Tape input
by first selecting Disk, importing the table, and then
reselecting Tape.
• Close exits the Enter Linenames dialog box.
Edit
• Select All highlights all entered lines for editing.
• Clear Cells deletes the File #, Prefix and Linename
information from the selected cells.
• Insert Rows adds a row below the selected row.
• Delete Rows removes the selected row.
• Fill offers options to Fill Down or Fill Up. Fill Down inserts
the information contained in the first line in all selected lines.
Fill Up inserts the information from the last line in all selected
lines.
Options
• Add Checkmarks marks the selected lines to be read.
• Remove Checkmarks designates the selected lines not to be
read.
• Renumber File #... brings up a dialog box in which you set the
starting file number and the numbering increment.
• Prefix Linename... brings up a dialog box in which you enter
the desired Prefix.
• Autoname Line... brings up a dialog box in which you enter the
Base Linename.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 58
Note: The total number of characters for the unique line name (Prefix +
Linename) cannot exceed 30. Anything more than 30 characters will
be stripped off.
• Sort brings up a cascade menu from you select the sort order as
Ascending, File #, Prefix or Linename.
• Trace Parameters... brings up the Trace Parameters dialog
box. See Step 10 for instructions on setting the parameters
manually. See Step 19 to set the parameters using a template
If input is from Tape, File # Range lists the selected files. If input is
from Disk, Line # Range lists the Line numbers that have been
selected to be read in.
If input is from Disk you can view the textual file header for each line
with Show Textual File Header and selecting a line.
Input Attribute and Domain
• Data Attribute allows the user to select the most common type of
data attribute contained in the SEG-Y data. This value will be
populated in the database under “Attribute” for the output dataset.
The choices are:
• AMPLITUDE
• Velocity
• Interval Velocity
• RMS Velocity
• Average Velocity
• ATTRIBUTE
• UNKNOWN
• Data Domain allows the user to select the domain of the SEG-Y
data. This value will be populated in the database under “Domain”
for the output dataset.
The choices are:
• TIME
• DEPTH
• OTHER
Note: When the Data Domain is set to DEPTH you will need to set
the datum of the depth data in Basemap Info... found at the bottom
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of the Vertical File output parameters dialog box. For more
information, see information on the 2D Vertical File output
parameters dialog box on page 108 in Specifying the Output
Format.
Line Range Specification Parameters
7. Some of the programs such as, Trace Header Math and Spectral
Analyzer require an end of line header. Select the type of End-Of-
Line Header that matches your data from the following choices:
• Inline Number (ILINE_NO) changes only when a new line is
read.
• Trace Number (XLINE_NO) changes only when a new trace
number is read.
• File number (FILE_NO) changes only when a new file is read
on tape or disk. This is the default.
8. Select the number of Maximum Traces in an Ensemble.
Data Input Window Parameters
9. The default setting is to Read Full Trace. This assumes a trace
start time equal to zero and the end time is the end of trace data.
For nonzero start time, enter a Start Time and End Time in ms.
General Parameters
Modify Trace Headers
10. Use Modify Trace Parameter to over ride the data format, sample
rate, and trace length. Click Parameters, the Trace Parameters
dialog box appears.
To set the parameters using a template, proceed to Step 19.
11. Toggle to manually set the sample rate or to disable the trace
weighting factor or the delay recording time (which sets the trace
start time). If a toggle button is not set then the value is taken from
the SEG-Y trace header.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 60
• If Trace Format is not specified in bytes 3225-3226 of the
header, select the correct format. See SEG-Y Input Overview
for a description of the options.
• If Sample Rate is not specified in bytes 3217-3218, enter the
sample rate in milliseconds.
• The X-Y Coordinate Scaler is in bytes 71-72., toggle on this
option to disable the use of the scalar.
• The Delay Recording Time (nonzero start time) is in bytes
109-110, toggle on this option to disable the scalar. Disabling
this option assumes a o start time.
• The Trace Weighting Factor (bytes 169-170), toggle on this
option to disable the weighting factor.
12. Click on OK to close the Trace Parameters dialog box.
Modify SEG-Y Headers
13. Use Modify SEG-Y Headers to edit trace, shotpoint, and
coordinate information in the 240-byte trace identification header.
Click on Parameters. The SEG-Y Header Mapping dialog box
appears.
To set the parameters using a template, proceed to Step 19.
14. Toggle on Use Automatic Trace Numbering to assign sequential
numbers to each trace as it is read.
15. Specify the Input Format and Starting Byte of the header word
containing the following:
• Trace number (unless you are using automatic trace
numbering)
• Shotpoint number
• Shotpoint X value
• Shotpoint Y value.
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16. Use Header Word to mathematically alter trace and shotpoint
numbers, or x,y coordinates. Toggle on the header word and enter
the header math formula.
For example, if the SEG-Y data does not include shotpoint
numbers, you can generate them by dividing the trace numbers by
2 (frn_trno/2).
17. Click on OK to close the SEG-Y Header Mapping dialog box.
18. Select the Maximum Input Errors in a row to tolerate before the
job aborts.
19. Select Update from Template to use parameters stored in a
template. In the SEG-Y Template Select dialog box that appears,
select or specify a template and click OK or Apply. Click Display
to see a display of the template in the window. Select Update from
Template to set or update the parameters.
Note: The reading of the template only updates the Trace
parameters and SEG-Y header values. These can be changed by
redefining those parameter.
Note: If the equation in the SEG-Y template is modified, the
selection of the equation is not enabled when the template is
updated into the SEG-Y Input menus. You must open the SEG-Y
Headers Mapping parameters dialog box after the information is
updated and manually turn on the header equations that are
modified.
Appending data to existing 2D lines
In certain instances, there may be the need to append additional seismic
to existing 2D lines. This may include the need to append to the 2D line
navigation information saved in the OpenWorks® database.
Appending without updating the navigation information
If the 2D line navigation is complete in the database when appending to
an existing 2D Vertical file, ensure that the Merge with Existing File is
selected in the Vertical output parameters and that, under Basemap
Info, “Overwrite (or Merge if selected) Basemap Information for
Existing Lines” is unselected.
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Appending and updating the navigation information
If the 2D line navigation needs to be extracted from the trace headers
and added to the database when appending to an existing 2D Vertical
file, ensure that the Merge with Existing File is selected and, under
Basemap Info, “Overwrite (or Merge if selected) Basemap Information
for Existing Lines” is selected.
Additionally, in order to merge to an existing 2D line there cannot be
any overlap in the appended files both Trace number and Shot Point.
Ensure the SEG-Y files have been trimmed to sequence into the
existing Trace and SP number sequence in the database.
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3D Procedure
To input data from a 3D SEG-Y file to PostStack™ software, follow
these steps:
1. In the PostStack™ Family main dialog box, click on Input Data.
2. In the Input Data dialog box, toggle on SEG-Y, and click on
Parameters. The Datum information dialog box appears.
The Datum information dialog box provides the current
Interpretation Project Datum and the Replacement Velocity for the
Project Data Base or Interpretation Project you are currently
working in and reports the Storage Datum units.
Currently, the data model only supports the loading of time domain
data when the datum of the PDB/IP is set to match the datum of the
3D survey. The datum of the 3D survey was set at the time the 3D
survey was created and should match the SEGY data.
Once the 3D data is loaded, the PDB/IP datum can be reset to the
required datum for interpretation. The seismic data will then be
displayed relative to the datum of the PDB/IP.
3. Select OK. The SEG-Y Data Input dialog box appears.
Media Parameters
4. Toggle on one of the following:
• Tape The default time range is the range for the first input SEG-
Y file. Any trace that does not cover this range is padded. You
can select a window to redefine the time range.
• Disk The default time range is the range that covers all input
SEG-Y files. Any trace that does not cover this range is padded.
You can select a window to redefine the time range. If you
define a window that is larger than the input range, it is changed
to the overlap between the defined window and the input range.
Proceed to Step 6.
To use SEG-Y Analyzer, click on Analyze. For detailed
instructions on using the SEGY Analyzer, refer to its online help.
5. Specify the Tape Device where your SEG-Y tape resides by
clicking on List. The Tape Device Select dialog box appears.
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Select or enter the tape device. Note that the list contains the
hostname.
6. Specify SEG-Y Disk File by clicking on List. Click OK to apply
your selection.
File Selection Dialog Box
Tape devices should be configured by your system
administrator
PostStack™ software requires a configuration file describing the
characteristics of the tape devices you will be using for SEG-Y input.
Your system administrator created this file while installing
PostStack™ software.
Only those tape devices listed in the configuration file (and thus
mapped to tape alias names) will be available to you in PostStack™
software. If you need to add another tape device, you can click on
Configure to summon the PostStack™ Device Configuration dialog
box. Please refer to Configuring Your Tape Device for
information on configuration. However, we recommend that to
prevent problems only the system administrator configure tape
devices.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 65
Use the file selection dialog box to change the pathname or file type,
display a new list of files, select a single file from the Files list box, or
Select Multiple Files for input.
To change the pathname and/or file type:
• Click in the filter text field and type in changes.
• Click the Filter command, or press Return. A new list of files is
displayed in the Files list box.
• Or select a new directory, click the Filter command (or double
click on the directory name) and a new list of files is displayed.
To select a file:
• Double click on the filename in the scrollable list. Or click once
on the filename and click the OK button.
• Click on Info to display the EBCDIC and binary headers in the
SEG-Y File window.
To select multiple files:
• Select Multiple Files displays the list of all SEG-Y Files inthe
directory. Highlight the desired SEG-Y files, and click on OK.
You can
—select an individual SEG-Y file
—drag a rectangle to select a single block of SEG-Y files
—use Shift MB1 to select a block between the last selected
SEG-Y fileand the current cursor location
—use Control MB1 to select multiple individual SEG-Y files
—use Control MB1 to drag a rectangle to select a multiple
block of SEG-Y files.
Note: All SEG-Y files have to be consistent on location and format of
header words and data format.
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To display the first textual header:
• Click on Info to display the EBCDIC and binary headers in the
SEG-Y File window.
7. Specify the SEG-Y Format of the tape or disk file from one of the
following:
• Auto-Detect Rev0/Rev1—this option looks for a Rev1
incantation in the first card image header and then checks if
binary reel header bytes 301-302 contain the Rev 1 incantation
0X0100.
• Standard Rev1—fixed trace length
• Standard Rev0
• Variable Length Trace Rev 1—variable trace length.
• Variable Length Trace Rev 0
If Rev1 and if the file has extended textual file headers, these are
stripped off and printed to the job.output file, but are not otherwise
used,
File Input Specification Parameters
8. If your input media is Tape and it contains more than one file or
volume. Select the range of files (or volumes) to read by toggling
to the Start File and End File.
The SEG-Y standard is one file per tape. Therefore, the default
setting is a range of 1 to 1. If you are using a tape with multiple files
and each file separated by a single EOF (end of file) marker, set the
number of files to the total number of files on tape(s). If you are
reading a tape dataset with multiple tape volumes (single file per
tape), set the number of files to the number of tapes to read.
Input Attribute and Domain
• Data Attribute allows the user to select the most common
type of data attribute contained in the SEG-Y data. This value
will bepopulated in the database under “Attribute” for the
output dataset.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 67
The choices are:
• AMPLITUDE
• Velocity
• Interval Velocity
• RMS Velocity
• Average Velocity
• ATTRIBUTE
• UNKNOWN
• Data Domain allows the user to select the domain of the
SEG-Y data. This value will be populated in the database under
“Domain” for the output dataset.
The choices are:
• TIME
• DEPTH
• OTHER
Set 0 start value for Depth data
If DEPTH is selected for the Data Domain, then the option to Adjust
0 start on output seismic to datum: becomes active. While time data
is always loaded referenced to the datum of the 3D Survey (or 2D line),
Depth data can either be referenced to the datum of the 3D Survey or to
mean sea level. If the data in the SEG-Y file has already been shifted to
sea level (a Z value of 0 equals sea level) then the value should be set to
0, the default value. If the depth data is still relative to the 3D survey
datum (a Z value of 0 equals the 3D survey datum) then the datum of
the survey should be entered.
Why this is important: With the R5000 release, time seismic data is
loaded referenced to the datum of the 3D survey and displayed
referenced to the datum of the Project Data Base/Interpretation Project.
Depth data, however, is always displayed referenced to mean sea level
when accessed in the applications. It is critical, then, that the depth data
0 value be referenced correctly when loading the data.
Note: To correctly load time SEG Y data at this time, it is required that
the Project/IP datum be set equal to the datum of the 3D Survey for
loading purposes. It can be set back to the desired value after loading.
Likewise, when both time and depth SEG-Y data are read in with
SEG-Y Input and displayed with Spectral Analyzer, they are not
displayed relative to the Project datum but are displayed relative to the
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 68
datum they were written out at. The output data will be displayed at the
datum of the Project.
Line Range Specification Parameters
9. Some programs such as, Trace Header Math and Spectral
Analyzer require an end of line header. Select the type of End-Of-
Line Header from the following trace header choices:
• Inline Number (ILINE_NO) only changes when a new line is
read.
• Crossline Number (XLINE_NO) only changes when a new
trace number is read.
• File number (FILE_NO) only changes when a new file is read
on tape or disk. This is the default.
ILINE_NO or XLINE_NO are best used for 3D.
10. Toggle on Limit Areal Extent and click Areal Extent to define
the areal extent of input lines and traces by one of the following
methods:
• Lines/Traces/Increment lets you enter the numbers of the
starting and ending lines and traces, and the increment. The
specified line/trace increment must be a multiple of the master
grid set. For example, if the master grid trace increment was
defined to be 7 in your survey, the valid values for trace
increment would be 7, 14, 21,28, etc. An increment of 7 outputs
every trace, an increment of 14 outputs every other trace, an
increment of 21 outputs every third trace, and so on.
• Select from Map allows you to define which lines and traces to
include by drawing a selection rectangle in SeisWorks® Map
View. Click MB1 to anchor the first corner of the rectangle;
move the cursor to the diagonally opposite corner and click
MB2. This option cannot be used with merged 2D/3D projects
for selecting 3D seismic data from the Map View.
• Entire Survey includes all the lines and traces in the project.
SEG-Y Input’s Limit Areal Extent (under Line Range
Specification) uses the line/trace number of the SEG-Y file being
read in and does not recognize the modifications to inline and
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 69
crossline SEG-Y headers made using header math under Modify
SEG-Y Headers. These modifications are made after the data is
read. (620640)
Workaround: When data needs to be limited on input and the inline
and crossline headers need to be modified, run a separate SEG-Y
In/ SEG-Y Out flow to first modify the inline/crossline trace
headers. Then run the data loading flow SEG-Y In/ Seismic File
Out with the header math operations turned off and the desired areal
extents selected.
Data Input Window Parameters
11. The default setting is to Read Full Trace. This assumes a trace
start time equal to zero and the end time is the end of trace data.
For nonzero start time, enter a Start Time and End Time in ms.
General Parameters
Modify Trace Headers
12. Use Modify Trace Parameter to over ride the data format, sample
rate, and trace length. Click Parameters, the Trace Parameters
dialog box appears.
To set the parameters using a template, proceed to Step 19.
13. Toggle to manually set the sample rate or to disable the trace
weighting factor or the delay recording time (which sets the trace
start time). If a toggle button is not set then the value is taken from
the SEG-Y trace header.
• If Trace Format is not specified in bytes 3225-3226 of the
header, select the correct format. See SEG-Y Input Overview
for a description of the options.
• If Sample Rate is not specified in bytes 3217-3218, enter the
sample rate in milliseconds.
• The X-Y Coordinate Scaler is in bytes 71-72., toggle on this
option to disable the scalar.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 70
• The Delay Recording Time (nonzero start time) is in bytes
109-110, toggle on this option to disable the scalar. Disabling
this option assumes a o start time.
• The Trace Weighting Factor (bytes 169-170), toggle on this
option to disable the weighting factor.
14. Click on OK to close the Trace Parameters dialog box.
Modify SEG-Y Headers
15. Use Modify SEG-Y Headers to edit trace, shotpoint, and
coordinate information in the 240-byte trace identification header.
Click on Parameters. The SEG-Y Header Mapping dialog box
appears:
To set the parameters using a template, proceed to Step 19.
16. Toggle on From Specified SEG-Y Header Words to designate a
header location for both the line and trace numbers.
• Specify the Input Format and Starting Byte of the header
word containing the Line number.
• Specify the Input Format and Starting Byte of the header
word containing the Trace number.
• Use Header Word to mathematically alter trace and shotpoint
numbers, or x,y coordinates. Toggle on the header word and
enter the header math formula. For example, if the processing
company incremented line numbers by 5 but you want to
increment by 1, divide the SEG-Y line numbers by 5.
• Click on OK to close the SEG-Y Header Mapping dialog box.
17. Select the Maximum Input Errors in a row to tolerate before the
job aborts.
18. Select Update From Template to use parameters stored in a
template. In the SEG-Y Template Select dialog box that appears,
select or specify a template. Click Display to see a display of the
template in the window. Select Update from Template to set or
update the parameters.
Note: If the equation in the SEG-Y template is modified, the
selection of the equation is not enabled when the template is
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a SEG-Y File 71
updated into the SEG-Y Input menus. You must open the SEG-Y
Headers Mapping parameters dialog box after the information is
updated and manually turn on the header equations that are
modified.
Note: The line and trace (inline and xline) numbers must match the
3D SeisWorks® grid or the data will not be loaded. If the line and
trace numbers do not match the SeisWorks® grid, you will get the
following error message in the job.output:
Unable to output any traces; maybe all traces are AUX (Auxiliary)
Change Input auxiliary traces to yes. This error is a generic error
message and can be misleading. The problem is most likely the data
does not match what is in the database. If you get this error
message, use SEGY Analyzer to verify proper decoding of the line
and trace header words and that they match the SeisWorks® Grid.
Deriving line & trace numbers from a composite header word.
Some companies combine line and trace information in a single header word. For example, a fairly
common convention is to divide the “CDP Ensemble Number” field of the SEG-Y trace header by 1000 to
obtain the line number and set the trace number equal to the remainder.
PostStack’s SEG-Y Header Mapping dialog box provides a convenient method for deciphering composite
header words. You merely indicate the location and format of the composite header word and then enter
mathematical formulas for deriving line and trace number from the composite number. You can use any of
the following operators:
+ ÷ / - int mod
“int” takes the integer value; “mod” takes the remainder of the data after division by a specified divisor.
The default formulas provided in PostStack™ follow the convention described above. Line number is
defined as the integer value of the composite number divided by 1000. Trace number is the remainder from
that computation. For example, for a trace with the composite number of 199102,
LineNumber int 199102 1000 ( ) = TraceNumber mod 199102 1000 , ( ) =
199102 1000 199.102 =
LineNumber 199 =
199102 1000 199.102 =
TraceNumber 102 =
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a ProMAX® Seismic File 72
Selecting a ProMAX® Seismic File
PostStack™ software allows you to access ProMAX® datasets. This
option is used to input data directly from ProMAX® software into
PostStack™ software for additional processing and output to
SeisWorks® software.
Overview
Seismic data that was originally processed in ProMAX® software can
be read directly into PostStack™ software without any import/export
routines. For existing ProMAX® users, the environment variables of
PROMAX_DATA_HOME and PROMAX_CONFIG_FILE will be
used.
For ProMAX® 3D data to be accessed in PostStack™ software, the
ProMAX® header words ILINE_NO and XLINE_NO must be valid
and must correspond to the SeisWorks® project definition of lines
(ILINE_NO) and traces (XLINE_NO).
For ProMAX® 2D datasets to be accessible by PostStack™ software,
the ProMAX® header words FRN_TRNO and SW_SPNO must be
known and relate to the SeisWorks® values of Trace Number and
ShotPoint Number. If you are creating a new 2D line from a ProMAX®
dataset, CDP_X and CDP_Y must be known and relate to SeisWorks®
X and Y. For a complete mapping of SeisWorks® to ProMAX®
headers and ProMAX® headers to SeisWorks®, please refer to the
table on the next page.
After the approved mappings of the header words have been made, the
ProMAX® data is available to PostStack™ software and may be output
directly to SeisWorks® software.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a ProMAX® Seismic File 73
Procedure
To input data from a ProMAX seismic file to PostStack™ software,
perform the following steps:
1. In the PostStack™ Family main dialog box, click on Input Data.
2. Toggle on ProMAX, and click on Parameters. The ProMAX®
2D or 3D Input dialog box appears; depending on your data.
3. Under Input Dataset, a ProMAX® Data Home file, a ProMAX®
Config file, an Area, Line, and Dataset, if any, are listed. To add or
SeisWorks® Value ProMAX® Header
For 2D
Line Number (I) LINE_NO (I), ILINE_NO (I)
Trace Number (I) FRN_TRNO (I), XLINE_NO (I), CDP (I)
SP Number (F) SW_SPNO (F)
Global X-coord (D) CDP_X (F)
Global Y-coord (D) CDP_Y (F)
SP X-coord (D) SW_SPX (D)
SP Y-coord (d) SW_SPY (D)
Line Name (C) SW_LINE
For 3D
Line Number (I) LINE_NO (I)
Trace Number (I) XLINE_NO (I)
Trace Sequential Number (I) CDP (I)
SP X-coord (D) SW_SPX (D), CDP_X (F)
SP Y-coord (D) SW_SPY (D), CDP_Y (F)
Where:
(I) means integer (4 bytes)
(F) means floating point (4 bytes)
(D) means double precision floating point (8 bytes)
(C) means character string
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a ProMAX® Seismic File 74
select any of these, click on Select. The Select Area/Line/Dataset
dialog box appears.
4. As ProMAX® processes data, it builds the following files and
directories in each Line subdirectory:
• Flow subdirectories and their files
• Database subdirectories and their files
• Parameter Table files
• Dataset files, and dataset subdirectories and their files
The following example illustrates a directory structure syntax for
processing one dataset with one flow.
You must select a directory in ProMAX® Data Home, in order for
a list of available files to appear in the Area, Line and Dataset
fields. To choose from a list of available directories in ProMAX®
Data Home, click on List. The Data Home Select dialog box
appears. Select from the Directories list, or type a directory name
in the Selection text box. Filter lists files in the Directories list box
Directory Structure Syntax for the Line Subdirectory
PROMAX_DATA_HOME
/Area directory
/Line directory
/Flow subdirectory
Dataset files (Index and Map)
/Database subdirectory
Parameter Table files
/Dataset subdirectory
Database files
Flow files
Dataset files (Header and Trace)
/Database subdirectory
Database files
/Data directory
or
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a ProMAX® Seismic File 75
based upon the pathname selected. Click on OK to apply your
selection and return to the Select Area/Line/Dataset dialog box.
5. Every ProMAX® system includes a ‘config’ file. The entries used
by PostStack™ software during ProMAX® input are the primary
and secondary disk storage partitions.
To select a config file, click on List. The Config File Select dialog
box appears.
The Filter text field displays the default pathname and a file type
suffix. The Directories box contains a scrollable list of directories
that are subdirectories of your current working directory. The Files
box contains a scrollable list of files in the directory of the type
indicated by the filter text field. Select a directory and a config file
from these lists, or type a pathname in the Selection text box.
To change the pathname and/or file type, you can
• click in the Filter text field and use your keyboard to type in
changes, or
• select a new directory in the Directories list.
Then click the Filter command at the bottom of the dialog box. A
list of files are displayed in the Files box based upon the pathname
specified.
Click on OK to apply your selection and return to the Select
Area/Line/Dataset dialog box.
If ProMAX® Config File is set to NONE, PostStack™ software
uses the config file in the your home directory.
6. Select an Area, Line and Dataset, in that order, by clicking MB1
on a name in the lists that appear. Click on OK to apply your
selection and return to the ProMAX® Input dialog box.
7. Specify the Trace Read Selection by toggling on one of the
following:
• All reads in all traces in the dataset in their current sequential
order.
• Sorted sorts input traces according to a requested sort order.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a ProMAX® Seismic File 76
8. Select the Headers to be used as the Primary Key, Secondary
Key, and Tertiary Key from the Headers menu which appears
when you click on List. Non-standard header entries can be
selected by manually typing the correct name into the Selected
Header text box. Click OK to apply your selection. The default for
Tertiary Key is None.
9. Enter the values for the Sort Order corresponding to the selected
primary, secondary, and tertiary headers. Legal characters, their
use and examples are shown in the table below.
Character Use and Example
- Indicates a minus sign for a negative number, or to
indicate a range of numbers.
EX: 1 - 100 indicates a range of CDPs between 1 and 100.
EX: 1 - -100 indicates a range of CDPs between 1 and
negative 100.
, Indicates the continuation of a list of numbers.
EX: 1,2,4,5 indicates individual CDP1 1, 1, 4, and 5.
( ) Indicates either an increment of some value, or a
repetition of a specific value. The rule for the use of the ( )
syntax is that when a range of numbers precedes the ( ),
the value inside ( ) is interpreted as an interval. When
there is only one value preceding the ( ), then the value
within the ( ) is interpreted as the number of times to
retrieve the key value.
EX: 1-20(4) indicates an increment since (4) follows a
range of values. CDPs 1, 5, 9, 13, and 17 would be
selected.
EX: 3(4) indicates that 3 is copied 4 times since (4)
follows a single value. The input trace list would be CDPs
3, 3, 3, 3.
EX: 1(2), 4-10(2) will retrieve CDP 1 twice, and then
retrieve CDPs 4, 6, 8, 10.
[ ] Retrieves groups of sequential traces starting at some
initial value. This syntax is used for building supergathers
of traces.
EX: 4[3] selects 3 sequential traces, CDP 4, 5, and 6.
EX: 1-40(10)[3] first selects every 10th input, and then
expands the list to create groups of 3 traces at those seed
points. The resulting list would be CDPs 1, 2, 3, 11, 12,
13, 21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33.
. Indicates a decimal point for non-integer values.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a ProMAX® Seismic File 77
10. Specify the Maximum number of Traces to be included in an
Ensemble.
For 2D files, proceed to Step 16.
11. Click on Areal Extent to use the existing SeisWorks® software
database for line and trace information. The Area of Interest
Selection dialog box appears.
12. Specify the Input Direction. The options are to Optimize for
Output to:
• Vertical File allows you to select Direction. Toggle on Lines to
process along the line orientation. Toggle on Traces to process
along the trace orientation.
• Timeslice automatically sets the input orientation to lines or
traces, depending on the most efficient way to write the data to
timeslices. This orientation is constant for a project.
• CD automatically sets the input orientation to lines or traces,
depending on the most efficient way to read and write the data
to cube data files. This orientation is not constant for a project
: Separates the levels of sort values, such as primary key
from secondary key from tertiary keys. You must enter a
sort order value for each trace header selected as a sort
key.
EX: 1-100 : 0.0-2500.0
Assuming the secondary sort in the above example is
offset, the : symbol separates the CDP specifications from
the offset specifications. The CDPs and Offsets are
considered two separate levels of the sort, with the CDP
being the highest level of the sort.
* Represents a wild character and can be used as a default
for all values of the selected sort header. In actuality, the *
character implies a range from -999999.0 to 999999.0, in
ascending order.
/ Separates groups of header entry values.
EX: 10-14(2) / 15-21(3) would select CDPs 10, 12, 14, 15,
18, 21.
When multiple sort keys are used, the / character should
be used to separate complete groups of sort values.
EX: 1-100: 61-120 / 101-200: 1-60 specifies a primary
and secondary key for each set of values, with the /
character used to separate these specifications.
Character Use and Example
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a ProMAX® Seismic File 78
but rather depends on the view direction you choose for your
output cube data file.
13. Define the range of lines and traces to be included by one of these
methods:
• Lines/Traces lets you enter the numbers of the starting and
ending lines and traces in the appropriate number editors.
• Select from Map allows you to define which lines and traces
are to be included by drawing a selection rectangle in Map
View. Click MB1 to anchor the first corner of the rectangle;
move the cursor to the diagonally opposite corner and click
MB2.
• Entire Survey includes all the lines and traces in the project.
Timeslice and CD options may not result in the best orientation
for processing
When working in the optimized direction for timeslice or cube data output,
PostStack™ is able to output large blocks of data rather than a single sample
at a time. However, the optimum orientation for data input/output may not be
the best orientation for particular processes.
This is an issue for data enhancement processing that involves multiple traces
(e.g., f-k weighting, f-k filtering, dip-scan stack, etc.). To perform the best
processing you may not be able to use the optimized output option for
timeslice and CD output during the same run. In such cases, it may be faster to
output a .3dv file, and then create CD and timeslice files in separate
PostStack™ runs.
When is processing direction important?
The processing direction is the direction along which groups of traces will be
grabbed for processing. For most of the type of computations done in
PostStack™, either direction will give the same results.
However, for the multitrace data enhancement computations, line orientation
does affect the results. For trace mix, coherency filtering, dip-scan stack, f-k
weighting, and f-k fan filter, be sure to conduct your initial testing and process
the full data volume in the same processing orientation. Depending on your
objectives, you may want to do two passes, processing the data first along one
orientation, outputting the results, and then processing these initial results
along the other orientation.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Selecting a ProMAX® Seismic File 79
14. Click on OK to apply your selection and return to the ProMAX®
Input dialog box.
For 3D, proceed to Step 16.
15. (For 2D only) Set the Vertical File Output Parameters by
specifying a ProMAX® header to map to the SeisWorks® header
as follows:
• Specify the Output Linename by placing the cursor in the text
box and typing in a linename, or click on List and use the Line
Select dialog box. In the dialog box, select from the Lines list
or type a name in the Selected Line text box.
• Specify a Trace Number by placing the cursor in the text box
and typing in a trace header name, or click on List and use the
Header Select dialog box. In the dialog box, select from the
Headers list or type a name in the Selected Header text box.
• Specify a Shotpoint Number by placing the cursor in the text
box and typing in a shotpoint header name, or click on List and
use the Header Select dialog box. In the dialog box, select from
the Headers list or type a name in the Selected Header text
box.
16. To implement the data parameters you have set, click on OK.
Limiting the time range of the input data reduces processing time
You can speed up PostStack™ processing significantly by inputting only the
amount of data that is actually needed. A job run with 0 to 4000 ms of input
data will take twice as long as a job run with 0 to 2000 ms of input data.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Output File Naming and Working with Seismic Data Manager 80
Output File Naming and Working with Seismic Data
Manager
Beginning with Release 5000.0.0, seismic datasets and horizons are
cataloged in the OpenWorks® database. Because of this cataloging and
because you can now identify seismic through both a dataset name and
a version name, there is a separation between the name given to the
physical seismic file and the name that is presented to you from the
seismic access menus.
Advantages of Change
Separating the physical file name from the user-specified dataset and
version names allows for more flexibility and characters when you give
a dataset a unique name. The physical file-naming convention is the
following:
S_PROJECT_IP_xxx.ccc
where xxx is an automatically assigned index number and ccc is the
output format (3dv, bri, cmp, 3dh)
An actual dataset name would look like the following:
S_NEW_DJBASIN_SW_145.bri
If the data had multiple extents, the next extent would be
S_NEW_DJBASIN_SW_14500001.bri
Now as in previous releases, the location of the physical seismic files is
controlled by the dir.dat entries. With Release 5000.0.0, however, the
plist.dat is not used after projects have been upgraded from Release
2003. Instead, you use Seismic Data Manager to specify the
storage directory for new seismic surveys under the dir.dat
directories. (You launch the Seismic Data manager from
OpenWorks > Data > Management > Seismic Data Manager.)
The Seismic Data Manager lets you do the following:
• select the type of survey to view or create, with 2D or 3D data
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5000.8.0.0 Output File Naming and Working with Seismic Data Manager 81
• assign or create the storage partition for the seismic data after the
survey is selected. In the case of 2D data, you set the default
directory to use for output datasets.
To access and assign the storage directory, select Tools > Seismic
File Storage.
Seismic Data Manager also provides for the following:
• added capabilities over the R2003 version
• a better way for you to manage and interrogate your datasets
• deletion of datasets through the user interface
• updating of specific fields related to the data
• a preset listing of fields exposed when launched. You can expose
additional fields including the File Name by selecting the Select
Columns Icon to bring up the list.
After you select the survey, you can assign or create and assign the
storage partition for the seismic data. To access and assign the storage
directory, select Tools > Seismic File Storage. The resulting interface
lets you create the storage directory and, in the case of 2D data, set the
default directory to use for output datasets.
In summary, the Release 5000.0.0 version of Seismic Data Manager
lets you do the following:
• Better manage and interrogate your datasets.
• Delete datasets and update specific fields in the interface.
• See a preset listing of fields when the Seismic Data Manager
appears.
• View additional fields, including the file name, by selecting the
Select Columns Icon to bring up the list.
Specifying the Input Data PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Output File Naming and Working with Seismic Data Manager 82
Specifying the Output Format PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Overview 83
Specifying the Output Format
Overview
The data you process in PostStack™ software can be output in a variety
of formats. For simplicity’s sake, the procedures for creating each type
of output file are given separately here. While you can output all
available options simultaneously, performance can be dramatically
affected. We recommend selecting only one output option for each run.
Scaling the output data is recommended if the output file is to be in 8-
bit integer or 16-bit integer format.
In This Chapter:
• How PostStack™ Software Scales Data
• Seismic Data Formats
• Bricked File
• Compressed File
• 2D Vertical File
• 3D Vertical File
• Slice (.3dh) - 3D Only
• Cube Data File (.cd) - 3D Only
• 2D and 3D SEG-Y
• Estimating Output File Size
• Output File Naming and Working with Seismic Data
Manager
• Processing History
Specifying the Output Format PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 How PostStack™ Software Scales Data 84
How PostStack™ Software Scales Data
No matter what the format of the input data, PostStack™ software
converts it to 32-bit floating point for internal calculations. This
conversion maximizes the allowable range for values resulting from
those calculations.
If you plan to output the processed data to a file format with less
dynamic range than 8, 16, or 32-bit floating point, you must scale the
data. PostStack™ software offers three options for scaling data:
• automatic scaling
• manual scaling
• no scaling; clipping only.
Automatic Scaling
Automatic scaling is a two-stage process. PostStack™ software scales
each trace individually and then scales the full dataset as a whole.
You select a file format (8-bit or 16-bit integer). The numerator of the
scaling factor (Maximum n-bit value) is automatically set to the largest
value allowed by that file format (127 for 8-bit, 32768 for 16-bit).
You also specify a Trace Percentile and a Dataset Percentile. Using
these specifications, PostStack™ software calculates the denominators
for the scaling factors.
For each trace (i), PostStack™ software produces a histogram of
amplitudes. The Trace Percentile Amplitude (TPA(i)) that corresponds
to the Trace Percentile you have specified in the menu is used as the
denominator of the scaling factor for this trace. Any amplitudes that
correspond to higher percentiles are clipped.
Each trace is then scaled to the n-bit range by multiplying each trace
value by Maximum n-bit value / TPA(i). Resulting values greater than
Automatic scaling is slower than manual scaling
When scaling the full dataset, the data must be output from individual trace
scaling and then re-read for the dataset scalar. Therefore, the data is written
twice and read twice, making this process slower than manual scaling.
Specifying the Output Format PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 How PostStack™ Software Scales Data 85
Maximum n-bit value are clipped to Maximum n-bit value. This step
attempts to remove spikes local to that trace.
Each trace is written to the n-bit temporary output file.The Max Trace
Value, which is equal to TPA(i) for each trace, is also written to a
temporary file.
After all the traces have been written to the temporary file, the
Maximum Trace Value for all traces are sorted. From the histogram, the
Dataset Percentile Amplitude (DPA), which corresponds to Dataset
Percentile entered in the menu, is determined. This is the value echoed
as “Global Scalar.”
Next, each trace in the temporary output file is read back in. To recover
the trace-to-trace amplitude variations and apply the global scalar, each
trace value is multiplied by the Max Trace Value / DPA. Resulting
values grater than Maximum n-bit value are clipped to Maximum n-bit
value. This step attempts to remove spikes from the dataset as a whole.
Finally, each trace is written to the permanent output file.
In 2D projects, there is an option to scale each line independently. If
this option is selected, a dataset percentile scalar is applied to each line
rather than to all 2D lines together.
Manual Scaling
For manual scaling, you select the file format (8-bit or 16-bit). The
numerator of the scaling factor is automatically set to the largest value
allowed by that file format (127 for 8-bit, 32768 for 16-bit).
You also specify the Largest Unclipped Amplitude. This value is used
as the denominator of the scaling factor.
Any values in the dataset greater than the Largest Unclipped
Amplitude are clipped. Then every value is multiplied by the scaling
factor.
If you are outputting to an existing file in which Largest Unclipped
Amplitude values were set, you can click on Use Last Value to apply
those values.
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5000.8.0.0 How PostStack™ Software Scales Data 86
No Scaling
With this option, data is clipped but not scaled. Any values in the
processed data greater than the maximum allowed by your chosen file
format are clipped back (127 for 8-bit, 32768 for 16-bit).
A note about scaling
With scaled 8 Bit Integer and 16 Bit Integer output, PostStack produces an
additional file containing scale information stored with the output data. For
R5000.0.0, the file naming is decoupled from the physical file name due to
the file creation process. The scale file name reflects the user-assigned
dataset name (i.e., migration01.3dv.scaleFactor or fullstack.bri.scaleFactor)
and not the physical file name (i.e., S_MY_AREA_IP_35801.3dv or
S_MY_AREA_IP_359.bri).
This file is written by default to the seismic file storage location as specified
by dir.dat and the Seismic Data Manager along with the seismic data. In
certain cases related to issues with the storage partition’s naming, the scale
file will be written to the SWDATA directory under the
OW_PROJ_DATA/Interpretation Project directory located by the owdir.dat
path. PostStack will look in both locations to find the file.
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Seismic Data Formats
Seismic data formats include:
• tiled horizons
• bricked seismic data
• compressed seismic data
Smaller file sizes and better SeisWorks® performance are two major
advantages of the seismic data formats.
Why Seismic Formats?
Since the introduction of SeisWorks® software, there has been a
dramatic increase in the amount of seismic data that must be stored,
managed, and accessed. As survey sizes have continued to grow there
has been a corresponding need to improve workflow performance to
compensate for this trend. In addition to the trend towards larger and
larger survey sizes, capabilities such as team-based interpretation and
multi-survey projects, along with the need for more detailed
interpretations in mature fields, continues to push the performance of
current software, hardware and network environments.
Although the performance of computing environments has
continuously improved during this same time frame, one of the critical
performance limitations was how seismic trace data is stored and
accessed by SeisWorks® software. As a result, Landmark Software
introduced the brick and seismic trace formats that address these
critical display performance issues. Adopting these standards will help
yield reduced project cycle times and, in turn, ultimately translate to the
bottom line.
One of the most obvious advantages of adopting the SeisWorks®
formats is in the significantly reduced disk drive space necessary to
support an integrated interpretation environment. In many cases, by
adopting the compressed seismic trace format, you may potentially
experience a 10 to 20 fold decrease in the disk space required to
conduct your interpretation workflows. This translates to an enormous
reduction in absolute disk space required to support users. It also allows
for more data volumes online, supporting more complex workflows.
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Another advantage of the seismic formats is that changes in how data is
organized and accessed results in faster display times for seismic views
overall. As a result, you will notice a performance improvement in
interpretation workflows, particularly when using the bricked and
compressed formats over the traditional vertical file format.
The compressed data format offers a number of important advantages
to you beyond the savings in disk space. First, since compressed files
retain the full range of the original 32-bit data, you do not have to
permanently clip and scale the data. Secondly, all seismic views,
including timeslices, are accessible from a compressed data volume.
You are no longer required to have multiple files for different views in
order to get good display times in SeisWorks® software.
Tiled Horizons
Tiling provides display speed improvements and conserves disk space
by only storing tiles where data exists. The application first looks for
tiled horizon files; if none are found, the application then looks for the
older version of the horizon file.
Bricked Seismic Trace Data Format
SeisWorks® software introduced a new seismic trace data file format
known as the bricked file. In the bricked file seismic data is grouped
into three-dimensional “bricks” of data that allows you to optimize
performance along any single dimension or to normalize performance
across several dimensions.
Each brick contains data for a user-specified number of crosslines by
inlines. Time or depth makes up the third dimension.
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Advantages of Bricked Seismic Format
Improved Interpretive Workflow Performance
Interpretive workflows that step randomly through a series of inline,
crossline, or arbitrary line views will benefit with the bricked file
format. In the traditional SeisWorks® software environment, trace data
was written in a .3dv file that optimized display speeds only for the
inline direction. As a result, users have often constructed crossline-
oriented files for use in their crossline views. Neither file could produce
fast arbitrary line views.
Bricked files can be designed to optimize performance for a particular
display orientation similar to .3dv files. However, bricks can also be
created such that they normalize display performance for a variety of
views. Although the performance of the inline and crossline displays
will not be as good as if they had come from separate inline-optimized
or crossline-optimized volumes respectively (although still quite
acceptable), you will notice substantial improvements in crossline and
arbitrary line displays as compared to a .3dv file.
The improvements in display performance with the bricked file format
are achieved by creating a file that reduces the number of disk seeks
and reads necessary to obtain the requested data. The file is indexed so
that only the data necessary to construct the desired view is delivered.
This also tends to minimize the amount of network traffic necessary to
deliver the data to your workstation. Crossline and arbitrary line display
performance is improved with minimal impact on primary display
orientation performance.
Greater Flexibility from a Single Volume
Creating bricks with dimensions designed to normalize the display time
of any vertical seismic view demonstrates best how bricks can help.
The same bricked volume can be used as a source for inline, crossline,
and arbitrary line access. In the past, some users have chosen to create
two volumes (inline-optimized and crossline-optimized) to get both
acceptable inline and crossline display performance.
Another distinct advantage of the bricked file format is that any bricked
file can be used to construct timeslice views; separate .3dh files are no
longer required. Display performance for timeslice views from bricked
volumes optimized for inline or crossline or any normalized vertical
view is sufficient for occasional timeslice interpretation. However, if
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you are performing a lot of timeslice interpretation, it is recommended
that you create a timeslice-optimized brick file.
Better Preservation of Amplitude Values
The float8 and float16 sample formats preserve the amplitude range of
the original data far more accurately than the current method of
clipping and scaling to an 8- or 16-bit integer value. Since these files
maintain the original range of values, you do not set the scaling and
clipping values when constructing the seismic volumes. Since these
values are set for each seismic view in SeisWorks® software, you are
not locked into a single clipping or scaling value. Another advantage is
that original amplitudes rather than the 8-bit value used to construct the
color display can be reported in the Seismic View status area while
tracking with the cursor.
Brick Dimensions
PostStack™ seismic data loaders and the 3D Batch Control Monitor
and Seismic Converter utilities allow you to create bricked data
volumes whose individual brick dimensions can be designed to suit
your environment and workflow needs. The brick dimension selected,
along with the order that the bricks are written to the file, determine the
direction of best display performance.
For example, if you work primarily with inlines during interpretation,
you can create a bricked volume that optimizes inline display by
designating a small dimension in the inline direction. On the other
hand, if you work equally with inlines, crosslines, and arbitrary lines,
you can create a bricked volume where display times for all vertical
sections is normalized. This type of volume would have equal
dimensions in the inline and crossline directions and would be larger in
the time/depth dimension.
There are four standard choices for creating bricked volumes (also see
the diagram on the next page):
• Inline - optimized for inline displays
• Crossline - optimized for crossline displays
• Horizontal - optimized for timeslice displays
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• Any Vertical - display performance is normalized for any vertical
view (good performance for retrieval of lines (inlines), traces
(crosslines), and arbitrary lines.
Each of these choices maps to a set of predefined brick dimensions,
listed below, used to create the appropriate bricked volume
For Horizontal optimized files, it is recommended that you use the
command line utility Brickreorder to improve display
performance.
Volume Type Line dimension Trace dimension Time/Depth dimension
Inline optimized 1 32 32
Crossline optimized 32 1 32
Horizontal optimized 32 32 1
Vertical access normalized 8 8 16
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In addition to these 4 choices, an expert option (User-Defined) allows
you to create volumes of any brick dimension. Advanced brick
dimensions are three integer values describing the following:
• number of samples in the inline dimension
• number of samples in the crossline dimension
• time/depth dimension
Bricked Filenames
The physical bricked files have a .bri suffix that is automatically
appended to the file name. The user-supplied file name and version
name can be up to 40 characters long each, but are not tied to the
Cross Cross
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Schematic Diagram Showing Standard Brick Types
Optimized for Crosslines Optimized for Inlines
Optimized for Timeslices Normalized for Any Vertical View
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physical file name. The bricked file name is generated by OpenWorks®
software when the file is created. An example is
S_MY_INTERP_PROJ_110.bri.
As additional extents are needed, a five digit number is appended to
thebasename. For example, the second extent of a file with the
OpenWorks® database name of S_MY_INTERP_PROJ_110 will be
S_MY_INTERP_PROJ_11000001.bri. A total of 100,000 extents is
allowed for each seismic volume.
Seismic Data Manager can be used to see the relation of the physical
file name to the user-defined name. In Seismic Data Manager, select for
display the File Name field in the Column manager. This action
displays the Dataset name and Version name along with the name of
the physical file.
An ASCII metadata file describing the contents of the bricked file is
also created whenever a bricked seismic volume is created. A .meta
suffix is appended to the filename of the first extent, for example
mig_gulf_32float.bri.meta, and is stored in the seismic project
directories. The file includes fields for ZSTART, SAMPLE_RATE, and
DOMAIN. This file is required in order for PostStack™ software to
successfully read the bricked file.
Additional comments can be added to the .meta file starting on the
fourth line using any text editor. Be careful to not start any comments
with the same words found in lines 1 through 3 or to change the values
associated with those keywords. No special character is required to
indicate your comments. Just be sure to add your text starting on the
fourth line.
Bricked File Output Sample Formats
Bricked seismic data can be created using one of five different sample
formats:
• Float32 — maintains original input sample values using a 32-bit
floating point format.
• Float16 — input samples are converted to 16-bit integers (-32767
to 32767) on a brick-by-brick basis. The values for the group of
samples within each brick are biased such that the range is
arranged equally about a zero value. Next, each sample is scaled
and stored. Since the bias and scale factors are stored for each
block as 32-point floating point numbers, shifting and scaling are
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5000.8.0.0 Seismic Data Formats 94
reversible to within the precision of 32-bit floating point
arithmetic. Essentially the full range of the original 32-bit source
data is maintained for use within SeisWorks® software.
• Float8 —input samples are converted to 8-bit integers (-127 to
127) on a brick-by-brick basis. The values for the group of samples
within each brick are biased such that the range is arranged equally
about a zero value. Next, each sample is scaled and stored. Since
the bias and scale factors are stored for each block as 32-point
floating point numbers, shifting and scaling are reversible to
within the precision of 32-bit floating point arithmetic. Much of
the full range of the original 32-bit source data is maintained for
use within SeisWorks® software.
•
Int16 — equivalent to the 16-bit .3dv file format. Input samples
are converted to 16-bit integers by clipping the data to a user-
defined range and then scaling these values to the range -32767 to
32767. Data stored in this way cannot be restored to the original
32-bit floating point values.
• Int8 — equivalent to the 8-bit .3dv file format. Input samples are
converted to 8-bit integers by clipping the data to a user-defined
range and then scaling these values to the range -127 to 127. Data
stored in this way cannot be restored to the original 32-bit floating
point values.
Compressed Seismic Data Format
The compressed seismic data format was developed to improve display
performance when dealing with large seismic datasets. By providing
amplitude-range-preserving compression ratios of 20-to-1 or greater,
the compressed seismic file makes storage and management of large
original and attribute volumes practical.
Compressed volumes are also bricked; however, the dimensions are not
specifiable. All bricks in compressed volumes have the dimensions of 8
x 8 x 8 samples. The 3D Batch Control Monitor, Seismic Converter
utilities, and PostStack™ software allow you to convert to compressed
volumes.
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5000.8.0.0 Seismic Data Formats 95
Advantages of Compressed Data Format
By using the fully integrated compression tools, you can achieve higher
fidelity files by compressing 32-bit data than by scaling and clipping
that same data to 8-bits integers while saving disk space. In many cases,
it may be unnecessary to access the original 32-bit floating point data in
order to perform detailed amplitude and attribute analysis workflows.
The compression algorithm compresses small blocks of the volume
independently. This enables SeisWorks® software to selectively
decompress the data rather than requiring that the entire volume be
decompressed before any data can be accessed. The algorithm also uses
overlapping blocks. During compression, each sample contributes to up
to 8 blocks, minimizing blocking artifacts.
Compressed data can be accessed along inline (line), crossline (trace),
arbitrary lines, and timeslice views as needed. Alternatively, subsets of
these compressed volumes can be loaded into such 3D applications as
Asset View™, GeoProbe®, and OpenVision™ for high-performance
visualization and interpretation.
Limitations of Compressed Data Format
While seismic wavelet data may respond well to compression, it is
recommended that attribute data not be compressed but written in brick
or vertical file format.
Controlling Compression
Compression ratios are not specified directly. Instead, you specify a
fidelity factor when the compressed volume is created.
The fidelity factor specifies the desired ratio of RMS signal to RMS
(root mean square) noise where noise is the error in sample values
introduced by compression. In general, higher fidelity values (from 1 to
99, where 99 is the least amount of distortion) yield lower compression
ratios.
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Compressed Volume Cache
The compression toolkit manages two caches during the reading and
writing of compressed data: an uncompressed cache and a compressed
cache.
The figure below shows the order in which the two caching areas are
accessed. Note that this process takes place on a brick-by-brick basis.
• When data is requested by the application (1), the compression
toolkit will first examine the uncompressed cache (2).
• If the data is not in the uncompressed cache, the compression
toolkit will next check the compressed cache for the necessary data
(3).
• If the data is not in the compressed cache, the compression toolkit
will finally go to the compressed volume and extract part of the
data (4), placing it in compressed cache (5).
• Part of that data will be uncompressed and placed in the
uncompressed cache (6).
• The required data will then be extracted from the uncompressed
cache (7) and sent to the application to complete the desired
process (8).
Compressed Cache
Compression
Toolkit
Decompression
Process Request
Uncompressed
Cache
1
2
3 6
7
8
Compressed
Volume
4
5
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SeisWorks® software allows you to set the uncompressed and
compressed cache size. To access the Seismic File Cache Control,
select Defaults > Seismic > Cache from the SeisWorks® main menu.
You have the option of leaving the cache size at its default value. The
cache size value represents the maximum size to which the cache can
grow. Until data is requested, the actual cache size is zero. For example,
if you are only accessing bricked data, the Uncompressed and
Compressed Cache remains at 0, even if values greater than 0 appear in
the adjacent text box.
When choosing new values for the Brick Cache Size, a number of
factors must be considered:
• System Memory
The amount of memory on the machine on which you are running
is important in determining the cache size. The Seismic File Cache
Control box shows the System Memory and the current Free
Memory. Application Size refers to SeisWorks® software only.
In general, the more local RAM, the more value in increasing the
cache size. However, you do not want set your cache larger than
your RAM. It is also important to leave enough RAM so that other
applications in use do not page out and degrade performance.
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• Seismic Data Volume Size
The size of data volume is important because performance
increases significantly when a whole pillar of data can be placed in
cache. Another performance jump occurs when one or more slab of
data can be stored in cache.
Information on pillar and slab sizes can be obtained by pressing the
Seismic File Info button in the Seismic File Cache Control dialog
box. For compressed volumes, the sizes are for the uncompressed
cache.
1 Pillar of Data 1 Slab of Data
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Press Details in the Seismic File Selection box, then toggle on
Cache Hints. The display lists the necessary cache size in
megabytes to place one slab of lines (L#), one slab of traces (T#),
one slab of timeslices (or depthslices) (S#), or one pillar of data
(P#) in cache.
• Workflow
Some workflows would benefit from an increase in cache size. For
example, if using Frame Control to move progressively through a
compressed data file at 5 line increments, a cache size large enough
to hold a slab of lines would improve performance (assuming
enough RAM). However, performance will probably not be
enhanced by an increase in cache when successively selecting
varying orientations or moving large distances across the survey.
The frequency which data is pulled from cache is recorded in the Cache
Hit column. In general, higher percentages reflect better performance.
The cache hit may approach but will never hit 100% since the data for
your first request should not be in cache.
The memory size for the local workstation is shown next to System
Memory. Free memory listing is also for the local machine. Application
Size refers specifically to SeisWorks® software. This number may
increase as more SeisWorks® processes are invoked, but it will not
decrease as processes end.
For some applications, such as PostStack™ software and bcm3d, the
most appropriate cache size can easily be calculated. Thus, the
application sets the cache size; there is no user option for these
applications.
Filenames for Compressed Seismic Data
Compressed files have a .cmp suffix that is automatically appended to
the file name. The user-supplied file name and version name can each
be up to 40 characters long but are not tied to the physical file name.
The Compressed file name is generated by OpenWorks® software
when the file is created. An example is
S_MY_INTERP_PROJ_110.cmp
As additional extents are needed, a five digit number is appended to the
basename. For example, the second extent of a file with the
OpenWorks® database name of S_MY_INTERP_PROJ_110 will be
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5000.8.0.0 Seismic Data Formats 100
S_MY_INTERP_PROJ_11000001.cmp. A total of 100,000 extents is
allowed for each seismic volume.
Seismic Data Manager can be used to see the relation of the physical
file name to the user-defined name. In Seismic Data Manager, select
the File Name field in the Column manager. The dataset and version
names display along with the name of the physical file.
An ASCII metadata file that describes the contents of the compressed
file is also created whenever a compressed seismic volume is created. A
.meta suffix is appended to the filename of the first extent (for example,
mig_gulf_32float.cmp.meta) and is stored in the seismic project
directories. The file includes fields for ZSTART, SAMPLE_RATE, and
DOMAIN. This file is required in order for SeisWorks® software to
successfully read the compressed data file.
Additional comments can be added to the .meta file starting on the
fourth line using any text editor. Be careful to not start any comments
with the same words found in lines 1 through 3 or to change the values
associated with those keywords. No special character is required to
indicate your comments. Just be sure to add your text starting on the
fourth line.
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Summary of Seismic Data Formats
The diagram below summarizes Landmark Software seismic data
formats.
Old Formats
Data not bricked
Specific views accessible
New Formats
Data bricked
All views accessible

.3dv
Only vertical views
.3dh
Only horizontal views
Bricked
User controls brick size
Compressed
All bricks 8 x 8 x 8
8-bit
a
16-bit
a
float32
c
compressed
format
c
8-bit (int8)
a
16-bit (int16)
a
float8
b
float16
b
float32
c
a. data may require scaling and clipping before loading to this format;
data displayed at same scale as stored
b. scale and bias factor determined automatically and stored with data;
data displayed as float32
c. data displayed as float32
d. always returned as float32
8-bit
a
16-bit
a
float32
c
Note
For Brick and Compressed file output the number of extents is 100,000. For
Vertical and Time Slice file output the number of extents is limited to 31.
For large datasets, select the proper extent size from the Advanced options in the
menu. If the volume is larger than 62 GB, you should use Brick or Compressed for
output.
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Bricked File
PostStack™ software can handle a 3D bricked seismic data format.
However, PostStack™ software strips off traces with null values when
converting to brick format. Bricks provide better performance in
SeisWorks® software and more normalized access in all directions. To
store the output from a PostStack™ processing job in a bricked file,
perform the following steps:
1. In the PostStack™ main dialog box, click Output Data.
2. Toggle on Bricked and click on Parameters in the Output Data
dialog box. The Bricked File Parameters dialog box appears:
3. Specify the Output File where the processed data is to be stored
by either of these methods:
• Click on List and enter a new filename and version as the
Selected Seismic File in the Seismic File Select dialog box that
appears.
The file and version name can contain 40 characters each. The
physical file name that is written is generated by OpenWorks®
software and will reflect the Interpretation project name but not the
user defined file name. The .bri extension is automatically
appended to the dataset name. Note: Do not end your filename with
.bri.
Spaces in the filename are replaced by underscores.
• To add lines to and/or overwrite lines in an existing file, click on
List and select the desired filename and version from the
resulting list in the Seismic File Select dialog box.
4. Select the Output Mode from the following options:
• Create New File creates a new file for the output if the file does
not already exist. If a file you specified in Step 3 already exists,
the old data is deleted and the new data is written to the file.
• Merge with Existing File forces output parameters to be the
same as the existing file. New data is merged with the existing
data, and any overlapping data will overwrite the existing data.
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5. Remark field allows the user to provide any info up to 200
characters that will be saved with the output dataset in the
database. The remark is listed in the “Remark” column in the
Seismic 3D tab in Seismic Data Manager. This is in addition to the
processing history that is saved in the Long Remarks.
6. Output Data Window limits the time range of the output data.
The default settings output the entire trace. To output a part of the
trace, toggle off Output Entire Trace and enter a Start Time and
End Time. Be sure to account for processes that shift these files,
such as Bulk Shift, Depth Conversion, or Flattening.
Note: Regardless of the window size, the output volume start and
end times will not exceed the limits of the output directory.
7. Specify the Output File Format and Scaling Parameters for the
output file by choosing one of the following:
• 8-bit Integer
• 16-bit Integer
• 8-bit Floating Point
• 16-bit Floating Point
• 32-bit Floating Point
8. Data must be scaled for 8-bit or 16-bit format. Select one of the
following Scaling options:
• Automatic calculates and applies the appropriate scaling
factors based on the file format and the amplitude distribution
for each trace and for the entire dataset. Proceed to Step 11.
• Manual calculates the numerator of the scaling factor based on
the file format. You specify the denominator of the scaling
factor. Proceed to Step 12.
• None does not apply scaling. All values in the output data that
exceed the maximum allowed by the file format are clipped.
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9. For Automatic scaling, set these two parameters:
• Trace Percentile is the percentage of the trace values to
preserve when PostStack™ software scales each individual
trace. Values corresponding to higher percentiles are clipped.
• Dataset Percentile is the percentage of the values in the full
dataset to preserve when PostStack™ software scales the
dataset. Values corresponding to higher percentiles are clipped.
Automatic scaling is a two-phase process. PostStack™ software
scales each trace individually, based on its amplitude distribution
and the Trace Percentile you have set. The scaled traces are used
to calculate the amplitude distribution for the entire dataset and
scales the data again based on the Dataset Percentile you have set.
See How PostStack™ Software Scales Data for a fuller
explanation of scaling.
10. For Manual scaling, set Largest Unclipped Amplitude to the
maximum value to preserve when the data is scaled. You can use a
power of 10 in the E field to enter a large number.
Any values beyond the Largest Unclipped Amplitude is clipped.
The data values will then be multiplied by a scaling factor defined
as follows: numerator = maximum value allowed by the file format
(such as, 127 for 8-bit data) and denominator = Largest Unclipped
Amplitude. See How PostStack™ Software Scales Data for
a fuller explanation of scaling.
If you are outputting to an existing file that was created in
PostStack™ software and in which Largest Unclipped Amplitude
values were set, you can click on Use Last Value to apply those
values.
11. The Brick dimension format defines the order and dimensions
that bricks are written to the output file. After determining the best
access direction for a volume, specify the optimal method for
creating brick volumes from the following choices:
• Inline
• Crossline
• Horizontal
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• Any Vertical access volume is the only bricked volume that
yields good arbitrary line performance
• User Defined allows you to enter the number of Inlines
Samples Across, Crosslines Samples Deep, and Time/Depth
Samples for the brick.
Each of these choices maps to a set of brick dimensions that is used
to create a volume with these properties. The default dimensions (in
samples) are shown in the following table:
The Advanced parameters sets the maximum extents of the file.
12. To limit the size of the component .bri files, use the arrows, enter
from the keyboard, or use MB3 to select the defaults. Set
Maximum Size (in MB) of File Extents to the maximum number
of megabytes to use for newly created extents. If 20000 is entered,
the maximum extent size is 20 Gb.
Volume type Line dimension Trace dimension Time/Depth dimension
Inline optimized 1 32 32
Crossline optimized 32 1 32
Horizontal optimized 32 32 1
Vertical access 8 8 16
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Compressed File
PostStack™ software can handle a compressed file 3D seismic data
format. However, PostStack™ software strips off traces with null
values when converting to brick format. Compression allows for the
storage of many more volumes on disk at one time. Compressed
volumes are also bricked, but the brick dimensions are not
specifiable—they are always 8 samples x 8 samples x 8 samples. To
store the output from a PostStack™ processing job in a compressed
file, perform the following steps:
1. In the PostStack™ main dialog box, click on Output Data. The
Output Data dialog box appears
2. Toggle on Compressed, and click on Parameters. The
Compressed File Parameters dialog box appears:
3. Specify the Output File where the processed data is to be stored
by either of these methods:
• Click on List and enter a new filename and version as the
Selected Seismic File in the Seismic File Select dialog box that
appears.
The file and version name can contain 40 characters each. The
physical file name that is written is generated by OpenWorks®
software and will reflect the Interpretation project name but not the
user defined file name. The .cmp extension is automatically
appended to the dataset name. Note: Do not end your filename with
.cmp.
Spaces in the filename are replaced by underscores.
• To add lines to and/or overwrite lines in an existing file, click on
List and select the desired filename and version from the
resulting list in the Seismic File Select dialog box.
4. Select the Output Mode from the following options:
• Create New File creates a new file for the output if the file does
not already exist. If a file you specified in Step 3 already exists,
the old data is deleted and the new data is written to the file.
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• Merge with Existing File forces output parameters to be the
same as the existing file. New data is merged with the existing
data, and any overlapping data will overwrite the existing data.
5. Remark field allows the user to provide any info up to 200
characters that will be saved with the output dataset in the
database. The remark is listed in the “Remark” column in the
Seismic 3D tab in Seismic Data Manager. This is in addition to the
processing history that is saved in the Long Remarks.
6. Output Data Window limits the time range of the output data.
The default settings output the entire trace. To output a part of the
trace, toggle off Output Entire Trace and enter a Start Time and
End Time. Be sure to account for processes that shift these files,
such as Bulk Shift, Depth Conversion, or Flattening.
Note: Regardless of the window size, the output volume start and
end times will not exceed the limits of the output directory.
7. The Fidelity parameter allows you to control the amount of
compression and associated “lossiness.” In most cases, the default
provides significant file compression with limited amount of loss
in data integrity. However, the amount of compression and
lossiness is data dependent, and varies between different geologic
settings and input direction.
To limit the size of the component .cmp files, click on Advanced.
The Advanced Parameters dialog box will appear.
8. To limit the size of the component .cmp files, use the arrows, enter
from the keyboard, or use MB3 to select the defaults. Set
Maximum Size (in MB) of File Extents to the maximum number
of megabytes to use for newly created extents. If 20000 is entered,
the maximum extent size is 20 Gb.
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2D Vertical File
To store the 2D output from a PostStack™ processing job in a vertical
section file, perform the following steps:
1. In the PostStack™ main dialog box, click on Output Data. The
Output Data dialog box appears.
2. You can toggle on all available output options at once.
3. Toggle on Vertical File, and click on Parameters. The Vertical
File Parameters dialog box appears.
4. Specify the Output File where the processed data is to be stored
by either of these methods:
• Click on List and enter a new filename and version as the
Selected Seismic File in the Seismic File Select dialog box that
appears..
The file and version name can contain 40 characters each. The
physical file name that is written is generated by OpenWorks and
will reflect the interpretation project name but not the user- defined
file name. The .2v2 extension is automatically appended to the
dataset name. Note: Do not end your filename with .2v2. Spaces in
the filename are replaced by underscores.
Seismic Data Manager can be used to see the relation of the
physical file name to the user-defined name. In the Seismic Data
Manager, select for display the File Name field in the Column
manager. This action displays the Dataset name and Version name
along with the name of the physical file.
• To add lines to and/or overwrite lines in an existing file, click on
List and select the desired filename from the resulting list in the
Vertical File Select dialog box. ‘
5. Select the Output Mode from the following options:
• Create New File creates a new output file for each line. If the
line already exists, it is deleted first.
• Merge with Existing File works the same as Create New File
except for duplicate (existing) lines. Instead of overwriting
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existing lines, the input shotpoint range is inserted/appended
into lines already existing in the .2v2 files.
With SEG-Y Input the Merge with Existing File option is used in
conjunction with “Overwrite (or Merge if selected) Basemap
Information for Existing Lines” in Basemap Info to appending new
navigation information to existing 2D lines.
When Merge with Existing File and Overwrite Basemap are
selected, the existing 2D line navigation will be preserved; the new
navigation information will be added to the line; and the seismic file
will be extended to include the new data.
For this to work, the new SEG-Y data cannot overlap the existing
data and the Trace Numbers have to be unique.
6. Remark field allows the user to provide any info up to 200
characters that will be saved with the output dataset in the
database. The remark is listed in the “Remark” column in the
Seismic 3D tab in Seismic Data Manager. This is in addition to the
processing history that is saved in the Long Remarks.
7. To limit the time range of the output data, enter a Start Time and
End Time. With default settings of 0, trace data is output from 0
ms. to the maximum time in the dataset.
8. Checking Skip Dead Traces allows you to avoid writing dead
traces to the output file.
9. Specify the Format for the output file by clicking on the option
button and choosing one of the following:
• 8-bit Integer
• 16-bit Integer
• Floating Point.
10. If you chose 8-bit or 16-bit format, the data must be scaled. Select
one of the three Scaling options:
• Automatic—PostStack™ software calculates and applies the
appropriate scaling factors based on the file format and the
amplitude distribution for each trace and for the entire dataset.
Proceed to Step 11.
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• Manual—PostStack™ software calculates the numerator of the
scaling factor based on the file format. You specify the
denominator of the scaling factor. Proceed to Step 12.
• None—No scaling is applied. All values in the output data that
exceed the maximum allowed by the file format will be clipped.
Proceed to Step 13.
11. For Automatic scaling, set these two parameters:
• Scale Each Line Independently—PostStack™ can scale each
line independently instead of applying a global scalar on all
traces in all lines.
• Trace Percentile—Specify what percentage of the trace values
to preserve when PostStack™ software scales each individual
trace. Values corresponding to higher percentiles are clipped.
• Dataset Percentile—Specify what percentage of the values in
the full dataset to preserve when PostStack™ software scales
the dataset. Values corresponding to higher percentiles are
clipped.
Automatic scaling is a two-phase process. PostStack™ software
scales each trace individually, based on its amplitude distribution
and the Trace Percentile you have set. Then PostStack™ software
uses those scaled traces to calculate the amplitude distribution for
the entire dataset and scales the data again based on the Dataset
Percentile you have set. See How PostStack™ Software
Scales Data for a fuller explanation of scaling. Proceed to Step
13.
12. For Manual scaling, set Largest Unclipped Amplitude to the
maximum value to preserve when the data is scaled. You can use a
power of 10 in the E field to enter a large number.
Any values beyond the Largest Unclipped Amplitude are clipped.
The data values are then multiplied by the following scaling factor:
numerator = maximum value allowed by the file format (such as,
127 for 8-bit data) and denominator = Largest Unclipped
Amplitude. See How PostStack™ Software Scales Data for
a fuller explanation of scaling.
If you are outputting to an existing file that was created in
PostStack™ software and in which Largest Unclipped Amplitude
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values were set, you can click on Use Last Value to apply those
values.
13. Use Basemap Info to create or overwrite basemap information for
new or existing lines when the input data is SEG-Y or ProMAX®
software. You cannot change basemap information when the input
data is Vertical File.
When you click on Basemap Info... on the Vertical File Parameters
dialog box, the following Basemap Information dialog box appears:
14. By default, if the navigation has not been loaded into the project
database for each line, it will be extracted from the SEGY headers
and automatically populate during the loading process. If the
navigation data has not been loaded, or it has been loaded through
OpenWorks, leave the parameter “Overwrite (or Merge if
selected) Basemap Information for Existing Lines” unselected.
To overwrite new navigational information over the existing
navigation, toggle on Overwrite in the Basemap Info dialog and
Create New File in the Vertical File input dialog. The previous
navigation information will be removed from the database and
updated from the navigation in the SEG-Y headers.
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To append new navigational information to the existing navigation,
toggle on Overwrite in the Basemap Info dialog and toggle on
Merge with Existing File in the Vertical File input dialog. The
previous navigation information will be preserved and updated with
the additional traces and navigation in the new SEG-Y data. To
enable this behavior, the SEG-Y data that is to be merged cannot
have an overlap with the exiting traces and the shotpoint and trace
values have to be monotonically increasing or decreasing in the
direction of the existing data.
15. When loading new data, by default the 2D line datum value will be
set to the Project Data Base/Interpretation Project datum value the
PostStack session is running in. The datum of the PDB/IP is
posted grayed out below the “ Shift all lines’ depth SEGY 0 start
to datum:” field. For depth data, if the “ Shift all lines’ SEGY 0
start to datum:” field is selected, a different datum value can be
entered. It is critical that the datum value of the 2D lines be set
correctly.
Why this is important: With the R5000 release, time seismic data is
loaded referenced to the datum of the 2D Line and displayed
referenced to the datum of the PDB/IP. Depth data, however, is
always displayed referenced to mean sea level when accessed in the
applications. It is critical then that the data Z value of 0 be
referenced correctly when loading the data.
Setting the datum value for loading Time domain SEGY data
To correctly load time SEGY data it is required that the PDB/IP datum
be set equal to the datum of the 2D lines (or 3D survey) for loading
purposes. The PDB/IP datum can be set back to the desired value after
loading the data. This requirement will be addressed in a future release.
Warning
This can corrupt any existing seismic and horizon data for the 2D line if
the Shotpoint to Trace relationship changes with the updated navigation
data. It is important that existing seismic data is QC’d after the
navigation is updated. If the data is incorrectly positioned, or if the
Shotpoint/Trace relationship is no longer valid for the existing data, the
data should be deleted in Seismic Data Manager and reloaded with
SEGY Input and Overwrite turned off.
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Setting the datum value for loading Depth domain SEGY data
While time data is always loaded referenced to the datum of the 2D line
(or 3D survey), Depth data may either be referenced to the datum of the
2D Line or to mean sea level. If the SEGY data has been shifted to sea
level (a Z value of 0 equals sea level) then the datum value in the menu
should be set to 0. If the SEGY depth data is still relative to the 2D line
datum (a Z value of 0 equals the 2D line datum) then the datum of the
2D line (or 3D survey) should be entered.
16. Write to ASCII Nav File allows you to specify the name of an
ASCII file to which the navigation data is written. Type a name in
the text box, or click on List and use the ASCII Nav File Select
dialog box to select the file. This file is used to load the navigation.
17. All lines must be associated with an OpenWorks® survey. Survey
allows you to select the desired survey. Click on List to bring up
the Specify OpenWorks® Survey Name dialog box. You can select
from a list of Existing Surveys or use Create New Survey and
enter the name of a new survey in the text box. Click OK to
activate your selection.
18. Each OpenWorks® project has an associated project cartographic
system. Project Cartographic System displays the current
system. Output is based on this OpenWorks® project cartographic
system.
19. Input Data Cartographic System displays the cartographic
system to be used for input data. The default is <same as project>.
Note
When time and depth SEG-Y data are read in with SEG-Y Input and displayed
with Spectral Analyzer, they are not displayed relative to the Project datum,
but are displayed relative to the datum they were written out at.
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To select a different cartographic system for input data, click on
List. The CS Selection dialog box appears
To use an existing coordinate system, select from the listed systems
and click OK. Details of the system is displayed in the text box at
the bottom.
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To create a new coordinate system, click on Create. The Map
Projection Editor dialog box appears.
The dialog box contains lists of the available projection and
geographic coordinate systems. Please refer to the Map Projection
Editor chapter of OpenWorks Data Management, Vol. 1, for details
on Map Projection Editor.
20. Indicate how x,y coordinates for the line should be output by
entering a tolerance distance in the field labeled Decimate XY’s
using Tolerance of.
SeisWorks® software allows a maximum 1000 x,y pairs to define
each line. When you decimate x,y coordinates, an x,y pair is output
whenever necessary to keep the projected line within the tolerance
distance you have set from the actual line.
21. If you have a series of SEG-Y trace headers with Duplicate
Shotpoints (the same shotpoint assigned to different traces), you
must select one of the following options in order to load the data:
• Skip Line does not load the lines containing duplicate
shotpoints. This is the default.
• Use First Shotpoint assigns the trace to shotpoint relationships
from the first occurrence of the shotpoint/trace pair.
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The decimation proceeds in two steps. The first step throws out
all quadruples (trace, shotpoint, X, Y) with duplicate shotpoints
as shown in the example below. Then, assuming X, Y
decimation was requested, the data are further decimated so that
the minimum number of quadruples that define the X, Y line
within the tolerance requested are retained.
For example, assume the following input:
line name shotpoint x y trace
bd01-line1______________1640 1768271.00 75218.00 1057
bd01-line1______________1640 1768298.00 75251.00 1058
bd01-line1______________1640 1768325.00 75283.00 1059
bd01-line1______________1639 1768349.00 75316.00 1060
bd01-line1______________1639 1768374.00 75349.00 1061
bd01-line1______________1639 1768398.00 75382.00 1062
bd01-line1______________1639 1768423.00 75415.00 1063
bd01-line1______________1638 1768463.00 75432.00 1064
bd01-line1______________1638 1768503.00 75450.00 1065
bd01-line1______________1638 1768543.00 75467.00 1066
bd01-line1______________1638 1768583.00 75485.00 1067
bd01-line1______________1637 1768609.00 75520.00 1068
bd01-line1______________1637 1768636.00 75556.00 1069
bd01-line1______________1637 1768663.00 75591.00 1070
bd01-line1______________1637 1768690.00 75626.00 1071
bd01-line1______________1636 1768719.00 75657.00 1072
bd01-line1______________1636 1768747.00 75687.00 1073
bd01-line1______________1636 1768776.00 75717.00 1074
bd01-line1______________1636 1768805.00 75747.00 1075
After elimination of all quadruples, the file would look like this:
bd01-line1______________1640 1768271.00 75218.00 1057
bd01-line1______________1639 1768349.00 75316.00 1060
bd01-line1______________1638 1768463.00 75432.00 1064
bd01-line1______________1637 1768609.00 75520.00 1068
bd01-line1______________1636 1768719.00 75657.00 1072
Interpolation of the shotpoints between the defined traces
would then take place. The resulting shotpoint trace definition
would be:
1640.00 1057
1640.331058
1640.661059
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1639.001060
1638.751061
1638.501062
1638.251063
1638.001064
1637.751065
1637.501066
1637.251067
1637.001068
. .
. .
1636 1072
You may want to make sure that your initial list of quadruples
contains enough unique points to show the effects of both
decimation steps.
• Use Last Shotpoint assigns the trace to shotpoint relationship
from the last occurrence of the shotpoint/trace pair. The
decimation steps are the same as described for Use First
Shotpoint.
Using this option, after the first step, the file would look like
this:
bd01-line1______________1640 1768325.00 75283.00 1059
bd01-line1______________1639 1768423.00 75415.00 1063
bd01-line1______________1638 1768583.00 75485.00 1067
bd01-line1______________1637 1768690.00 75626.00 1071
bd01-line1______________1636 1768805.00 75747.00 1075
Interpolation of the shotpoints between the defined traces
would then take place, resulting in the following:
1640.00 1059
1639.75 1060
1639.50 1061
1639.25 1062
1639.00 1063
1638.25 1064
1638.50 1065
1638.25 1066
1638.00 1067
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Note: The end (in the case of Use First Shotpoint) and the beginning
(in the case of Use Last Shotpoint) will be dropped since the
shotpoint to trace relationship can not be determined.
22. Click on OK to close the Basemap Information dialog box.
23. PostStack™ software will attempt to write 20000 Mb of data
before it rolls to the next disk partition. Since each 2D line is
stored in a separate file, limiting the maximum file size generally
is not a concern. However, to limit the size of the component files,
click on Advanced. The Advanced Parameters dialog box will
appear.
24. Use the arrows to set Maximum Size (in MB) of File Extents to
the maximum number of megabytes to use for newly created
extents. If 2000 is entered, the maximum extent size is 2 Gb.
25. If seismic data is being written to a file and the job fails
catastrophically, any data written to the file since the last close
operation is lost. To address this problem, vertical file output
periodically closes the file. This is called checkpointing.
Checkpoint Frequency specifies the frequency, in traces, at
which output data files are checkpointed. Enter a zero to turn off
checkpointing.
26. Click on OK to close the Advanced Parameters dialog box.
27. To close the Vertical File Parameters dialog box, click on OK.
28. In the Output Data dialog box, toggle on other available options if
you also wish to output those types of files, and set the necessary
parameters.
29. Click on OK in the Output Data dialog box. to save your settings.
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3D Vertical File
To store the 3D output from a PostStack™ software processing job in a
vertical section file, perform the following steps:
1. In the PostStack™ main dialog box, click on Output Data. The
Output Data dialog box appears
2. Toggle on Vertical File, and click on Parameters. The Vertical
File Parameters dialog box appears.
3. Specify the Output File where the processed data is to be stored by
either of these methods:
• To create a new file, click on List and enter a new filename
andversion as the Selected Seismic File in the Seismic File
Select dialog box that appears. The file and version name can
contain 40characters each. The physical file name that is
written is generatedby OpenWorks and will reflect the
Interpretation project name butnot the user defined file name.
Seismic Data Manager can be used to see the relation of the
physical file name to the user defined name. In Seismic Data
Manager select for display the File Name field in the Column
manager. This will display the Dataset name and Version name
along with the name of the physical file.
• To add lines to and/or overwrite lines in an existing file, click on
List and select the desired filename from the resulting list in the
Seismic File Select dialog box.
4. Select the Output Mode from the following options:
• Create New File creates a new file for the output if the file does
not already exist. If a file with the name you specified in Step 3
already exists, the input data is added to the file overwriting any
duplicate data.
• Merge with Existing File works the same as Create New File
except for duplicate lines/traces. Instead of overwriting
duplicated lines/traces, the input range is inserted into
lines/traces already existing in the files.
5. Remark field allows the user to provide any info up to 200
characters that will be saved with the output dataset in the
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database. The remark is listed in the “Remark” column in the
Seismic 3D tab in Seismic Data Manager. This is in addition to the
processing history that is saved in the Long Remarks.
6. Output Data Window limits the time range of the output data.
The default settings output the entire trace. To output a part of the
trace, toggle off Output Entire Trace and enter a Start Time and
End Time. Be sure to account for processes that shift these files,
such as Bulk Shift, Depth Conversion, or Flattening.
Note: Regardless of the window size, the output volume start and
end times will not exceed the limits of the output directory.
7. Checking Skip Dead Traces allows you to avoid writing dead
traces to the output file.
8. Specify the Format for the output file by toggling on one of the
following:
• 8-bit Integer
• 16-bit Integer
• Floating Point.
9. If you chose 8-bit or 16-bit format, the data must be scaled. Select
one of the three Scaling options:
• Automatic—calculates and applies the appropriate scaling
factors based on the file format and the amplitude distribution
for each trace and for the entire dataset. Proceed to Step 11.
• Manual—calculates the numerator of the scaling factor based
on the file format. You specify the denominator of the scaling
factor. Proceed to Step 12.
• None—No scaling is applied. All values in the output data that
exceed the maximum allowed by the file format will be clipped.
Proceed to Step 11.
10. For Automatic scaling, set these two parameters:
• Trace Percentile—Specify what percentage of the trace values
you want to preserve when PostStack™ software scales each
individual trace. Values corresponding to higher percentiles will
be clipped.
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• Dataset Percentile—Specify what percentage of the values in
the full dataset you want to preserve when PostStack™
software scales the dataset. Values corresponding to higher
percentiles will be clipped.
Automatic scaling is a two-phase process. PostStack™ software
scales each trace individually, based on its amplitude distribution
and the Trace Percentile you have set. Then PostStack™ software
uses those scaled traces to calculate the amplitude distribution for
the entire dataset and scales the data again based on the Dataset
Percentile you have set. Proceed to Step 11.
11. For Manual scaling, set Largest Unclipped Amplitude to the
maximum value you want to preserve when the data is scaled. You
can use a power of 10 in the E field to enter a large number.
Any values beyond the Largest Unclipped Amplitude you have
specified will be clipped. The data values will then be multiplied by
a scaling factor defined as follows: numerator = maximum value
allowed by the file format (e.g., 127 for 8-bit data) and denominator
= Largest Unclipped Amplitude. See How PostStack™
Software Scales Data for a fuller explanation of scaling.
If you are outputting to an existing file that was created in PostStack
and in which Largest Unclipped Amplitude values were set, you
can click on Use Last Value to apply those values. Proceed to Step
11.
12. Because of their large size, .3dv files can span disks. With the
default setting of 500 Mb, PostStack™ software attempts to write
500 Mb of data before it rolls to the next disk partition.
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To limit the size of the component files, click on Advanced. The
Advanced Parameters dialog box will appear. The dialog box for a
3D project is shown below:
13. Use the arrows to set Maximum Size (in MB) of File Extents to the
maximum number of megabytes to use for newly created extents.
If 20000 is entered, the maximum is 20 Gb. There is a Maximum
of 31 extents.
14. If seismic data is being written to a file and the job fails
catastrophically, any data written to the file since the last close
operation is lost. To address this problem, the batch control
monitor periodically closes the file. This is called “checkpointing”.
Checkpoint Frequency specifies the frequency, in traces, at
which output data files are checkpointed. Enter a zero to turn off
checkpointing.
15. Index Organization specifies how the trace index area is
organized. Toggle on one of the following options:
• Same as Input organizes the trace index entries the same as the
input.
• Lines organizes trace index entries into groups in which the line
number is fixed and the trace number varies.
• Traces organizes trace index entries into groups in which the
trace number is fixed and the line number varies.
16. Click on OK to close the Advanced Parameters dialog box.
17. To implement your specifications and close the Vertical File
Parameters dialog box, click on OK.
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18. In the Output Data dialog box, toggle on other available options if
you also wish to output those types of files, and set the necessary
parameters.
19. Click on OK in the Output Data dialog box to save your settings.
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Slice (.3dh) - 3D Only
For Slice merge, PostStack™ software creates indexes at every sample
point in the time slice file, even though you specify an output slice rate
of 100 ms for example. When viewing in SeisWorks® software, you
will see blank time slices occurring at the sample rate between the
specified time slice rate. To avoid seeing the blank time slices, you can
set the frame control increment in SeisWorks® software to the output
sample rate of the time slice file.
To output a time slice for use in SeisWorks® software, perform the
following steps:
Note: You must select the Time Slice optimization feature in Seismic
Input to output a time slice.
1. In the PostStack™ main dialog box, click on Output Data. The
Output Data dialog box appears.
2. Toggle on Slice, and click on Parameters. The Slice Parameters
dialog box appears.
3. Specify the Output File where the processed data is to be stored
by either of these methods:
• To create a new .3dh file, click on List and enter a new filename
and version. as the Time Slice File in the Time Slice dialog box.
The file and version name can contain 40 characters each. The
physical file name that is written is generated by OpenWorks®
and will reflect the Interpretation project name but not the user
defined file name
• To overwrite an existing .3dh file, click on List and select the
desired filename from the resulting list.
4. Select the Output Mode from the following options:
• Create New File creates a new file for the output and deletes
any existing old file.
• Merge with Existing File appends and/or interleaves the data
with the existing file.
5. Output Data Window limits the time range of the output data.
The default settings output the entire trace. To output a part of the
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trace, toggle off Output Entire Trace and enter a Start Time and
End Time. Be sure to account for processes that shift these files,
such as Bulk Shift, Depth Conversion, or Flattening.
Note: Regardless of the window size, the output volume start and
end times will not exceed the limits of the output directory.
6. Set the Time Increment for generating consecutive time slices.
This value must be an integral multiple of the sample rate. With
the default setting of 0, the sample rate of the input data is
automatically used as the increment for generating time slices.
7. Checking Skip Dead Traces allows you to avoid writing the dead
traces to the output file.
8. Specify the Output File Format by clicking on the option button
and choosing one of the following:
• 8-bit Integer
• 16-bit Integer
• Floating Point.
9. If you chose 8-bit or 16-bit format, the data must be scaled. Select
one of the three Scaling options:
• Automatic—PostStack™ software will calculate and apply the
appropriate scaling factors based on the file format and the
amplitude distribution for each trace and for the entire dataset.
Proceed to Step 10.
• Manual—PostStack™ software calculates the numerator of the
scaling factor based on the file format. You specify the
denominator of the scaling factor. Proceed to Step 11.
• None—No scaling is applied. All values in the output data that
exceed the maximum allowed by the file format will be clipped.
10. For Automatic scaling, set these two parameters:
• Trace Percentile—Specify what percentage of the trace values
you want to preserve when PostStack™ software scales each
individual trace. Values corresponding to higher percentiles is
clipped.
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• Dataset Percentile—Specify what percentage of the values in
the full dataset you want to preserve when PostStack™
software scales the dataset. Values corresponding to higher
percentiles is clipped.
Automatic scaling is a two-phase process. PostStack™ software
scales each trace individually, based on its amplitude distribution
and the Trace Percentile you have set. Then PostStack™ software
uses those scaled traces to calculate the amplitude distribution for
the entire dataset and scales the data again based on the Dataset
Percentile you have set.
11. For Manual scaling, set Largest Unclipped Amplitude to the
maximum value you want to preserve when the data is scaled. You
can use a power of 10 in the E field to enter a large number.
Any values beyond the Largest Unclipped Amplitude you have
specified will be clipped. The data values will then be multiplied by
a scaling factor defined as follows: numerator = maximum value
allowed by the file format (e.g., 127 for 8-bit data) and denominator
= Largest Unclipped Amplitude.
If you are outputting to an existing file in which Largest Unclipped
Amplitude values were set, you can click on Use Last Value to
apply those values.
Because of their large size, .3dh files can span disks. With the
default setting of 500 Mb, PostStack™ software attempts to write
500 Mb of data before it rolls to the next disk partition. To limit the
size of the component .3dh files, click on Advanced. The following
Advanced Parameters dialog box will appear.
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12. Use the arrows to set Maximum Size (in MB) of File Extents to
the maximum number of megabytes to be used for newly created
extents. If 2000 is entered, the maximum is 2Gb. There is a
maximum of 31 extents.
13. If seismic data is being written to a file and the job fails
catastrophically, any data written to the file since the last close
operation is lost. To address this problem, time slice output
periodically closes the file. This is called “checkpointing”.
Checkpoint Frequency specifies the frequency, in traces, at
which output data files are checkpointed. Enter a zero to turn off
checkpointing.
14. Click on OK to close the Advanced Parameters dialog box.
15. To implement your specifications and close the Time Slice
Parameters dialog box, click on OK.
16. In the Output Data dialog box, toggle on Vertical File, Cube
Data, and/or SEG-Y, if you also wish to output those types of
files, and set the necessary parameters.
17. Click on OK in the Output Data dialog box.
Do not input SEGY to Time Slice Output
Because of the way Time Slice files are constructed, it is recommended that you
not input SEGY data to Time Slice Output. Depending on the project
orientation, and the orientation of the data on tape, the job could take
substantially longer to complete under those circumstances.
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Cube Data File (.cd) - 3D Only
When storing the output from a PostStack™ processing job to a cube
data file (.cd) for use in GeoProbe® or ZAP!® software you should
keep the following points in mind:
• You must output the cube data file to a directory that can hold the
entire file. Unlike a .3dv file, the cube data file cannot span
filesystems.
• Cube data files must be in 8-bit integer format. Therefore, you will
have to scale the data.
• Currently PostStack™ software does not offer the option of
decimating the data to reduce the size of the output .cd file. If you
want to create a decimated .cd file to save storage space and
enhance performance, you can decimate the line traces during
input, or use the Create Cube Volume utility available in
OpenWorks® (Data > Management > Seismic Tools > Seismic >
Create Cube Volume).
To output a cube data file from PostStack™ software, perform the
following steps:
1. In the PostStack™ main dialog box, click on Output Data. The
Output Data window appears.
2. Toggle on Cube Data (CD) File, and click on Parameters. The
CD Parameters dialog box appears.
3. To specify the Output File where the processed data is to be
stored, use either of the following methods:
• To create a new .cd file, click on List and enter a new filename
in the CD file Select dialog box. The filename can be up to 128
characters.
• To overwrite an existing .cd file, click on List, and select the
desired filename from the resulting list.
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4. To specify the Output Directory where the .cd file will be stored,
click on one of the project directories listed in the dialog box.
5. Enter a Remark for the CD file. This remark is to help you
identify the output CD file.
6. Output Data Window limits the time range of the output data.
The default settings output the entire trace. To output a part of the
trace, toggle off Output Entire Trace and enter a Start Time and
End Time. Be sure to account for processes that shift these files,
such as Bulk Shift, Depth Conversion, or Flattening.
Note: Regardless of the window size, the output volume start and
end times will not exceed the limits of the output directory.
7. In the View Direction panel, select which side of the survey you
want as the front face of the cube by clicking on the appropriate
arrow:
Select an output directory with enough space for the entire .cd file.
Cube data files cannot span filesystems; the entire file must be stored in one
directory. So choose the project directory carefully. If the directory you
specify does not have sufficient disk space, creation of the cube data file will
fail.
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:
8. Since the data format of all .cd files are 8-bit, the data must be
scaled. Select one of the three Scaling options:
• Automatic—PostStack™ software will calculate and apply the
appropriate scaling factors based on the file format and the
amplitude distribution for each trace and for the entire dataset.
Proceed to Step 9.
• Manual—PostStack™ calculates the numerator of the scaling
factor based on the file format. You specify the denominator of
the scaling factor. Proceed to Step 10.
• None—No scaling is applied. All values in the output data that
exceed the maximum allowed by the file format will be clipped.
Proceed to Step 11.
9. For Automatic scaling, set these two parameters:
• Trace Percentile—Specify what percentage of the trace values
you want to preserve when PostStack™ software scales each
Lower left
master grid
coordinate
Upper right
master grid
coordinate
Front face
Description of currently
selected view direction
Front face
Description of currently
selected view direction
Dashed lines show how
the lines are ordered in
the input .3dv file
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individual trace. Values corresponding to higher percentiles will
be clipped.
• Dataset Percentile—Specify what percentage of the values in
the full dataset you want to preserve when PostStack™
software scales the dataset. Values corresponding to higher
percentiles will be clipped.
Automatic scaling is a two-phase process. PostStack™ software
scales each trace individually, based on its amplitude distribution
and the Trace Percentile you have set. Then PostStack™ software
uses those scaled traces to calculate the amplitude distribution for
the entire dataset and scales the data again based on the Dataset
Percentile you have set. Proceed to Step 11.
10. For Manual scaling, set Largest Unclipped Amplitude to the
maximum value you want to preserve when the data is scaled. You
can use a power of 10 in the E field to enter a large number.
Any values beyond the Largest Unclipped Amplitude you have
specified will be clipped. The data values will then be multiplied by
a scaling factor defined as follows: numerator = maximum value
allowed by the file format (e.g., 127 for 8-bit data) and denominator
= Largest Unclipped Amplitude.
If you are outputting to an existing file in which Largest Unclipped
Amplitude values were set, you can click on Use Last Value to
apply those values.
11. Click on OK to close the Cube Data Parameters dialog box.
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2D and 3D SEG-Y
SEG-Y Output writes out Rev1 compatible format. However, the
flexible nature of Rev1 is such that, given certain user choices within
PostStack™ software, a Rev1 file can be fully backwards-compatible
with Rev0, so that tools that do not recognize the new Rev1 standard
can still read SEG-Y files written by PostStack™ software. To achieve
this backwards-compatibility, use EBCDIC for the textual file header,
to write out the inline/crossline and CDP X/Y values to the appropriate
trace header locations, and to select IBM floating point formats for the
output data values. The default values of where to write the above trace
headers has changed to be compatible with Rev1. These header byte
locations are:

To store the output from a PostStack™ processing job in a SEG-Y file,
perform the following steps:
2D Procedure
1. In the PostStack™ main dialog box, click on Output Data. The
following dialog box appears
2. Toggle on SEG-Y, and click on Parameters. The SEG-Y Data
Output dialog box appears.
Trace Header Rev0 (old) location Rev1 (new) Location
Inline 9-12 189-192
Crossline 21-24 193-196
CDP X 73-76 181-184
CDP Y 77-80 185-188
Sample Rate considerations
When outputting SEG-Y Data, the sample rate header word is
a 2-byte integer value which limits the maximum sample rate
that will be supported. Sample Rate values larger than 32.7
ms or 32.7 f/m will not be correctly written and incorrectly
read when reading the SEG-Y data back in again.
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Media Parameters
3. Toggle one of the following for storing the output Media:
• Tape—Proceed to Step 4.
• Disk—Proceed to Step 5.
4. Specify the Tape Device where your SEG-Y tape by clicking on
List. The Tape Device Select dialog box appears. Select or enter
the tape device. Note that the list contains the hostname. Proceed
to Step 7.
5. Select a SEG-Y Disk File by clicking on List. Use the file filter to
specify the path and type of file and select a file from the list of
Directories. Click on OK to apply your selection.
Tape devices should be configured by your system administrator
PostStack™ software requires a configuration file describing the
characteristics of the tape devices you will be using for SEG-Y output. Your
system administrator created this file while installing PostStack™ software.
Only those tape devices listed in the configuration file (and thus mapped to
tape alias names) will be available to you in PostStack™ software. If you need
to add another tape device, you can click on Configure to summon the
PostStack Device Configuration dialog box. Please refer to Configuring Your
Tape Device for information on configuration. However, we recommend that
to prevent problems only the system administrator configure tape devices.
2D SEG-Y file output for SEG-Y or ProMAX® input
SEG-Y output will not work for 2D if the input data is SEG-Y or ProMAX®
software and the line has not been added to the master survey file. If the line is
defined in the survey file, then SEG-Y output will work. In other words, if you
are data loading a new line using PostStack™ software, you can not have
SEG-Y input and SEG-Y output in the same flow.
SEG-Y Output Disk File extent
Since the SEG-Y Disk File maximum extent is not restricted by a user
parameter or a hard limit like in the other PostStack™ output options, you
must be careful to avoid writing a SEG-Y disk file that fills up the available
space on your output disk.
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6. If writing over an existing SEGY file, click on Info for a print out
of the EBCDIC header and key information from binary header in
the SEG-Y File window that appears.
File Output Specification Parameters
7. Select the Textual File Header format by toggling on EBCDIC or
ASCII.
8. To change the information in the Textual Header, click on Edit
Textual File Header to bring up an editor window. Enter the
information for the output reel identification header. This file can
be saved and retrieved for repeated use.
9. If your output media is Tape and you are writing to a new
tape/dataset the starting output file is 1. If you are writing to an
existing tape/dataset with files that you want to preserve, the
starting output file is 1 plus the total number of files to skip before
you start writing.
10. If output is Tape, toggle on Start New File for Each Line to write
an EBCDIC header and a binary header for each line. This option
is dimmed if output is to Disk.
General Parameters
Modify Trace Parameters
11. Use Modify Trace Parameters to change the default Trace
Format, Trace Length, and Header Word locations and formats.
Proceed to Step 18 to set the parameters using a template.
12. Click on Parameters. The Trace Parameters dialog box appears.
13. Toggle to set the trace parameter to a specific value. If the toggle
button is not set, the value is taken from the default (IBM Floating
Point and Input Trace Length).
• To set the Trace Format, select the appropriate format from the
option menu. See SEG-Y Input Overview for a description of
the options.
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• If you want to output data only from a limited time range, enter
the Maximum Time in milliseconds.
14. Click OK to close the Trace Parameters dialog box.
Modify SEG-Y Headers
15. Use Modify SEG-Y Headers to edit trace, shotpoint, and
coordinate information output to the 240-byte trace identification
header. Proceed to Step 18 to set the parameters using a template.
16. Click on Parameters. The SEG-Y Header Mapping dialog box
appears:
17. To output different trace numbers, shotpoint numbers, CDP x,y
coordinates from the current values, toggle on the specific Header
Word to mathematically alter trace and shotpoint numbers, or x,y
coordinates. You can enter an existing header word and modify the
header math formula to create the new output values.
• Specify the Output Format and Starting Byte of the header
word containing the Trace number.
• Specify the Output Format and Starting Byte of the header
word containing the Shotpoint number.
• Specify the Output Format and Starting Byte of the header
word containing the Shotpoint X (CDP-x) coordinate.
• Specify the Output Format and Starting Byte of the header
word containing the Shotpoint Y (CDP-y) coordinate.
If header word locations 181 and 185 are used for x, y coordinates,
then the coordinate scalar header word (71-72) is used as well.
• Click on OK to close the SEG-Y Header Mapping dialog box.
18. Select Update From Template to use parameters stored in a
template. In the SEG-Y Template Select dialog box that appears,
select or specify a template. Click Display to see a display of the
Special note
When writing out shotpoints or X and Ys as IBM or IEEE (4byte)
float, there will only be 8 significant digits. This is a limitation of the
4byte float format.
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template in the window. Select Apply to set or update the
parameters.
Update from Template only updates the Trace and Header
parameter settings. They can be re-entered, or a new template can
be used to update at any time.
Note: If the equation in the SEG-Y template is modified, the
selection of the equation is not enabled when the template is
updated into the SEG-Y Output menus. You must open the SEG-Y
Headers Mapping parameters dialog box after the information is
updated and manually turn on the header equations that are
modified.
19. Click on OK to close the SEG-Y Data Output dialog box.
3D Procedure
1. In the PostStack™ main dialog box, click on Output Data. The
following dialog box appears.
2. Toggle on SEG-Y, and click on Parameters. The SEG-Y Data
Output dialog box appears.SEG-Y Data Output dialog box
appears.
Media Parameters
3. Toggle one of the following for storing the output Media:
• Tape—Proceed to Step 4.
• Disk—Proceed to Step 5.
4. Specify the Tape Device where your SEG-Y tape by clicking on
List. The Tape Device Select dialog box appears. Select or enter
the tape device. Note that the list contains the hostname. Proceed
to Step 7.
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5. Select a SEG-Y Disk File by clicking on List. Use the file filter to
specify the path and type of file and select a file from the list of
Directories. Click on OK to apply your selection.
6. If writing over an existing SEG-Y file, click on Info for a print out
of the EBCDIC header and key information from binary header in
the SEG-Y File window.
File Output Specification Parameters
7. Select the Textual File Header format by toggling on EBCDIC or
ASCII.
8. To change the information in the textual header, click on Edit
Textual File Header to bring up an editor window. Enter the
information for the output reel identification header. This file can
be saved and used over and over.
9. .If your output media is Tape and you are writing to a new
tape/dataset the starting output file is 1. If you are writing to an
existing tape/dataset with files that you want to preserve, the
starting output file is 1 plus the total number of files to skip before
you start writing.
Tape devices should be configured by your system administrator
PostStack™ software requires a configuration file describing the
characteristics of the tape devices you will be using for SEG-Y output. Your
system administrator created this file while installing PostStack™ software.
Only those tape devices listed in the configuration file (and thus mapped to
tape alias names) will be available to you in PostStack™ software. If you need
to add another tape device, you can click on Configure to summon the
PostStack Device Configuration dialog box. Please refer to Configuring
Your Tape Device for information on configuration. However, we
recommend that to prevent problems only the system administrator configure
tape devices.
SEG-Y Output Disk File extent
Since the SEG-Y Disk File maximum extent is not restricted by a user
parameter or a hard limit like in the other PostStack™ output options, you
must be careful to avoid writing a SEG-Y disk file that fills up the available
space on your output disk.
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10. If output is Tape, toggle on Start New File for Each Line to write
an EBCDIC header and a binary header for each line. This option
is dimmed if output is to Disk.
General Parameters
Modify Trace Parameters
11. Use Modify Trace Parameters to change the default Trace
Format, Trace Length, and Header Word locations and formats.
Proceed to Step 18 to set the parameters using a template.
12. Click on Parameters. The Trace Parameters dialog box appears.
13. Toggle to set the trace parameter to a specific value. If the toggle
button is not set, the value is taken from the default (IBM Floating
Point and Input Trace Length).
• To set the Trace Format, select the appropriate format from the
option menu. See SEG-Y Input Overview for a description of
the options.
• If you want to output data only from a limited time range, enter
the Maximum Time in milliseconds.
14. Click OK to close the Trace Parameters dialog box.
Modify SEG-Y HEaders
15. Use Modify SEG-Y Headers to edit line, trace, and coordinate
information output to the 240-byte trace identification header.
Proceed to Step 18 to set the parameters using a template.
16. Click on Parameters. The SEG-Y Header Mapping dialog box
appears:
17. To output different line numbers, trace numbers, CDP x,y
coordinates from the current values, toggle on the specific Header
Word to mathematically alter line and trace numbers, or x,y
coordinates. You can enter an existing header word and modify the
header math formula to create the new output values.
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• Specify the Output Format and Starting Byte of the header
word containing the Line number.
• Specify the Output Format and Starting Byte of the header
word containing the Trace number.
• Specify the Output Format and Starting Byte of the header
word containing the Shotpoint X (CDP-x) coordinate.
• Specify the Output Format and Starting Byte of the header
word containing the Shotpoint Y (CDP-y) coordinate. If header
word locations 181 and 185 are used for x,y coordinates, then
the coordinate scalar header word (71-72) is used as well.
• Click on OK to close the SEG-Y Header Mapping dialog box.
18. Select Update From Template to use parameters stored in a
template. In the SEG-Y Template Select dialog box that appears,
select or specify a template. Click Display to see a display of the
template in the window. Select Apply to set or update the
parameters.
Update from Template only updates the Trace and Header
parameter settings. They can be re-entered, or a new template can
be used to update at any time.
Note: If the equation in the SEG-Y template is modified, the
selection of the equation is not enabled when the template is
updated into the SEG-Y Output menus. You must open the SEG-Y
Headers Mapping parameters dialog box after the information is
updated and manually turn on the header equations that are
modified.
19. Click on OK to close the SEG-Y Data Output dialog box.
Special note
When writing out shotpoints or X and Ys as IBM or IEEE (4byte)
float, there will only be 8 significant digits. This is a limitation of the
4byte float format.
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Outputting at Time Zero for NonZero Start Time Data
While PostStack™ software allows for the processing of nonzero start
time data, you can pad the data to zero start time when outputting to
SEGY for use in other applications. The following workflow shifts and
pads the data to zero prior to SEG-Y Out:
Trace Length (enter the total trace length to output
Bulk Shift (enter a negative time shift to bring the first live data to
0). Toggle on Reset Trace Start Times to Retain All Data.
Bulk Shift (enter a positive value equal to the negative value in the
previous bulk shift) Toggle off Reset Trace Start Times to Retain
All Data’
Therefore, if you had live data from 2200-2800 ms, the parameters
would be:
Trace Length = 2800
Bulk Shift = -2200 Reset Trace Start Times to Retain All Data
selected
Bulk Shift = 2200 Reset Trace Start Times to Retain All Data
unselected
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Estimating Output File Size
Before you generate an output data file it is important to determine how
much disk space is required. The PostStack™ I/O Information pane
will help you determine how much space is needed before you run your
flow.
To view the I/O Information click on Job in the menu bar and select
I/O Information... The follow pane will appear.
Total output file size is an estimate that will be created when the job is
run. If you are merging the output into and existing file, the size
reported pertains to the portion created by the current flow.
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The size reported is also a worst-case estimate and several factors could
result in actually using less space than is reported:
• dead traces in the input dataset
• compressed output format.
In the case where the input dataset has dead traces, the output dataset
will not include them unless requested, and hence can actually be much
smaller.
When compressed output files will are specified, the I/O Information
pane will also report an exaggerated output file size. This is because the
degree of compression is data-dependent and the output file size
reported is the worst-case as if no compression were performed.
For SeisWorks® Input data, the size of the output file is estimated by
using the rectangular area of interest specified in the SeisWorks® Input
dialog box as well as the trace length and sample format chosen in the
output dialog box.
For SEG-Y Input data, the output file size cannot be estimated unless
you specify the sample interval and the maximum time in the Trace
Parameters dialog of SEG-Y Data Input. The output file size reported is
also based on the full survey extents unless you choose to limit the areal
extent in the SEG-Y Data Input menu.
For SEG-Y Output, the I/O Information pane will include an estimate
of the output file size. If the output is a SEG-Y disk file, the size will be
included in the total disk requirements. If the output is written to a tape
device, the size is still reported, but it is not included in the total disk
requirements. Note that when the job is run, a simple check on disk
requirements is performed: If the total requirements exceed the amount
of free space in the primary SeisWorks® project directory, PostStack™
software issues a warning and asks for confirmation before running the
job. Be aware that the check assumes that an output SEG-Y disk file is
being written to the SeisWorks® data directory, even though you may
have specified a path to another location. Thus, even if you are writing
the SEG-Y file to another disk with plenty of space, you may see this
warning if your SeisWorks® project directory is running short of space.
Similarly, the estimated cache memory requirements for bricked and
compressed output files cannot be determined for SEG-Y input data
unless the user specifies the trace parameters and dataset extents.
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Output File Naming and Working with Seismic Data
Manager
Beginning with Release 5000.0.0, seismic datasets and horizons are
cataloged in the OpenWorks® database. Because of this cataloging and
because you can now identify seismic through both a dataset name and
a version name, there is a separation between the name given to the
physical seismic file and the name that is presented to you from the
seismic access menus.
Advantages of Change
Separating the physical file name from the user-specified dataset and
version names allows for more flexibility and characters when you give
a dataset a unique name. The physical file-naming convention is the
following:
S_PROJECT_IP_xxx.ccc
where xxx is an automatically assigned index number and ccc is the
output format (3dv, bri, cmp, 3dh)
An actual dataset name would look like the following:
S_NEW_DJBASIN_SW_145.bri
If the data had multiple extents, the next extent would be
S_NEW_DJBASIN_SW_14500001.bri
Now as in previous releases, the location of the physical seismic files is
controlled by the dir.dat entries. With Release 5000.0.0, however, the
plist.dat is not used after projects have been upgraded from Release
2003. Instead, you use Seismic Data Manager to specify the
storage directory for new seismic surveys under the dir.dat
directories. (You launch the Seismic Data manager from
OpenWorks > Data > Management > Seismic Data Manager.)
The Seismic Data Manager lets you do the following:
• select the type of survey to view or create, with 2D or 3D data
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• assign or create the storage partition for the seismic data after the
survey is selected. In the case of 2D data, you set the default
directory to use for output datasets.
To access and assign the storage directory, select Tools > Seismic
File Storage.
Seismic Data Manager also provides for the following:
• added capabilities over the R2003 version
• a better way for you to manage and interrogate your datasets
• deletion of datasets through the user interface
• updating of specific fields related to the data
• a preset listing of fields exposed when launched. You can expose
additional fields including the File Name by selecting the Select
Columns Icon to bring up the list.
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Processing History
Beginning with Release 5000.0.0, processing history for horizons and
seismic data is available in PostStack™ software. This new model
captures input, process, and outputs and offers the following
advantages:
• Because the processing history in Release 5000.0.0 is akin to an
audit trail, you can see who created the data, when they created it,
and how.
In the case of horizons, you can immediately see processing history
when you select a horizon in the Horizon Attributes dialog box in
SeisWorks® software. The same kind of information is available for
seismic under Seismic > Info in a Seismic View toolbar. Additional
information for horizons and seismic is available under the Horizon
Data and Seismic 2D Data or Seismic 3D Data in the Seismic Data
Manager.
• You can determine the validity of data.
Before Release 2003.12, processing history could be entered manually
only in the best of circumstances. Changes in and among companies
could sometimes even lead to the loss of processing history
information. PostStack™ Release 2003.12 moved toward a solution to
this problem with its addition to the WOW data tables for 3D seismic
only. Release 5000.0.0 expands on WOW’s capabilities with a more
general, expandable model for processing history. PostStack™
software makes use of this expanded model by saving the complete
job.output in the long remark portion of the data model. The job.output
is now saved directly with the seismic or horizon giving the complete
details of the PostStack™ flow used to create the data.
For more information about the Processing History Model, Working
with Horizon Attributes in SeisWorks® software and Seismic Data
Manager please see SeisWorks 5000.0.0 New Features in SeisWorks®
software under the Help menu.
Specifying the Output Format PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Processing History 146
Running a Session PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Overview 147
Running a Session
Overview
This chapter discusses the various procedures in running a session,
from building a flow to exiting PostStack™ software.
In This Chapter:
• Building a Flow
• Selecting a Run Option
• Processing the Job
• Displaying Processed Data
• Storing a Session
• Deleting a Session
• Exiting PostStack™ Software
Running a Session PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Building a Flow 148
Building a Flow
A flow is a sequence of processes that you want to perform on the
seismic data. You build a flow by selecting the desired processes and
setting parameters for them.
You can create multiple flows within a single PostStack™ session and
then recall that session and use or edit any of those flows as desired.
Flipping between flows allows you to try different processing on the
name input and output datasets.
Note: Each flow must have a different name (not the dataset) to use this
functionality.
Flow Index—Current flow
is first of a total of one
flow in this session
Processes listed in the order
in which they will be
performed
Descriptive comment
Green indicates active
processing step.
Run options including
Spectral Analysis.
PD border. Green indicates
PostStack™ software is in
broadcast mode.
Press MB3 anywhere in
this panel to display the
Processes popup menu
Running a Session PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Building a Flow 149
When you start a new session, the flow panel displays “Empty
Process." You start building your flow by selecting a process from the
Processes menu or from the MB3 popup menu.
Adding and Deleting Processes
In PostStack™ software a rectangle is drawn around the “active”
processing step. Any changes you make are applied to that step. To
highlight a different processing step, make sure the check box for that
step is toggled on and then click MB1 on the step.
1. To select a process for a highlighted location, click on click on
Processes and select a process, click Processes ➛ Expand on the
menu bar (Use the scroll bar to scroll through the expanded list of
processes. Click MB1 on a process to select it.), or Click MB3
anywhere on the interface.
Your selection is posted as a process in the flow. A Parameters
button appears next to the process name if you can set various
specifications for this particular process.
2. To set parameters for the selected process, click on its Parameters
button, and enter the desired values in the dialog box.
Instructions for setting parameters for each of the processes are
given with the process descriptions in the Reference Manual.
3. To add another processing step to the flow, do as follows:
• Select Edit from the menu bar, or click MB3 for the popup
menu and drag to Edit.
• Choose Add After to insert a new process below the
highlighted process.
Working with depth data
Many of the dialog boxes used to set parameters for various processes define
units as “ms” or “ms/trace.” Please be assured that when you are working with
depth data, project units (feet or meters) are used in place of milliseconds
even though the labeling in the dialog boxes does not change.
Similarly, discussions in this manual are usually limited to the time domain
since interpreters will most often be working with time data.
Running a Session PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Building a Flow 150
• Choose Add Before to insert a new process above the
highlighted process.
A processing step labeled “Empty Process” is added to the flow.
4. Select a process for the newly added location as described in steps
1 and 2.
5. To delete a process from the flow, do as follows:
• Click MB1 on the process to highlight it.
• Select Edit ➛ Delete from the menu bar or from the popup
menu.
6. When you have completed building the flow, enter a Flow
Description of up to 40 characters.
This descriptive comment is optional but recommended.
Adding and Deleting Flows
Options for managing entire flows are found on the Flow menu.
1. To add a new flow to the session, select Flow ➛ Add.
The dialog box displays the new (empty) flow, and the numbers in
the flow index are updated.
2. To insert a copy of the current flow, select Flow ➛ Copy.
A new flow, replicating all the processes and parameter settings in
the current flow, is created and inserted immediately after the
current flow.
3. To remove all processes from the current flow, select Flow ➛
Clear.
All processes are removed so you can start building the flow over.
The flow index numbers do not change.
4. To delete a flow from the session, select Flow ➛ Delete.
The current flow and all its processes are eliminated. The flow
index is updated to show one less flow in the session.
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5000.8.0.0 Building a Flow 151
Displaying Various Flows
If a session contains multiple flows, you can navigate through those
flows using the Flow menu or the icons.
To display the next flow in the session, select Flow ➛ Next from the
menu bar, or click on the icon.
To display the previous flow in the session, select Flow ➛ Previous
from the menu bar, or click on the icon.
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5000.8.0.0 Selecting a Run Option 152
Selecting a Run Option
PostStack™ software allows you to select these run options:
Histogram and Spectra. These options provide diagnostic information
about the seismic data in the flow.
Histogram
By selecting the Histogram Run Option and running the job,
PostStack™ software produces an amplitude scan histogram with the
range of amplitudes found in the data. The resulting display is available
in the job log.
You select logarithmic when you have a lot of amplitude contrast and
you are not sure of the contrast amount. Logarithmic looks at the
magnitude of the data. When you know what to expect, select linear.
For example, you are looking at dips from -10 to 10 degrees, you select
linear and signed amplitude (this looks at negative and positive values).
From your report, you can determine the exact report.
Click MB3 on Histogram to set the parameters. The following
Histogram Parameters dialog box appears:
Toggle on Logarithmic, Linear, or None (examples are shown below).
If Linear is selected, choose either an Absolute or Signed Amplitude
statistic and set the Minimum and Maximum values. Toggle on Full
Histogram or a Detailed Histogram
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Minimum and maximum amplitude values may be specified using
scientific notation, for example, 1e2 instead of 100.
Click on Job ➛ View on the main menu bar to view the Histogram
results in the Output from Flow window.
Logarithmic Output
The following is an example of the logarithmic output:
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Linear Output
The following is an example of the logarithmic output:
Spectral
This option computes and displays a spectral estimate of frequency and
phase for a single subset. When you select Spectral as the Run Option
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and then click on Run, the Single Subset Spectral Analysis window
appears with the line name displaying at top of window:
You can select a single rectangular subset of the data for analysis. Click
on the Selection icon and drag MB1 in the Data Selection window
(the left-most window) to select the rectangular subset. The spectral
displays are automatically updated for each new selection. You can
select more display windows under View ➛ Visibility.
The menu bar contains the three pulldown menus shown above, plus
the Help menu. When commands in the menu are not appropriate, they
are grayed out. Commands that pop up dialog boxes end in an ellipsis
(...). Commands that bring up a fly out menu for additional choices end
with >. Each menu can be accessed via the keyboard by using <Alt> in
combination with the underline letter for that command.
Data Selection
Window
What happens if the Trace Window display is blank?
If the Trace Window display is blank, the amplitudes of the data are too high.
You will have to exponentially scale your data prior to running Spectral
Analyzer.
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Menu Bar
The menu bar contains the following commands.
File Menu
When you click on File, a pulldown menu appears containing the
following options:
• Hardcopy> presents two options to generate prints/plots of the
display. Printer prints a screen image to a printer specified in the
config_file. Plotter generates a screendump cgm file of the screen
image and submits it to plotting software specified in the
config_file.
• Next Screen displays the next screen full of data.
• Exit/Continue Flow exits the window but continues the flow.
• Exit/Stop Flow exits the window and stops the flow.
Data Menu
When you click on Data, a pulldown menu appears containing the
following options:
• Data Region... pops up the Next Screen Controls dialog box in
which you set display parameters:
• Shift by toggles between:
• Traces allows you to enter the Number of traces and Trace
Shift Increment.
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• Ensembles allows you enter Number of Ensembles or
Ensembles Shift Increment.
• Trace Scaling... pops up the Trace Scaling Controls dialog box in
which you edit the parameters that change the polarity and
amplitude scaling of the display data:
• Polarity toggles between Normal and Reverse.
• Scaling toggles between:
• Conventional scaling allows you to enter a gain
• Range limited scaling allows you to select whether to
estimate from the data and enter a minimum and
maximum scaling option.
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• .Trace Display... pops up the Display Controls dialog box in which you edit
the parameters that change how traces are displayed. For example, are traces
displayed as wiggles or as pixels.
View Menu
When you click on View, a pulldown menu appears containing the
following options choices to change the data window, phase, or power
options:
• FFT Weighting... brings up a fly out menu in which you select a
pre-FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) tapered time window. This
tapering is recommended, since tapering the time window reduces
edge effects from the Fourier transform. The options are:
• Hanning applies a Hanning window with scalar percent flat to
the trace. That is, it applies a cosine taper with an edge sample
= 0.0. The Hanning window is defined by:
• Bartlett applies a Bartlett window with scalar percent flat to the
trace. The Bartlett window puts a linear slope on each end of the
window over the taper zone.
1
2
---
1
2
-- - ¢ cos –
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• Hamming applies a Hamming window with scalar percent flat
to the trace. That is, it applies a cosine taper with an edge
sample = .08. The Hamming window is defined by:
where
• Boxcar applies no windowing to the data prior to FFT. That is,
it applies 1.0 in the flat zone, 0.0 in the taper.
• Window Percent Flat... brings up the Window Percent Flat
dialog box in which you can specify the percent of the window
which is flat.
• Phase Spectrum... pops up the Phase Options dialog box in which
you can edit the phase spectrum parameters. PostStack™ software
offers various options to shift the zero time of the transformed
samples. A time shift of the input data is equivalent to a linear
phase shift of the spectrum. This is how the program applies the
time shift. You can also specify the linear phase shift slope:
• Phase shift type toggles between:
• Linear Phase Shift allows you to enter the slope of the
linear phase shift in deg/Hz.
• Time Shift allows you to enter the time shift in ms.
• Sample shift allows you to enter the number of samples to
shift. A negative value shifts up and a positive value shifts
down.
• Phase Shift Amount is the value associated with the above
options.
0.54 0.46 ¢ cos –
¢ t current ramp length/total taper length ( ) =
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• Phase wrapping toggles between Wrap Phase spectrum or
Unwrap Phase spectrum. The phase unwrapping algorithm
adds multiples of 360 degrees to the phase values to make the
phase spectrum as continuous as possible.
• Power Scaling... pops up the Power Options dialog box in which
you can edit the power spectrum parameters. The average power
spectra is calculated by performing an FFT on the input traces. The
sum of the amplitude spectrum samples is equal to the mean
squared sum of the input data values, thereby normalizing the
spectra. The amplitude spectra is then squared to obtain the power
spectra for display purposes.
The power spectra can be displayed as raw values, as a percentage
of the defined reference power, or as dB down from the
reference power.
If you set the reference power to a negative number, it will be reset
to the maximum power sample in the spectrum.
• Display Type toggles between:
• dB Power displays power in dB down from reference power.
For raw dB, set reference power to 1.0.
dB is defined by:
dB = 10 log (P/P
REF
) where:
P
REF
= reference power
P = measured power
All Logarithms are to base 10.
• Percent Power displays power as a percentage of reference
power.
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• Raw Power selects average power. Spectrum displayed in
raw power.
• Signal/Noise options allow you to select data only, overlay
signal, or overlay noise. The signal traces are normalized
according to the display used for the power spectra. For
example, if raw power equals amplitude spectra squared, the
signal spectra is also squared before display to view traces
relative to the power spectra.
• Signal—The signal spectra for the input dataset is calculated
by using each trace of the amplitude spectra calculated
above, and cross-correlating adjacent traces. These signal
traces are summed, then normalized to the number of input
signal traces, and the square root is calculated. The algorithm
for the signal spectra calculation assumes flat reflectors. For
example, at zero lag, the cross-correlation of the amplitude
spectra represents the signal spectra. The signal traces are
normalized according to the display used for the power
spectra. For example, if raw power equals amplitude spectra
squared, the signal spectra is also squared before display to
view traces relative to the power spectra.
• Noise is the result of subtracting the signal trace from the
amplitude trace.
• Data Only displays one power spectrum of the average of all
data. The signal spectra for the input dataset is calculated by
using each trace of the amplitude spectra calculated above,
and cross-correlating adjacent traces. These signal traces are
summed, then normalized to the number of input signal
traces and the square root is calculated. The algorithm for the
signal spectra calculation assumes flat reflectors. For
example, at zero lag, the cross-correlation of the amplitude
spectra represents the signal spectra.
• Overlay Noise displays the same power spectrum as Data
Only with an overlay of a spectrum representing the noise
spectrum of the noise present in the data. The noise power
spectrum equals the data power spectrum minus the signal
power spectrum.
• Overlay Signal displays the same power spectrum as Data
Only with an overlay of a spectrum that represents the power
spectrum of the coherent signal in the data.
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• Smooth Signal applies a 5 Hz smoothing function to the
signal.
• Reference Power allows you to enter a new reference power
dB or % displays. A negative value uses maximum amplitude of
the spectra as reference. For dBPower, set reference to 1.0.
• OpenWorks® Colormap... pops up the Seismic Color Bar. For
information on this color bar, refer to the "Using Color" chapter in
the manual titled Data Display in SeisWorks® Software Version
5000.8.0.0.
• Visibility... allows you to toggle on/off the data window, select
data, F-X power, Average power, and Average phase. Click on
Close to exit.
Help Menu
When you click on Help, a pulldown menu appears containing the
following options:
• Mouse > brings up a submenu with five choices:
❑
Coordinates enables coordinate display.
❑ Buttons enables button help.
❑
General enables general help.
All enables mouse help.
None enables all mouse help.
• Documentation brings up this helpfile.
Icons
The Icon Bar on the left contains the following icons:
• shows the next screen full of data.
• zooms or unzooms the data.
• annotates the data.
• selects a rectangular region of the data as described above.
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•
displays the slope of the power spectra. The Slope icon can
be used to estimate the amortization of the spectra in db/octave by
drawing a line on the power spectrum display.
To calculate slopes, click on the power spectral display. Use MB1
to start a line and Shift MB2 to end the line. The slope that is
displayed is computed from the two endpoints, with frequencies
converted to octaves (1 octave means that the second frequency is
twice that of the first). Because frequencies are converted to
octaves, parallel lines to not usually provide the same slopes.
Rewind and Back icons do not work
The rewind and back buttons are not enabled in this release of
PostStack™ software. We are sorry for any inconvenience.
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Processing the Job
After you have built a flow or loaded an existing flow, you can process
the data. The processing job is done in the background, thus allowing
you to continue to work in PostStack™ software or other applications.
Testing the Job
Before sending the full job to the job queue, it’s a good idea to test the
flow by processing a single line. This trial run will uncover any
parameters that are improperly set and tell you how long it takes to
process one line. You can then adjust the parameters, if necessary, and
estimate the time required for the full job.
The trial run can also help you in determining how to scale your final
output data or attribute horizons. During a trial run, PostStack™
software does an amplitude scan and records the minimum and
maximum amplitudes in the job log.
If Input Data is set to a vertical file, PostStack™ software will
typically select one line from the dataset for the trial run. For 3D
projects, this will be either an inline or a crossline, depending on how
you have set the processing orientation. However, for PostStack ESP™
processing, three lines will be selected from the dataset for the trial run.
If Input Data is determined by a Seismic View, PostStack™ software
will use the same data (all line segments displayed in that Seismic
View) for the trial run as for the full job.
The procedure for executing a trial run is outlined below:
1. Make sure Input Data is set to include all the data you wish to
process.
2. Build or display the processing flow you want to use.
3. Make sure the check box for each process you want performed is
toggled on.
If you toggle off a process, that process is not used for the current
job. But the process remains in the flow and can be toggled on and
used later.
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4. Select a option from the Run Options list. You can run
PostStack™ software without selecting a run option. Run options
create display frequency distribution reports, difference reports, or
compute and display spectral estimates of frequency and phase.
For information about selecting a run option, see Displaying
Processed Data.
5. If you want a time delay before the job is initiated, enter the
amount (in hours) using the arrows to set Delay Hours (by tenths)
for the run.
6. Initiate the trial run by any of these methods:
• Click on the Submit Job icon .
• Click Run at the bottom of the dialog box.
• Select Job ➛ Run from the main menu bar.
PostStack™ software processes one line of the input data with the
current flow. Status messages in the message bar at the bottom of
the dialog box tell you when the trial run is initiated and if it is
completed successfully.
7. To check the results of the trial run, click on the Job Log icon
, or select Job ➛ View from the menu bar.
The Job Log window appears, as shown on the next page.
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8. Scroll through the job log, looking for any reported errors.
For a more detailed description of the job log, see Checking the
Job Log.
9. Near the end of the job log, note the Total elapsed time required
to process one line.
Multiplying this value by the number of lines in your input data will
give you an idea of how long the full job will take.
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10. If any parameter errors were uncovered, correct those parameters
before attempting to run the job.
Running the Job
To process the input data with the current flow, do as follows:
1. Make sure Input Data is set to include all the data you wish to
process.
2. Build or display the processing flow you want to use.
3. Make sure the check box for each process you want performed is
toggled on.
If you toggle off a process, that process is not used for the current
job. But the process remains in the flow and can be toggled on and
used later.
4. Select a Run Option. You can run PostStack™ software without
selecting a run option. Run options create display frequency
distribution reports, difference reports, or compute and display
spectral estimates of frequency and phase. For information about
selecting a run option, see Selecting a Run Option.
Monitoring the job log
If you have already processed at least one trial run or full job during the
PostStack™ session, you can open the Job Log window before starting the
trial run and watch as results are written to that window. To do so,
• click on the Job Log icon
• in the Job Log window, select File ➛ Monitor
• click on Run to start the trial run
• toggle off the Monitor option when the job is completed.
Running Histogram
To select Histogram, you must click MB3 on the Histogram label and then on
the Parameters button. The Histogram Parameters dialog box will then appear.
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5. If you want a time delay before the job is initiated, enter the
amount (in hours) using the arrows to set Delay Hours (by tenths)
for the run.
6. Send the job to the job queue by any of these methods:
• Click on the Submit Job icon .
• Click on Run at the bottom of the dialog box.
• Select Job ➛ Run from the menu bar.
Status messages in the message bar at the bottom of the dialog box
tell you when the job is initiated and if it is completed successfully.
A beep will sound when the job is completed.
You can delay a job only if the session has been saved.
To run a delayed job, PostStack™ software must know both the flow and the
project. Project information is not recorded for archived sessions. Therefore, if
you specify a time delay and the current session has not been saved in the
project directory, you’ll get an error message telling you to save the session.
Only one delayed job per flow at a time, please.
PostStack™ software will accept only one delayed job from a given flow. You
cannot submit other delayed jobs from that same flow until the first one is
processed. However, you can, if you wish, submit delayed jobs from other
flows in the current session.
Also, you can simply copy the flow n times, make any desired changes in
parameter settings, save the session, and then submit one delayed job for each
of the copied flows.
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7. To monitor the status of the job, select Job ➛ List. The List of
Submitted Jobs dialog box appears:
The Status column indicates where the job is New (just submitted),
Queued, Running, or Finished.
8. If a job aborts or seems to be taking too long, check the job log as
follows:
• Highlight the job name in the List of Submitted Jobs.
• Click on View.
The Job Log window appears. For a more detailed description of
the job log, see Checking the Job Log.
9. To close the List of Submitted Jobs, click on OK.
Checking the Job Log
As it processes the data, PostStack™ software writes a detailed log of
the job. This log, the job.output file, can be displayed in the Job Log
window. It continually lists the percentage of the job completed,
records the runtimes for the various processes, and posts error
messages. Examining the job log will help you discover and correct any
problems.
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The job.output files for the last six jobs submitted using the current
session are retained so that you can compare different runs.
To Display the Job Log Window
You can display the Job Log window in any of three ways:
• Click on the Job Log icon .
• Select Job ➛ View from the menu bar.
• In the List of Submitted Jobs, highlight the desired job and click
on View.
The menu bar provides options allowing you to display different job
logs, search through a log, and print a log.
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To Display Various Job Logs
File ➛ Reread causes the job.output file to be read once again, so that
the most current information is accessed. This option is handy if you
are occasionally checking on the progress of a long job and do not wish
to use the Monitor option.
File ➛ Monitor updates the window every three seconds as the job is
running. Be sure to toggle the Monitor option off after the job is
completed otherwise the job log window will continue to refresh every
three seconds.
Versions displays a list of all the job.output files available so you can
select one for display. A maximum of six files for the current session
are retained for reference. These are listed in reverse chronological
order. That is, the last job sent to the queue is at the top of the list and is
referred to as “Current.”
To Search the Current File
Options ➛ Search displays a dialog box so you can enter a character
string as the criterion for the search. Clicking on OK in the dialog box
takes you to the first occurrence of the character string in the job log.
Options ➛ Next highlights the next occurrence of the search criterion,
as defined in the Search String dialog box.
To Print the Current File
File ➛ Print sends the current file to the default printer. For this option
to work, a line printer must be properly configured to run with the
system.
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To Close the Job Log Window
File ➛ Exit closes the Job Log window.
Managing Jobs
You can send multiple jobs for processing and then check the queue,
and stop, pause, or delete a job using the Job menu.
How PostStack™ software names jobs
In the message bar of the PostStack™ software main dialog box, jobs are
identified by an automatically generated name composed of
SeisWorks_project/session_name/flow_identifier
The flow ID is a unique Unix filename supplied by PostStack™ software to
ensure that there will be no conflict between submitted flows. An example
would be “flowMAAAa29428.”
The session name is the name you supplied when you saved the session or, if it
hasn’t been saved, an automatically generated name, such as
“sessIAAa03967.”
In the List of Submitted Jobs, jobs are identified by the session name (supplied
by you or automatically by PostStack™ software) and the flow description
(supplied by you).
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• To check the job queue, select Job ➛ List. A dialog box appears,
listing all the jobs submitted during the current session.
The Status column indicates where the job is New (just submitted),
Queued, Running, or Finished.
• To check the job log for any of the jobs, click on the job name to
highlight it, and then click on View.
A Job Log window appears, displaying the job.output file for the
selected job.
• To temporarily halt a job that is “Running,” click on the job name,
and then click on Pause.
The job is stopped, and the status changes to “Waiting for
Continue.”
• To restart a job that has been halted, click on the job name, and
then click on Resume.
The job resumes, and the status changes to “Running.”
• To kill a job that is “Running,” click on the job name, and then
click on Stop.
The job is terminated, and the status changes to “User Terminated.”
A job that has been stopped in this manner cannot be resumed.
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• To remove a job from the list, lick on the job name. If the job is
running, click on Stop. Then click on Delete.
The job is eliminated from the List of Submitted Jobs, and the
job.output file for that job is removed from the buffer.
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Displaying Processed Data
PostStack™ software will broadcast the processed data to an open
Seismic View when the processing job is finished.
Automatic Broadcast
If the data was input from Seismic View via the Pointing Dispatcher™
(PD) software, you can broadcast the processed data to a Seismic View
as soon as the processing job is finished. To do so, perform the
following steps:
1. Check the Options menu, and make sure Auto PD Broadcast is
toggled on. This is the default.
2. Toggle on the Receive Seismic icon in the target Seismic View.
3. Run the processing job.
The data is transmitted to the listening Seismic View as soon as the
processing job is completed.
Manual Broadcast
If the data was input from Seismic View via the Pointing Dispatcher™
(PD) software, you can also broadcast processed data from the last job
to a Seismic View manually. This option is useful if you forgot to set
conditions for an automatic broadcast before running the job or if you
want to send the data to another window.
1. After running the processing job, toggle on the Receive Seismic
icon in the target Seismic View.
2. Select Options ➛ Broadcast PD from the PostStack™ main
menu bar.
Data from the most recently run job is broadcast to the listening
Seismic View.
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5000.8.0.0 Storing a Session 176
Storing a Session
You actually have two options for storing a PostStack™ session:
• You can save it to the project directory, thus making it available
whenever you work with this same project.
• You can archive it in a user or system library, thus making it
available no matter which project you work with.
In either case, the session file records all the flows built during that
session. No seismic data or data specifications are stored in session
files.
Saving a Session
When you save a PostStack™ session, it is written to the project sys
directory. Subsequently you can access the session only when you are
working in that same project.
You have two options for saving sessions:
Session ➛ Save updates the current session file, writing your changes
to it immediately. However, if the session has never been saved before,
Save displays a dialog box so that you can give the session a name and
optional description.
Session ➛ Save As displays a dialog box so that you give the session a
name and optional description before writing it to the project sys
directory. You can, if you like, select an existing session name from the
list and overwrite that file.
1. To save a session for the first time, select Session ➛ Save or
Session ➛ Save As.
2. Specify a Session Name by either of these methods:
• Enter a new name of up to 10 characters in the Session Name
field.
• Click on the name of an existing session in the Sessions field if
you wish to overwrite it.
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3. To make it easier to distinguish among sessions, add a Session
Description.
This description will be displayed along with the session name in
all session lists in PostStack™ session.
4. To determine the information to be saved, toggle on one of the
following:
• Save Flow Information saves the processing flow information
only.
• Save I/O Information saves input and output information in
addition to the processing flow information. This option will be
dimmed if there is there is no input/output information for the
selected session. An ‘x’ under I/O in the Sessions field
indicates that input/output information is available.
To save input and output information, toggle on Save I/O under
Options on the main menu bar. This option must be toggled on
to activate the Save I/O Information option on the Save
Session As dialog box. If you want to save information from the
selected Input Data option only, toggle on Selected I/O under
Options. If Selected I/O is toggled off, all information, even if
not a selected input option, will be saved.
5. Click on OK to apply your selections.
Archiving a Session
When you archive a PostStack™ session, you can choose to store it in a
user library or system library. In either case, session files are stored
independently from the SeisWorks® projects and are thus available
across projects.
User Library
The user library can be set up to allow access to you alone or to you and
your colleagues. For example, you might want to establish the same
user library for everyone in your work group.
The location of the user library is generally defined during installation
of PostStack™ software. Instructions for doing so are provided in the
PostStack/PAL™ Release Notes and summarized here:
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5000.8.0.0 Storing a Session 178
You define the location of the user library by setting the variable
PSUSERHOME in the appropriate initialization file (.cshrc, .login, or
.lgclogin for C shells; .lgcprofile for Bourne or Korn shells).
Use the following syntax:
• C shells:
setenv PSUSERHOME /path/directory_name
• Bourne or Korn shells:
PSUSERHOME = "/path/directory_name"
To allow several users access to the same library, set PSUSERHOME in
each user’s initialization file to the same directory.
If you don’t specify a user library location, PostStack™ software will
automatically establish one in your home directory as $HOME/sess.
System Library
The system library is automatically created in $PSHOME/port/sess.
Anyone sharing the same $PSHOME location will have the same
system library.
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5000.8.0.0 Storing a Session 179
Procedure
1. Select Session ➛ Archive.
The Archive Current Session dialog box appears.
2. Indicate where you want the session file stored by selecting either
• User Library—available to anyone who has been given access
to this directory
• System Library—available to anyone sharing the same
$PSHOME location.
All session files currently stored in the library you have chosen are
posted in the dialog box.
3. To create a new session file, enter a Session Name of up to 10
characters and a Session Description up to 48 characters.
To overwrite an existing session file, click on the filename in the
Sessions field.
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5000.8.0.0 Storing a Session 180
To determine the information to be archived, toggle on one of the
following:
• Archive Flow Information archives the processing flow
information only.
• Archive I/O Information archives input and output
information in addition to the processing flow information. This
option will be dimmed if there is there is no input/output
information for the selected session. An ‘x’ under I/O in the
Sessions field indicates that input/output information is
available.
To save input and output information, toggle on Save I/O under
Options on the main menu bar. This option must be toggled on
to activate the Archive I/O Information option on the Archive
Current Session dialog box. If you want to save information
from the selected Input Data option only, toggle on Selected
I/O under Options. If Selected I/O is toggled off, all
information, even if not a selected input option, will be saved.
4. Click on OK to apply your selection.
Prebuilt sessions cannot be overwritten or deleted.
The prebuilt sessions that are supplied with PostStack/PAL™ software in the
system library cannot be overwritten or deleted. The permissions on these files
have been set to read-only. (If you must delete these sessions, talk to your
system administrator about changing the file permissions.)
Other session files in the system library can be overwritten or deleted if you
have write permission.
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5000.8.0.0 Deleting a Session 181
Deleting a Session
You can delete a PostStack™ session file and all the flows it contains as
follows:
1. In the PostStack™ main dialog box, select Session > Delete.
The Delete Session dialog box appears.
2. Toggle on one of the following options:
• Current Session to delete the active session and return
PostStack™ software to its original state (before you opened a
session).
• Current Project to list all sessions stored in the project
directories for the active project.
• User Library to list all sessions stored under the current user’s
library.
• System Library to list all the sessions stored in the
PostStack™ system library.
If you chose Current Session, proceed to step 4. If you chose any
of the other options, all sessions stored in that location are posted in
the dialog box.
3. Click on the name of the session you wish to delete.
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5000.8.0.0 Deleting a Session 182
4. Click on OK or Apply.
A message appears, asking you to confirm the deletion.
5. Click on OK in the message box.
Prebuilt sessions cannot be overwritten or deleted.
The prebuilt sessions that are supplied with PostStack/PAL™ software in the
system library cannot be overwritten or deleted. The permissions on these files
have been set to read-only. (If you must delete these sessions, talk to you
system administrator about changing the file permissions.)
Other session files in the system library can be overwritten or deleted if you
have write permission.
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5000.8.0.0 Exiting PostStack™ Software 183
Exiting PostStack™ Software
To exit PostStack™ software, select Session ➛ Exit.
If changes were made during the session and not written to the session
file, a message box will appear.
Choose from the following options:
• Yes to save the changes and exit
• Cancel to keep PostStack™ software open
• No to discard the changes and exit.
If no changes have been made since you last saved the session, the
following message will appear:
Choose from the following options:
• OK to exit
• Cancel to keep PostStack™ software open.
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5000.8.0.0 Exiting PostStack™ Software 184
If interactive processing jobs submitted during the session are not yet
completed, the following message will appear:
Choose from the following options:
• Yes to have the interactive jobs continue running after you exit
• Cancel to keep PostStack™ software open
• No to stop all interactive jobs when you exit PostStack™ software.
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5000.8.0.0 Overview 185
Typical Workflows
Overview
PostStack™ software can be used in conjunction with SeisWorks®
software. Generally the procedures are the same whether you are
working with a 3D project or a 2D project. Where differences occur,
optional steps for 3D and 2D are provided.
The workflow you follow in PostStack™ software or PAL™ software
will vary greatly, depending on your objectives and on the type and
quality of your input data. Some suggestions for using these versatile
programs are presented on the following pages.
In This Chapter:
• For Use With Other Landmark Software Products
• For Building a PostStack™ Flow
• For Processing Data from a Vertical Section File
• For Processing and Loading SEG-Y Data
• For Extracting Attributes with PAL™ Software
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5000.8.0.0 For Use With Other Landmark Software Products 186
For Use With Other Landmark Software Products
Generalized workflows illustrating how PostStack™ software and
PAL™ software are used in conjunction with other Landmark products
are presented in this section.
PostStack™ Software
The workflow you choose for PostStack™ software depends on
whether the input data has already been loaded to a SeisWorks®
project.
Loading SEG-Y Data to a New Project
Generalized workflows for 3D and 2D are shown below. For a more
detailed workflow, see workflow For Processing and Loading
SEG-Y Data
Typical Workflows PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 For Use With Other Landmark Software Products 187
Create an OpenWorks® Project or
Select OpenWorks <All Data> Project
to load data into (OpenWorks)
Input SEG-Y file to PostStack™
software.Apply basic processing.
Output to vertical section file.
(PostStack™ software)
Interpret the data
(SeisWorks® software)
If necessary, refine processing flow and
parameters. Reprocess data.
(PostStack™ software)
QC the output data in Seismic View
(SeisWorks® software)
Workflow for processing SEG-Y Data
and loading it to a new 2D or existing
OpenWorks® project
Start PostStack™ from the
OpenWorks Command Menu.
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5000.8.0.0 For Use With Other Landmark Software Products 188
Processing Data from a SeisWorks® Project
A generalized workflow is on the next page. For a more detailed one,
see For Processing Data from a Vertical Section File.
In OpenWorks Project Admin Modify the <All
Data> project and add the newly created 3D
survey to the Project. Start PostStack™ software
in the <All Data> project and select the newly
created 3D survey. (OpenWorks® software)
Input SEG-Y file to PostStack™
software. Apply basic processing.
Output to vertical SeisWorks® seismic
file. (PostStack™ software)
Interpret the data
(SeisWorks® & SeisCube™ software)
If necessary, refine processing flow and
parameters. Reprocess data.
(PostStack™ software)
QC the output data in Seismic View
(SeisWorks® software)
Workflow for processing 3D SEG-Y
Data and loading it to a new 3D or
Existing OpenWorks® project
In Seismic Data Manager Create the 3D
survey and set master grid &
Cartographic reference system for new
3D project; start PostStack™ software.
(Seismic Data Manager)
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5000.8.0.0 For Use With Other Landmark Software Products 189
Display representative data in Seismic
View & input that data to PostStack™
(SeisWorks® software)
Design a processing flow to meet your
objectives. Run the processing job.
(PostStack™ software)
QC the data output.
(SeisWorks® and/or GeoProbe®
software)
Input full volume of data you wish to
process. Run processing job.
(PostStack™ software)
Launch a second Seismic View from the
first & toggle on the Receive Seismic
icon (SeisWorks® software)
Compare the processed data
(2nd Seismic View) with the input data
(1st Seismic View)
Refine processing flow & parameters.
Reprocess representative data &
QC output. (PostStack™ software)
Display lines to be interpreted in
1st Seismic View. PD this data to
PostStack™ software.
Process the data to be interpreted.
(PostStack™ software)
Interpret data, using processed data in
2nd Seismic View & original data in 1st
Seismic View to guide interpretation.
Interpret the data.
(SeisWorks® and/or GeoProbe®
software)
Workflow for Processing Data from a Vertical Section File
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5000.8.0.0 For Use With Other Landmark Software Products 190
PAL™ Software
PAL™ software is used in conjunction with other Landmark Software
products, as illustrated by this two-phase workflow:
• First, you extract all attributes from a subset of your data and
analyze the results, looking for attributes that correlate with the
well data.
• Then, you extract these attributes from the entire dataset and use
them to guide your interpretation.
If you are using 2D data, you should resolve misties as much as
possible before extracting attributes. Otherwise the attribute horizons
derived from lines of different vintages may not tie.
Seismic Balance allows you to calculate and apply time shifts, phase
rotations, and amplitude scalars on a line-by-line basis. The output is a
new vertical section file (.2v2). Use this corrected .2v2 file as the input
data for PAL™ software.
Typical Workflows PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 For Use With Other Landmark Software Products 191
For 2D projects, match lines in
time, phase, and amplitude
(Seismic Balance)
Interpret horizons on seismic data
(SeisWorks® software)
QC/analyze attributes
overlain on horizon
surfaces
(GeoProbe® software)
Display a traverse through the wells in
Seismic View and input data to PAL™
software
(SeisWorks® software)
QC/analyze attributes in
Seismic View and
Map View
(SeisWorks® software)
Correlate attributes with
geologic or other data to
determine which are
meaningful (RAVE™)
Extract all attributes from seismic data,
in intervals related to horizons
(PAL™ software)
Use “meaningful” attributes to guide
your interpretation
(SeisWorks® software)
Extract “meaningful” attributes from
seismic data for entire project
(PAL™ software)
Workflow for Extracting Attributes with PAL™ Software
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5000.8.0.0 For Building a PostStack™ Flow 192
For Building a PostStack™ Flow
The basic steps in building a flow and running a PostStack™ job are
diagrammed below. Optional steps are shown in dashed boxes.
Specify format and location for output data.
Select the first process & set parameters for it.
Add a new (empty) process to the flow by selecting
Edit ➛ Add After.
Select the next process & set parameters for it.
Run the job. Monitor status bar & check job log.
Give the flow a descriptive name.
Save or archive the session so you can use
the flow again later.
Workflow for Building a PostStack Flow
Start PostStack™
software from
Map View. Manually
specify input data.
Start PostStack™
software from
OpenWorks. Manually
specify project
and input data.
Start PostStack™
software from Seismic
View. Input data
automatically specified.
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5000.8.0.0 For Processing Data from a Vertical Section File 193
For Processing Data from a Vertical Section File
Two basic approaches are diagrammed below:
• Process a small subset of data; refine the processing parameters;
process the entire data set; and interpret on processed data.
• Process a small subset of data; refine the processing parameters;
and select, process, and interpret individual line segments, using
both the original data and the processed data to guide the
interpretation.
The first approach is faster and, if you have data that is fairly consistent,
may be perfectly acceptable. If you are comfortable that your
processing decisions are right for the dataset, use this approach.
The second approach is slower because each run has an overhead for
data input and output. However, it gives added reassurance. By keeping
the original data visible, you can judge the validity of the features on
the processed data. You can push the processing parameters and
continually compare the outcome with the input data. For example, you
might incrementally crank up the data enhancement parameters to push
events further into an area with poor signal quality, always checking the
outcome against the original data.
The second approach is practical because PostStack™ software
automatically broadcasts its output data to any Seismic View that is
listening. You simply open two Seismic Views, display the original data
in one and set the other one to receive data broadcasts from
PostStack™ software.
This approach also requires minimal disk space since each time you
process a line you overwrite the temporary vertical section file
containing the last processed line. The disadvantage, of course, is that
you no longer have the processed sections to redisplay.
A workflow using a Vertical Section File is shown on the following
pages.
Typical Workflows PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 For Processing Data from a Vertical Section File 194
Launch a second Seismic View from the first.
Toggle on the Receive Seismic icon.
Process the flow.
If desired, open an existing PostStack™ session.
Display representative data in Seismic View.
Send data contents of Seismic View to PostStack™
software via the Pointing Dispatcher™ (PD).
Leave PostStack™ output set to default vertical
section file. Change output format & scaling if desired.
Build or edit a flow for your processing objective
(e.g., data enhancement, higher resolution, etc.)
View processed data in Seismic View #2.
Compare with input data in Seismic View #1.
If necessary, refine processing parameters & rerun the
job. (Direct output to a different vertical section file if
you want to compare versions.)
Process full data volume,
then interpret.
Process & interpret line
segments.
Workflow for Processing & Interpreting Data
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5000.8.0.0 For Processing Data from a Vertical Section File 195
Leave all parameters as currently
set in PostStack™ software.
PD data contents from Seismic View #1
to PostStack™ software.
Display the portion of data you want to
interpret in Seismic View #1.
Process the new input data. Output from
the last job is overwritten.
Change the input data specifications
to include all the data you want
to process through your flow.
Set a time delay to start the job
after work hours.
QC the data output in
SeisWorks® or GeoProbe® software.
Monitor the job status with the
List Jobs option.
Change the output specifications,
inserting the name for the final vertical
section file, and requesting a time slice
and/or cube data file for 3D projects
if desired.
Press Run.
Interpret the data in
SeisWorks® or GeoProbe® software.
Workflow for Processing & Interpreting Data
(Continued)
Process & interpret line
segments:
Interpret the data, using the processed
data in Seismic View #2 and the
original data in Seismic View #1 to
guide the interpretation.
Process full data volume,
then interpret:
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5000.8.0.0 For Processing and Loading SEG-Y Data 196
For Processing and Loading SEG-Y Data
Trace data from SEG-Y files can be processed in PostStack™ software
and automatically loaded to Interpretation project if the AOI of the
Interpretation project is set to recognize new data, or you can manually
select the new data through Project Modify.
It is recommended that seismic data be loaded into the <All Data>
OpenWorks® Project and then picked up or selected into the
Interpretation projects.
Once the seismic data is loaded into the All Data project you can create
new Interpretation projects to access the data, or add it to existing
Interpretation projects. To create a new Interpretation project, launch
Project Admin from the OpenWorks® Command Menu. Then, create
a new, Interpretation project with the Interpretation Create wizard
under Project ➛ Interpretation Project ➛ Create. Please refer to the
Help documentation accessed from the Interpretation project create and
modify wizards found under OpenWorks® Project Admin for
information on creating Interpretation Projects and adding data to them
For 3D data, you must also define the master grid and cartographic
system in a 3D survey using Seismic Data Manager. (Data ➛
Management ➛ Seismic Data Manager on the OpenWorks®
Command Menu). If this information is unknown, use SEG-Y Analyze
to determine these values from the SEG-Y headers. Please refer to the
Seismic Project Utilities manual for information on Seismic Data
Manager.
Workflows for 3D and 2D data are shown on the following pages.
Special note on datums
The datum of the seismic data is set and stored in the 3D Survey Navigation or
2D line Navigation tabs in Seismic Data Manager. By default, when 2D data is
loaded, it will set the 2D Line datum to the OpenWorks Project Datum. For
3D data, the datum should be set when the 3D Survey is created.
You should verify that your data matches this datum when data loading. If it
does not, adjust the data or the datum to be correct. A bulk shift can be applied
to different vintages of data during the SEG-Y Input step, to adjust the data to
match the datum. Conversely the datum can be adjusted in Seismic Data
Manager to match the data. For additional discussion on Datum, please click
on the following blue link to refer to the Datums, Constant Shifts, and
Variable Shifts chapter in this manual.
Typical Workflows PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 For Processing and Loading SEG-Y Data 197
If desired, open an existing PostStack™ session.
Run the job.
Check the output data in Seismic View and
Map View.
Workflow for processing and loading 2D SEG-Y Data
to 2D an OpenWorks® project
Create an OpenWorks® Project or Select OpenWorks
<All Data> Project to load data into. (OpenWorks)
Create or edit a flow for basic processing,
if you know what the data needs.
Initiate PostStack from OpenWorks.
Set parameters for inputting SEG-Y data.
Specify data output to a vertical section file,
preferably in 16-bit or floating point format. Use
Basemap Info to set the survey name and coordinate
projection in vertical file output.
If there is a
previously
saved loading
session.
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5000.8.0.0 For Processing and Loading SEG-Y Data 198
If desired, open an existing PostStack™ session.
Run the job.
Check the output data in Seismic View.
Workflow for Processing and Loading 3D SEG-Y Data
to 3D an OpenWorks® Project
In OpenWorks® Project Admin Modify the
<All Data> project and add the newly created 3D
survey to the Project. Start PostStack™ software
in the <All Data> project and select the newly created
3D survey.
Define the survey and set master grid & world
coordinates for the new project in Seismic Data
Manager (Data ➛ Management ➛ Seismic Data
Manager on the OpenWorks Command Menu).
Specify data output to a vertical section file,
preferably in 16-bit or floating point format.
Output to a cube data file is optional.
Create or edit a flow for basic processing,
if you know what the data needs.
Initiate PostStack™ software from within
SeisWorks® software.
Set parameters for inputting SEG-Y data.
If there is a
previously
saved loading
session.
Typical Workflows PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 For Extracting Attributes with PAL™ Software 199
For Extracting Attributes with PAL™ Software
The basic steps in building a flow and running a PAL™ software job
are diagrammed below. Optional steps are shown in dashed boxes.
Select the desired complex trace attribute.
If you want to convert input data to complex trace data,
select Data Attributes as first process.
If necessary, add a new (empty) process to the flow by
selecting Edit ➛ Add After.
Select Attribute Extraction as the process.
Define the analysis window and set parameters for
each attribute to be calculated.
Run the job.
Check the job log.
Workflow for Extracting Attributes with PAL™ Software
Start PAL™ software
from Map View.
Manually specify input
data.
Start PAL™ software
from OpenWorks®
software. Manually
specify project, input
data.
Start PAL™ software
from Seismic View.
Input data automatically
specified.
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Datums, Constant Shifts, and Variable Shifts PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Overview 201
Datums, Constant Shifts,
and Variable Shifts
Overview
Release 5000.0.0 enables users to work more easily and more
accurately with seismic data processed to different datums. For
example, you no longer need to assume that all lines and surveys have a
common project datum. Nor must you manually set constant shifts for
2D lines that were processed to seismic datums different than the
majority of 2D lines in your project.
The new capabilities in Release 5000.0.0 ensure that you now have a
consistent—and automatic—way of working with data that is stored
relative to datums that are
• different from each other
• different from the project datum.
Differences Between Release 2003 and Release 5000.0.0
Release 2003: SeisWorks® software required you to set a seismic
project datum so that wells would be displayed at the proper elevation
with respect to the seismic data. All lines and surveys included in the
project shared this common project datum. In SeisWorks® 3D
software, this meant that there was a single project datum that all data
in the project were assumed to be relative to.
SeisWorks® 2D software also required you to specify the seismic
project datum. However, different 2D lines may have been processed to
different seismic datums. So, you had to choose the datum elevation
that matched the majority of your lines and use that as your seismic
project datum. Then you would apply constant shifts to the other lines
to adjust them to the datum elevation.
Release 5000.0.0: SeisWorks® seismic projects have been eliminated.
They have been replaced by OpenWorks® Interpretation Projects,
which are subsets of OpenWorks® Project Databases. An Interpretation
Project can include any combination of 3D surveys and/or 2D lines.
Datums, Constant Shifts, and Variable Shifts PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Overview 202
Datums are now stored in OpenWorks® and have the following
characteristics:
• The Datum Elevation for an OpenWorks® project is the time
datum for the project. That is, it defines the elevation at time 0. A
Project Datum and a Replacement Velocity are defined when the
OpenWorks® project is created.
• Data defined on individual 2D lines or in 3D surveys are stored
relative to the datum of that line or survey. The storage datum for a
seismic data set is defined when it is loaded into 2D lines or 3D
surveys.
• When time data defined on 2D lines or in 3D surveys is read, the z
values are automatically adjusted so that they are relative to the
time datum of the OpenWorks® project. The replacement velocity
for the project is used to compute the appropriate time shift. If the
replacement velocity for the project is zero, no adjustment of the z
values occurs.
• When depth data defined on 2D lines or 3D surveys is read, the z
values are converted from the line or survey relative to sea level
relative (positive down). This conversion does not rely on a
replacement velocity.
Click on these hyperlinks to find out more about datums and shifting:
• “Helpful Definitions” on page 203
• “Datums and the Shifting of Data” on page 204
• “Additional Mistie Corrections” on page 206
• “Datums and Release 5000.0.0 Project Upgrade” on page 208
• “Computing Datum Shifts - Examples” on page 209
Datums, Constant Shifts, and Variable Shifts PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Helpful Definitions 203
Helpful Definitions
• SeisWorks® 2003.12 Survey Datum—Positive above sea level. It
is the elevation that corresponds to time zero for a Release 2003.12
SeisWorks® project.
• OpenWorks® Survey and Line Datum (Storage Datum) in
Release 5000.0.0—Positive above sea level. It is the elevation that
corresponds to time zero for a Release 5000.0.0 line or survey.
During the Release 5000.0.0 upgrade, the datum is copied from the
SeisWorks® 3D project datum and from the 2D SeisWorks®
project for each 2D line.
• OpenWorks® Project Datum Elevation in Release 5000.0.0—
Positive above sea level. Interpretation projects that are created
during Project Upgrade will inherit the datum of the seismic
project they are based on.
• OpenWorks® Project Replacement Velocity—This is the
velocity used for datum shift calculations for time data. It is zero in
upgraded Release 5000.0.0 projects.
• Seismic Z Start in the Depth Domain—Positive below sea level.
This value changes from survey relative to sea level relative as part
of the Release 5000.0.0 upgrade.
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5000.8.0.0 Datums and the Shifting of Data 204
Datums and the Shifting of Data
Each OpenWorks® project has a datum and a replacement velocity
associated with it. In addition, each 2D line or 3D survey has its own
datum.
When lines or surveys and the data defined on them are accessed
through an OpenWorks® project the z values need to be adjusted to
compensate for any differences between the project datum and the line
or survey datum.
After datum shifting you may still have residual misties. These can be
addressed by calculating constant shift values for a line or survey and
variable shifts along a 2D line.
Computation for Time Data
For time data, the shift is computed as follows:
Shift=((Project Datum-Line_Survey Datum)/(Replacement_Velocity/1000msec/s)) * 2)
Here is an example:
OpenWorks Project Datum(working datum) = 100 feet
Survey or Line Datum(storage datum) = 50 feet
Replacement Velocity = 10000 feet/second
Shift = ((100-50) / 10) * 2
Shift + 10ms
Time data for this line will be adjusted by adding 10 ms to all z values
prior to use (display, processing, export, etc.)
Computation for Depth Data
For depth data, the shift is computed as follows:
Shift = -(Line_Survey Datum)
Here is an example:
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5000.8.0.0 Datums and the Shifting of Data 205
Line Datum (storage datum) = 50 feet
Shift = - (50)
Depth data for this line will be adjusted by subtracting 50 feet from all
z values prior to use (display, processing, export, etc.).
For more examples of datum calculations and a comparison between
Release 2003 and Release 5000, see “Computing Datum Shifts -
Examples” on page 209 in this chapter.
Time data and replacement velocity
If you are working with time data and the replacement velocity is not set, a
datum shift will not be computed. The same result applies if the replacement
velocity is set to zero.
Horizons and shifting
Horizons that represent attributes will not be shifted. Horizons that represent
time and depth structure will be shifted.
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Additional Mistie Corrections
In many cases the datum shifts alone will not be sufficient to remove all
misties. To address this, you can specify additional constant shift values
for a line or survey. You also have the option to calculate variable shifts
along a 2D line which will apply to 2D horizons only.
These shifts are saved as shift sets. A shift set is a named collection of
shifts for some number of lines or surveys in a project.
Constant Shifts
Constant shifts—which are also known as bulk or static shifts—are
added to any shift resulting from applying datums. They can be
computed, or you can enter them manually. Constant shifts are saved to
a shift set.
Variable Shifts (2D Horizons Only)
Variable shifts are laterally varying corrections along a 2D line that let
you eliminate or minimize the horizon misties at line intersections.
Variable shifts are saved to a shift set and are applied to 2D horizons
only.
Preferred Shift Sets
A preferred shift set is associated with a particular Interpretation ID.
(See “Interpretation IDs” on page 16.) For example, if the current
session Interpretation ID is XYZ, the preferred shift set for XYZ will
be applied to data as it is read from and written to the database.
Here are additional facts about preferred shift sets:
• Each Interpretation ID can have at most one preferred time shift
set and one preferred depth shift set.
Note: The ability to specify a constant shift for a 3D survey is new
for Release 5000.0.0.
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• You can change which shift set is the preferred shift set for an
Interpretation ID. The new shift set will remain the preferred shift
set for that Interpretation ID until a new one is selected as
preferred. The preferred shift set follows the pattern that has been
implemented for Preferred Synthetics and Preferred Time/Depth
tables.
• When you access seismic data, horizons, or fault segments, both
the datum shift and constant shift values are applied to the z values
that represent time or depth.
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5000.8.0.0 Datums and Release 5000.0.0 Project Upgrade 208
Datums and Release 5000.0.0 Project Upgrade
All upgraded projects will initially have a replacement velocity of 0, so
no datum shifting will occur for any time data until a replacement
velocity has been specified.
In Release 2003.12, depth data z values are returned to the application
relative to the seismic project datum. In Release 5000.0.0, depth data z
values are returned to the application relative to sea level. The upgrade
will adjust any depth data to ensure that its z values are correctly
adjusted for this new convention. As an example, assume that there is
an Release 2003.12 3D project with a project datum of 200 feet. It
contains a depth horizon that has a value at 1000 feet. In Release
2003.12, that value will display as 1000 feet, but that is 1000 feet
relative to the 200 foot datum. In Release 5000.0.0, that same pick will
display as 800, which is relative to sea level.
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5000.8.0.0 Computing Datum Shifts - Examples 209
Computing Datum Shifts - Examples
Below are examples of how varying combinations of OpenWorks®
Project Datum, OpenWorks® Replacement Velocity, and Survey
Datum will affect the time or depth of the first data sample.
Time Examples
The following seismic volumes are used in the examples below:
Time101.3dvz_start = 0
Time201.3dvz_start = 100msec
z_start is the time of the first data sample.
SeisWorks® Software, Release 2003.12
SeisWorks project datum = 100
Time101.3dvz_start = 0
Time201.3dvz_start = 100msec
There are no datum adjustments, because in 2003.12 all seismic data is
relative to the survey.
SeisWorks® Software, Release 5000.0.0
Time Example 1
3D survey datum (storage datum) = 100
OpenWorks Project Datum (working datum) = 0
OpenWorks Replacement Velocity = 0
Shift = 0 because the replacement velocity = 0
Time101.3dvz_start = 0
Time201.3dvz_start = 100msec
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Time Example 2
3D survey datum (storage datum) = 100 m
OpenWorks Project Datum (working datum) = 0 m
OpenWorks Replacement Velocity = 2000 m/s
Shift = ((0-100)/(2000/1000))*2
Shift = -100 msec
Time101.3dvz_start = -100 msec
Time201.3dvz_start = 0 msec
Time Example 3
3D survey datum (storage datum) = 100 m
OpenWorks Project Datum (working datum) = 1500 m
OpenWorks Replacement Velocity = 2000 m/s
Shift = ((1500-100)/(2000/1000))*2
Shift = 1400 msec
Time101.3dvz_start = 1400 msec
Time201.3dvz_start = 1500 msec
Time Example 4
3D survey datum (storage datum) = 200 m
OpenWorks Project Datum (working datum) = 1500 m
OpenWorks Replacement Velocity = 2000 m/s
Shift = ((1500-200)/(2000/1000))*2
Shift = 1300 msec
Time101.3dvz_start = 1300 msec
Time201.3dvz_start = 1400 msec
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Depth Examples
The following seismic volumes are used in the examples below:
Depth101.3dvz_start = 100 m
Depth201.3dvz_start = 200 m
z_start is the depth of the first data sample.
SeisWorks® Software, Release 2003.12
SeisWorks project datum = 100
Depth101.3dvz_start = 100 m
Depth201.3dvz_start = 200 m
There are no datum adjustments, because in 2003.12 all seismic data is
relative to the survey.
SeisWorks® Software, Release 5000.0.0
Depth Example 1
3D survey datum (storage datum) = 100
Depth101.3dv z_start = 0 m
Depth201.3dv z_start = 100 m
Depth Example 2
3D survey datum (storage datum) = 200 m
Depth101.3dv z_start = -100 m
Depth201.3dv z_start = 0 m
Remember this fact:
The project datum and Replacement Velocity are not used in the calculation
of the datum shift for depth data.
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System Administration PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Overview 213
System Administration
Overview
This chapter explains how to configure your tape device, and how to set
up device driver information and Storage Tek (STK) devices.
In This Chapter:
• Configuring Your Tape Device
• Setting Up Device Driver Information
• Setting Up StorageTek (STK) Devices
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Configuring Your Tape Device
Your tape device configuration information is stored in a device.txt file.
You can access the device.txt file in either of two ways:
• From within a SEG-Y tape input/output process, select Configure
on the SEG-Y Data Input or SEG-Y Data Output dialog box. The
PostStack Device Configuration dialog box will appear (see Using
the Dialog Box below).Then, select tapeN (N=the numbered tape
devices) and select a tape device. You can save edits to your home
directory device.txt file or to the device.txt file located in
$PSHOME/etc for everyone to use.
• Using a text editor such as VI or EMACS, open the device.txt file
that you want to edit.
Theory
The tape configuration information drives your tape system.
PostStack™ software stores this tape configuration information in a
device.txt file, located in either the $PS_HOME/etc subdirectory or in
your home directory. PostStack™ software will load the most current
device.txt file.
Using the Remote Program parameter, you can access a drive that is
attached to a station other than the workstation running PostStack™
software. A PostStack™ device can configure physical tape devices.
Usage
Typically, the system administrator builds the original device.txt file in
the $PSHOME/etc subdirectory. You can then modify a personal copy
of the file and save it to your home directory. Remember, if the
system’s device.txt file is more recent than the device.txt file in your
home directory, PostStack™ software will use the system’s device.txt
file. If you need to update the modification time on the device.txt file in
your home directory, type touch device.txt.
Caution
Be sure not to leave any lines or fields blank as this will crash the program.
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Using the Dialog Box
When you select Tape as the storage option and click on Configure in
the SEG-Y Input or SEG-Y Output dialog box, the PostStack Device
Configuration dialog box appears.
The PostStack Device Configuration dialog box allows you to update
device configuration to be used for tape jobs. You can add, remove,
edit, and change the default tape devices using this dialog box as shown
below.
Menu Bar
The menu bar contains two pulldown menus with the following
options.
File
Select the File menu parameter from the following options:
• Save to home directory ($HOME) saves the device information
to the device.txt file located in your home directory.
• Save to $PSHOME writes a copy of the current device
information to a device.txt file located in the $PSHOME/etc
directory, and then exits the program. This command is typically
used by the system administrator to set up the original device.txt
file.
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• Exit saves the device information to the device.txt file located in
your home directory. It also sends the device name to the menu,
and then exits the program. Be sure to select a tape device before
you exit.
Device
The Device menu parameters can be accessed by clicking on Device or
using the buttons on the right side of the dialog box. Select from the
following options:
• Add creates a copy of an existing device name and enters a blank
device field at the bottom of the list. Click on the device name to
copy. When you click on Add, the Add Tape dialog box appears.
See Device Parameters below for information on setting the
parameters in this box.
• Remove deletes an existing line of device information. Click on
the device name in the Installed Tape Drives list. A dialog box will
appear asking you to confirm deletion. Select OK to remove the
selected device, Cancel to retain the selected device or Help to
obtain information on this parameter.
• Edit allows you to change the device parameters for the selected
device. Click on the name of the device to be edited. When you
click on Edit, a Settings dialog box appears. See Device
Parameters below for information on setting the parameters in this
box.
• Set as Default allows you to change the default device name.
Click on the name of the device that you want to be the default and
then click on Set as Default. The new device name will appear as
the default.
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Device Parameters
The following parameters apply to both the Add Tape dialog box and
the Settings dialog box.
Identification
The Identification section of the dialog box contains the following
parameters:
Name/Description
Enter a PostStack™ device name, also known as the logical device
name. PostStack™ device names begin with tape0 and increment by 1
as you add devices.
Hostname
Enter the hostname to which the Unix device is connected. The name
must be identical to the name in your .rhosts or hosts.equiv files. If you
are logged into the workstation where the device is connected, you can
type hostname at your Unix prompt to retrieve the hostname. You will
get a reply something like this:
mustang
If the hostname of the computer attached to the tape device is not the
computer where the job will be run from, the data will be transferred to
the job computer via network sockets.
Note: You must have login privileges to access the remote device host
computer and there must be a trusted host relationship between the
user’s computer and the system with the remote tape device (tapehost).
To verify the trusted host relationship, type the following command in
an xterm on myhost:
rsh tapehost(where tapehost is the name of the
system hosting the remote device)
If no password is requested, a trusted host relationship exists between
your system, myhost, and the system with the remote tape device,
tapehost. If a password is requested, the trusted host relationship does
not exist and therefore must be established before you can use the
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5000.8.0.0 Configuring Your Tape Device 218
remote tape device. You can accomplish this by making one of the two
following modifications:
• Create an .rhosts file in the user’s $HOME directory on tapehost
with the entry:
myhost +
or,
• Modify the /etc/hosts.equiv file on tapehost to include the entry:
myhost +
In both cases, myhost refers to the system name where the user is
running the PostStack™ software and tapehost refers to the system
name of the computer hosting the remote tape device.
Unix Device Name
Enter the Unix device name, also known as the physical device name.
These names are located in the /dev/ subdirectory.
The following is a typical device name on a SOLARIS:
/dev/rmt/1b
Configuration
The Configuration section of the dialog box contains the following
parameters.
Device Type
Select the device type from the following options:
• Simple is a stand-alone tape unit where you have to physically
mount each tape. An example would be a 9-track tape device.
• Stacker is a stand-alone tape unit but also has a tray on which
several tapes may be mounted. The tape drive is capable of
unloading and loading tapes from the tray. Examples would be:
STK 4280, IBM 3490, 8mm stackers.
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• RobotSTK is an automated robotic tape library manufactured by
StorageTek. StorageTek Nearline Libraries include: 4410,
Wolfcreek, and PowderHorn.
• RobotIBM is an automated robotic tape library manufactured by
IBM. This includes the IBM3494.
Message Display
Enter the name of the workstation to accept tape mount messages.
Enter your workstation hostname if you want the messages to arrive at
your station. The form of the server window for X Windows is:
hostname:server.screen
Example: mustang:0.0
If the server.screen is 0.0, then these values may be omitted from the
hostname. To force the messages to always go to whatever your
$DISPLAY environment variable is set to, enter any non-existent
display host as a value; e.g. a value of “bogus” or “DISPLAY” will
cause mount messages to try to display to “bogus:0.0” or
“DISPLAY:0.0”, and failing that, will then try to display to the user’s
own local display (or as defined by their $DISPLAY environment
variable on a network).
Setting an actual display host is useful if all messages are to be routed
to a central console window. Setting a non-existent display host is
useful if users often log in from different hosts or if various users
access the same device.txt file.
Typing the following xhost command at the current workstation is
required:
xhost + <remote machine name>
Mount messages which are sent to a remote machine without the proper
access authority will display on the local machine.
Remote Program
PostStack an fclient.exe for all R2003 certified platforms. In the
$PSHOME/sys/exe directory, there are 3fclient.exe files named as
follows:
• fclient_SOLARIS.exe (for Solaris platforms)
• fclient_LINUX.exe (for Linux platforms)
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To access a remote tape drive:
1. Copy the correct fclient to the system with the remote tape drive.
2. Point to the remote system fclient in the tape_config dialog box (or
the device.txt file).
For example, if the local system without a tape drive is a SGI 6.5
platform and there is a tape drive located on a Solaris 8 platform,
you would copy the fclient_SOLARIS.exe from
$PSHOME/sys/exe to the Solaris machine. Next, point to the
fclient_SOLARIS.exe in the tape_config dialogue box, or edit the
device.txt to point to the fclient_SOLARIS.exe. If the name of the
Solaris machine name is “asteroid” and the fclient is copied to the
machine’s home directory, the fclinet line would read as follows:
/network/asteroid/home/fclient_SOLARIS.exe.
The path should be specified as seen from the remote host, which
must be accessible via rsh or ssh from the PostStack™ host. You
should be able to execute ‘rsh (or ssh) <remote hostname> <remote
program>’ from a Unix/Linux shell on the workstation running
PostStack™ software without being challenged for your password.
You should be able to rsh (or ssh) from the remote host to the
workstation running PostStack™ software without being
challenged for your password. The fclient.exe executable must be
appropriate for the operating system of the machine to which the
tape drive is attached, which need not be the same as that of the
machine running PostStack™ software.
By default, the remote client program uses rsh. To enable the ability
to use ssh, if you have ssh enabled with out needing a password to
connect, type "which ssh" and use the path returned to put in the
following environment variable;
PROMAX_SYS_EXE_REMSH_HOME
Example:
If
% which ssh
/usr/bin/ssh
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Then the environment variable would be
setenv PROMAX_SYS_EXE_REMSH_HOME /usr/bin/ssh
With this environment variable set, then launch OpenWorks® and
PostStack™ software.
Socket Timeout
Enter the time, in seconds, for the network socket to time out. If the
network socket has not connected within this time, the job will abort.
Network sockets are used when you are transferring tape data across
the network. It is used when the tape device is not physically connected
to the workstation where the job is run.
Cluster Flag
Select Yes to use multiple tape devices. Clustered tape drives must have
the same device name. The following is an example of two devices in a
cluster:
1) All tapes on device #1 are read.
2) All tapes on device #2 are then read.
3) All tapes on device #1 are then read.
To begin reading from the second or subsequent device, a tape must be
loaded and online on that device.
For example, 10 rows of tape devices under a particular device name
are specified. The first two rows have the cluster flag set to yes and the
3rd row has the cluster flag set to no. The program will only cluster the
first 2 tape drives specified and ignore the rest. It will round robin
between the first two tape drives until one of the drives has no more
tapes.
Caution: Do not put the last used tape drive back online until the next
tape drive is currently being read. It will then check the job end flag. If
the job end flag is set to yes on the drive, that is offline, the program
will stop. Otherwise, a menu will come up and ask if you want to
mount another tape.
All clustered tape drives must be physically connected to the same
computer.
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Job End Flag
Select Yes to end the job after reading the last tape in a drive. Select No
to prompt for mounting a new tape or stack.
This flag will be ignored if the job is executing using a cluster and the
next tape drive specified for the cluster contains tapes. If the next tape
drive specified is offline, the job will end if the job end flag is set to yes.
Otherwise, a mount message prompt will be displayed.
Stacker Sleep
This appears if Stacker to Device Type. Enter the time in seconds
between tape changes. This includes rewind, unload tape, and loading
the next tape. 60 seconds is an average time between tape changes. If
the sleep time selected is too short, a mount new tape message will
appear or if the job end flag is set, the job will end.
STK ACS
This appears if STK Robot to Device Type. Enter the StorageTek
Nearline Automated Cartridge System (ACS) number. This is only
valid for StorageTek automated tape libraries. Check with your system
administrator for the ACS number.
STK LSM
This appears if STK Robot to Device Type. Enter the StorageTek
Library Storage Module (LSM) number. This is only valid for
StorageTek automated tape libraries. Check with your system
administrator for the LSM number.
STK Panel
This appears if STK Robot to Device Type. Enter the StorageTek
Panel number. This is only valid for StorageTek automated tape
libraries. Check with your system administrator for the Panel number.
STK Drive Unit
This appears if STK Robot to Device Type. Enter the StorageTek drive
unit number. This is only valid for StorageTek automated tape libraries.
Check with your system administrator for the drive unit number.
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STK Packet #
This appears if STK Robot to Device Type. Enter the packet version
number for the StorageTek automated tape library. Check with your
system administrator for the packet version number.
• ACSLS Release Number 3.x = packet version # 2
• ACSLS Release Number 4.x = packet version # 3
• ACSLS Release Number 5.x = packet version # 4
STK CSI Host
This appears if STK Robot to Device Type. Enter the Unix hostname
for the StorageTek server that drives the automated tape library. This is
only valid for StorageTek automated tape libraries. Check with your
system administrator for the CSI or ACSLS host name. For example:
drs0ab
IBM Dev. Man.
This appears if IBM Robot to Device Type. Enter the Unix device
manager name for the automated tape library. This is only valid for
IBM 3494 automated tape libraries. Check with your system
administrator for the device name. For example:
/dev/lmcp0
Improving Tape Performance
There are two main factors that will contribute to poor tape input/output
performance:
• network/tape device type
• data transfer efficiency
Network/Tape Device Type
The tape process has access to local and remote tape devices through
the use of the Unix network environment. If you are remote tape
processing, the I/O bandwidth will be limited by the slowest
component of the system. If your input is from 8mm and the network is
FDDI, the bottleneck will be the tape device. On the other hand, if you
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are reading from a Magstar over Ethernet, the network will be the
bottleneck (~300kbs).
Data Transfer Efficiency
Modern tape drives have a memory cache integrated into the unit’s
read/write transfer buffer. As long as the application is able to prevent
this buffer from getting full, that is, stay ahead of tape speed, the drive
will stream (run continuously). The drive will stutter (start/stop) when
the application gets behind the tape speed (buffer gets full). This
stuttering is caused by the drive positioning backward to the previous
end-of-block before continuing with read or write.
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Setting Up Device Driver Information
For help with setting up device driver information, refer to the platform
on which you are running.
Tape devices that read/write seismic data:
• 1/2’ (9-track)
• 8mm
• 4mm
• 3480/3490e
• 3590
• DLT
Tape devices that do not read/write seismic data:
• 1/4’ cartridge
Of all the tape drives listed, the 8mm Exabyte is the least desirable for
seismic processing. It has limitations in both long term storage, and
drive to drive compatibility.
Sun Solaris
Tape devices on a Sun running the Solaris operating system typically
have names like:
/dev/rmt/0b
/dev/rmt/1b
The ‘b’ stands for BSD behavior and is required to read/write seismic
data.
To change the density settings, use ‘l’ for low, ‘m’ for medium, or ‘h’
for high as a component of the device name. For example:
/dev/rmt/0lb
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Specify no-rewind-on-close by using the letter ‘n’ as the end of the
final component of the device name:
/dev/rmt/0bn
Linux
Tape device names on Linux typically have names like:
/dev/st0
/dev/nst0 for no rewind
To change the density settings, use the appropriate extension of the
device name:
/dev/st0a -> high density
/dev/st0m -> medium density
/dev/st0l -> llow density
To connect a tape drive, follow these steps:
1. Connect drive and boot workstation. If /sbin/stinit is not on your
system, you should install the mt-st RPM package to install the
SCSI tape software first.
rpm --query -f /sbin/stinit
will tell you the needed package.
2. Type
dmesg
This will list the manufacturer and model number of each tape unit
it detected. Use this information to build the file /etc/stinit.def.
Examples and documentation for this are in a /usr/share/doc/mt-st-
* directory.
Note: For some tape drives you may not need to update the
/etc/stinit.def file and still have the driver built.
3. Type su to become super-user
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4. cd /etc
5. /sbin/stinit
6. You can test the installation using the mt command:
mt -f /dev/st0 status
7. In some cases if the default block size is not set to 0 for variable
block, you will need to type the following to set it for variable
block.
mt -f /dev/st0 setblk 0
The website http://www.linuxtapecert.org/ is a good resource for
detailed compatibility and troubleshooting.
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Setting Up StorageTek (STK) Devices
We offer you instructions for setting up three StorageTek (STK)
devices:
• STK-4280/4220 cartridge tape drive
• STK-9914 tape drive
• Nearline libraries
STK-4280/4220 Cartridge Tape Drives
We have outlined how to set the firmware settings and the hardware
settings.
Firmware Settings
The setup information for your STK Cartridge Tape Drives is stored on
a floppy disk inside the tape drive unit. The drive reads these settings
every time it is booted.
If you purchased your system from us, everything will be configured,
and the procedure below is only a reference. If you only bought the
drive from us, you will need to choose a SCSI ID for the tape drive
before you can use it; see the High-level Menu Settings section below.
The following procedure is for a single tape unit; you must set both tape
units in a dual 4280 drive. Press the Scroll key to select options, and
press the Select + Unload keys to change options.
1. Take drive off-line.
• Press the Scroll key; the unit responds, +Subsystem Status.
• Press the Select key; the unit responds, Off-line Request.
• Press the Select key twice; this saves your changes. The unit
responds, Off-line Busy and Off-line Ready U.
Note
Taking one drive in a dual unit off-line will cause the other drive to go off-line
also.
System Administration PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Setting Up StorageTek (STK) Devices 229
2. Change/examine setup parameters.
• Press the Scroll key until the unit responds, +Set or Display.
• Press the Select key; the unit responds, **Configuration.
• Press the Select key and Unload key at the same time (Select +
Unload); the unit responds, Enter Passkey.
• Enter the Passkey by pressing Scroll, Scroll + Select, Scroll +
Unload. You must enter the these keystrokes without hesitating
between them; the unit responds, **Configuration.
Low-level Menu Settings
The following are the default settings:
Option Setting
SET DIAGS: NORM
DIAG EC LEV: 1
SET HOST: SCSI
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
SET PART: AUTO
SET SYNC TM: 2
PASSKEY: ENAB
SYNC NEGO: DISABLED
EMULATE: NONE*
*Drives used with IBM systems should emulate 9348
Note
The configuration menus have two levels: high and low. To enter the high-level
settings, press Scroll. To enter the low-level settings, press Select + Unload.
System Administration PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Setting Up StorageTek (STK) Devices 230
• After you scroll through all of the options, the unit responds,
Exit. Press the Select key to exit to the high-level configuration
settings or press the Scroll key to cycle through the low-level
settings again.
High-level Menu Settings
The following are the high-level options for IBM. Press the Scroll key
to select options. Press the Select + Unload keys to change options.
After you scroll through all of the options, the unit responds, Exit. Press
the Select key to exit to the main menu or press the Scroll key to cycle
through the high-level settings again.
3. Place drive back online.
• Press the Scroll key until the unit responds, +Subsystem Status.
• Press the Select key; the unit responds, Online Req.
• Press the Select key twice; this saves your changes. The unit
responds, Online Busy and Online Ready U.
The drive is now back online
Options Setting Note
SET SCSI ID: n Select a unique number. On a dual drive unit, the
number you select will be the ID for both drives.
SET LUN: (1 or 0) Must always be 0 on a single drive unit. A dual
drive unit will automatically set the opposite
LUN for the drive you are not currently working
on.
SET CLEAN: 12K
Note
Placing one drive in a dual unit online causes the other drive to go online.
System Administration PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Setting Up StorageTek (STK) Devices 231
STK-9914 Tape Drives
The STK-9914 is available in standard and enhanced SCSI versions.
Until December 1992, we shipped the standard version. When we
switched to the enhanced versions, some clients converted their
standard 9914 to an enhanced version by installing an upgrade kit.
The procedure to configure an enhanced version is different from the
procedure to configure a standard version. To determine the version
you have, open the top cover and look through the grill near the back of
the tape drive.
If you see an unused gray pin connector on the upper inside edge of the
SCSI board, you have an enhanced version. If you see a blank spot with
some stickers, you have a standard version.
Standard SCSI Configuration
You can configure STK-9914 that will be used with RISC-based
workstations as follows:
1. Take drive off-line.
2. Press DIAG to run tests.
3. Run test 67; press tens to enter 6 and units to enter 7.
4. Press run/stop to run test.
Front
SCSI board
Gray Connector? (Yes or No)
...................
...................
System Administration PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Setting Up StorageTek (STK) Devices 232
5. Press DIAG to display current settings.
6. Set opt 1-19; press tens and units to change opt to the following
settings:
7. Press run/stop to end test.
8. Press DIAG to exit diagnostics.
Option No. Setting
1 0
2 AUT
3 AUT
4 AUT
5 0
6 B1
7 F4
8 40
9 39
10 FF
11 FF
12 50
13 5D
14 E7
15 5D
16 CB
17 02
18 00
19 00
System Administration PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Setting Up StorageTek (STK) Devices 233
Enhanced SCSI Configuration
You can configure a STK-9914 that will be used with RISC-based
workstations as follows:
1. Take drive off-line.
2. Press DIAG to run tests.
3. Run test 67; press tens to enter 6 and units to enter 7.
4. Press run/stop to run test.
5. Press DIAG to display the current settings.
6. Set opt 1-19; press tens and units to change opt to following
settings:
Option No. Setting
1 0
2 AUT
3 AUT
4 AUTO
5 0
6 B1
7 F4
8 40
9 39
10 FF
11 FF
12 50
Note
Drive will be set to SCSI ID 5.
System Administration PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Setting Up StorageTek (STK) Devices 234
7. Press run/stop to end the test.
8. Press DIAG to exit diagnostics.
SCSI ID Setting/Changing
You can change the SCSI ID setting for both an enhanced and a
standard STK-9914 tape drive as follows:
1. Take drive off-line.
2. Press DIAG to run tests.
3. Run test 67; press tens and units to change the test.
4. Press run/stop to run test.
5. Press DIAG to display current settings.
13 5D
14 E9*
15 5D
16 CB
17 02
18 00
19 00
*Drives used with IBM systems
should be set to E7
Option No. Setting
Note
Drive will be set to SCSI ID 5.
System Administration PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Setting Up StorageTek (STK) Devices 235
6. Set opt 15 to change the SCSI ID; use the units key to specify the
SCSI ID opt:
7. Press run/stop to end test.
8. Press DIAG to exit diagnostics.
STK Tape Libraries
This document gives information on automated tape library systems.
StorageTek Nearline Libraries
The StorageTek Nearline Automated Cartridge System (ACS) is a tape
library storage system. A physical robot handles the cartridges, and the
ACS Library Software (ACSLS) manages the cartridges. ACSLS
provides the ability to manage any combination of StorageTek Nearline
libraries, including combinations of the 4410, WolfCreek,
PowderHorn, and ExtendedStore libraries.
Setting SCSI ID
58 0
59 1
5A 2
5B 3
5C 4
5D 5
5E 6
System Administration PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Setting Up StorageTek (STK) Devices 236
Sample Nearline Storage Configuration
LSM = 1
LSM = 0
panel=0
panel=1
panel = 2
drive = 0
ACS = 0
CSI
host
Station 2
Station 3
drive = 1
control
path
data
path
Station 1
CSI host
Appendix PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Overview 237
Appendix
Overview
This appendix contains the following basic information about
PostStack™ software:
• Basic Terms
• Conventions Used in PostStack™ Software
• Icons in PostStack™ Software
• References
Appendix PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Basic Terms 238
Basic Terms
You will encounter the following two terms repeatedly as you work in
PostStack™ software.
Flow
A flow is a sequence of processes that you want to perform on the
seismic data. You build a flow by selecting the desired processes and
setting parameters for them. You can create multiple flows within a
single PostStack™ software session and then recall that session and use
or edit any of those flows as desired.
Session
A session is simply a collection of all the processing flows you build
and save under that session name. Save I/O under Options on the main
menu bar allows you to save specifications for input data and output
data in the session file.
Prebuilt sessions are supplied with PostStack™ software offering
multiple flows for a particular processing category: amplitude scaling,
filtering, deconvolution, data enhancement, data flattening, or
extracting data attributes. Also included is a three-step flow involving
trace mixing, bandpass filtering, and trace equalization. the last
PostStack™ software session contains a flow for using a syntool
wavelet to zero-phase your data.
Five prebuilt sessions are supplied with PostStack ESP™ software. The
first contains three flows for testing ESP parameters using ESP 3D
Along Horizon. The second contains two flows for ESP 3D and ESP
2D vertical file generation for 3D projects. The third contains two flows
for ESP 2D and ESP 3D TimeSlice generation for 3D projects. The
fourth session contains two flows showing how to run ESP 3D in the
mode that ESP 3D Along Horizon runs. The last session contains one
flow for ESP 2D vertical file generation for 2D projects.
Two prebuilt sessions are supplied with PAL™ software. The first
contains four flows for extracting data attributes. The second contains
four flows for converting the seismic data to complex trace data before
extracting attribute statistics.
All the prebuilt sessions are described in detail in three tables starting
on Prebuilt Sessions Supplied.
Appendix PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Conventions Used in PostStack™ Software 239
Conventions Used in PostStack™ Software
For ease of use, the dialog boxes in PostStack™ software have been
standardized as much as possible.
Common Commands
Pushbuttons with the following commands appear repeatedly in
PostStack™ software. Their functions are always the same.
OK
Accepts the parameters you have specified (or the selection you have
made) and closes the dialog box.
Apply
Implements your specifications but leaves the dialog box open. Thus,
you can readily make further changes or additions.
Cancel
Discards the changes you have made, reverts to the settings that were
last applied, and closes the dialog box.
Close
Accepts the parameters you have specified (or the selection you have
made) and closes the dialog box.
Mnemonics
All menu options in the PostStack™ Software Family have mnemonic
equivalents, which allow you to select the option merely by typing one
letter. Mnemonics are indicated by an underlined character.
To display a pulldown menu, press <Alt> on your keyboard and type
the underlined character in the menu name. For example, to display the
Session pulldown menu, press <Alt> and type <s>. To select an option
from the pulldown menu, simply type the letter that is underlined in the
option name. For example, type <s> to select Save.
Appendix PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Conventions Used in PostStack™ Software 240
Number Editors
Number editors, consisting of a text field and stepper arrows, help you
choose among the acceptable values for a particular parameter. Press
MB3 within the text field to see a popup menu showing the range and
default values.
You can key in the desired number in the text field or click on the
arrows to raise or lower the number.
Number Editor:
Press MB3 to see range:
Appendix PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Icons in PostStack™ Software 241
Icons in PostStack™ Software
Four icons on the PostStack dialog box make it easy for you to navigate
through flows and run and check jobs.
References
Bahorich, M. S., and S. R. Bridges, 1992. Seismic sequence attribute
map (SSAM). SEG 62nd Annual International Meeting, October, New
Orleans.
Icon Function & Menu Equivalent
Places the current flow in the job queue if Run Current Flow is
toggled on. Processes a subset of the data if Test Current Flow is
toggled on.
Job ➛ Run
Displays a log of the current processing job allowing you to monitor
job status and identify any problems.
Job ➛ View
Displays the previous flow in the session.
Flow ➛ Previous
Displays the next flow in the session.
Flow ➛ Next
Submit Job
Job Log
Flow
Previous
Flow Next
Appendix PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 References 242
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Index 243
Index
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
Symbols
.3dh files
and new seismic data formats 89
.3dv files
and new seismic data formats 89
Numerics
2D vertical seismic file 108
3D Batch Control Monitor
and compressed volume caching 99
and new seismic data formats 90, 94
3D vertical seismic file 119
A
Add Tape dialog box 216
Advanced Parameters dialog box
3D Vertical File 122
Time Slice file 107, 126
advantages of bricked seismic data format
89-90
advantages of compressed seismic data
format 95
amplitude values
preserved with bricked files 90
preserved with compressed files 94
Archive Current Session dialog box 179
Area of Interest Selection dialog box 77
ASCII Nav File Select dialog box 113
Auto PD Broadcast option 175
Available Interpreters dialog box 16
B
Basemap Information dialog box 111
Bricked File Parameters dialog box
Output Data 102
bricked seismic data format
advantages 89-90
converting to using 3D Batch Control
Monitor 90
converting to using Seismic Converter
90
detailed explanation 88
dimensions of brick volumes 90
filesnames and suffix 92
loading using PostStack 90
output sample formats 93
overview 87
bricked seismic file 102
Broadcast PD option 175
broadcasting data
from Seismic View 37-38
to Seismic View 175
C
cartographic system 113
CD (Cube Data) Parameters dialog box
128
clipping parameters
versus amplitude value preservation with
bricked files 90
commands, common 239
compressed seismic data format
advantages 95
compressed volume caching 96-99
setting in 3D Batch Control Monitor 99
setting in PostStack 99
setting in SeisWorks 97-99
pillar size 98
seismic data volume size 98
slab size 98
system memory 97
workflow 99
converting to using 3D Batch Control
Monitor 94
Index
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Index 244
converting to using Seismic Converter
94
detailed explanation 94-100
fidelity factor
definition 95
use to control compression 95
filenames and suffix 99
overview 87
compressed seismic file 106
Config File Select dialog box 75
configuration, tape device 214
constant shifts 201
conventions used in PostStack
common commands 239
mnemonics 239
number editors 240
CS Selection dialog box 114
cube data file 128
D
Data Home Select dialog box 74
Data Region menu option 156
Delay Hours option 165
Delete Session dialog box 181
device configuration 214
device driver, settings
Sun Solaris 225
device.txt file 214
dialog boxes
Add Tape, tape configuration 216
Advanced Parameters 107, 126
Advanced Parameters, 3D 122
Archive Current Session 179
Area of Interest Selection 77
ASCII Nav File Select 113
Available Interpreters 16
Basemap Information 111
CD (Cube Data) Parameters 128
Compressed File Parameters
Output Data 106
Config File Select 75
CS Selection 114
Data Home Select 74
Delete Session 181
Device Configuration 215
Enter Linenames 55
Histogram Parameters 152
Input Data 36
Job Log window 170
List of Submitted Jobs 169
Map Projection Editor 115
Open Session 34
Output 2D Data 108
PostStack Family Launcher 15
ProMAX Input 73
SEG-Y Data Output, 3D 132, 136
SEG-Y Header Mapping, 2D Input 60
SEG-Y Header Mapping, 3D Input 70,
135, 138
SEG-Y Template Select 61, 70, 135,
139
Seismic View Parameters 37
SeisWorks File Parameters
Input Data 39, 42
Select Area/Line/Dataset 74
Settings, tape configuration 216
Specify OpenWorks Survey Name 113
Timeslice Parameters 124
Trace Parameters
3D SEG-Y Input 59, 69
3D SEG-Y Output 134, 138
Vertical File Parameters
Output Data 102, 108, 119
Volume of Interest, 2D 21
Volume of Interest, 3D 19
E
End-Of-Line Header parameter 59, 68
Enter Linenames dialog box 55
Exit/Continue Flow menu option 156
Exit/Stop Flow menu option 156
exiting PostStack 183
Expand 149
F
FFT Weighting menu option 158
fidelity factor
definition 95
use to control compression 95
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Index 245
flows
adding new flow to session 150
adding/deleting processes 149-150
building 148-151, 192
defined 238
deleting 150
displaying 151
H
Hardcopy menu option 156
help, online 12
Histogram option 152
Histogram Parameters dialog box 152
I
icons
Flow Next 241
Flow Previous 241
Job Log 241
Submit Job 241
input data
broadcasting from Seismic View 37-38
selecting a 3D SeisWorks file 42
selecting a ProMAX file 72-79
selecting a SEG-Y file
2D procedure 53, 132
3D procedure 63
overview 48
procedure 48-71
selecting a SeisWorks file 39
selecting a vertical file 39-41, 42-47
specifying 35
input data cartographic system 113
J
job log
checking 169-172
monitoring 167
window described 170
Job Log window 165
L
List of Submitted Jobs dialog box 169
M
Map Projection Editor dialog box 115
mnemonics 239
N
new seismic and horizon data formats
overview 87
Next Screen menu option 156
number editors 240
O
online help 12
Open Session dialog box 34
OpenVision
and new seismic data formats 95
OpenWorks Colormap menu option 162
optimization
and bricked seismic data format 90
output data
2D vertical file 108
3Dvertical file 119
bricked file 102
compressed file 106
cube data file, 3D 128
no scaling 86
scaling, automatic 84
scaling, manual 85
SEG-Y 132-139
timeslice, 3D 124-127
types generated by PostStack 83
vertical file 108-118, 119-123
Output from Flow window 153
output sample formats
and bricked seismic data format 93
and compressed seismic data format 94
P
PD (Pointing Dispatcher) 37-38, 175
Phase Spectrum menu option 159
pillar size
and compressed volumes 98
PostStack
and compressed volume caching 99
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Index 246
performance improvements with new
seismic data formats 87
PostStack Device Configuration dialog box
215
PostStack Family Launcher 15
PostStack manual, scope & arrangement
11
Power Scaling menu option 160
processing direction, specifying on input
44, 78
processing jobs 164-174
checking job log 169-172
delaying a job 168
names given by PostStack 172
pausing or stopping 172-174
running the job 167-169
testing the flow 164-167
project cartographic system 113
ProMAX data
Input dialog box 73
inputting to PostStack 72-79
R
Receive Seismic toggle 175
release notes, available online 12
Run Options
histogram 152
selecting a run option 152
spectral 154
S
Save As option 176
Save I/O option 177, 180
Save option 176
scaling output data
automatic scaling 84
how PostStack scales data 84-86
manual scaling 85
SEGY Analyzer, opening 51
SEG-Y data
input, SEGY Analyzer 51
inputting to PostStack 48
standard format 48-51
work flow for loading & processing 187,
188, 196-198
SEG-Y Data Output dialog box (3D) 132,
136
SEG-Y file 132-139
SEG-Y Header Mapping dialog box
2D Input 60
3D Input 70, 135, 138
SEG-Y Template Select dialog box 61,
70, 135, 139
Seismic Converter
new utility for converting between seis-
mic data formats 90, 94
Seismic Data Analyzer, description 51
Seismic View Parameters dialog box 37
SeisWorks
and compressed volume caching 97-99
and new seismic data formats 95
SeisWorks Seismic File Parameters dialog
box
Input Data 39, 42
Select Area/Line/Dataset dialog box 74
Selected I/O option 177, 180
sessions
archiving 177-180
defined 24, 238
deleting 181-182
prebuilt sessions 180
prebuilt sessions, PAL 33
prebuilt sessions, PostStack 25
saving 176-177
system library 24, 178
user library 24, 177
Settings dialog box 216
Single Subset Spectral Analysis window
155
slab size
and compressed volumes 98
Specify OpenWorks Survey Name dialog
box 113
Spectral option 154
starting PostStack
from Map View, 2D 20-22
from Map View, 3D 18-20
from OpenWorks 14-16
from Seismic View, 3D or 2D 17
Submit Job icon 165
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Index 247
system library 24, 178
T
tape configuration 214
tape drives, setting up
STK-4280/4220 cartridge 228
STK-9914 231
tape drives, STK-4280/4220 cartridge
firmware settings 228, 229
tape drives, STK-9914
enhanced configuration 233
standard configuration 231
tape libraries 235
tape performance, improving 223
tape, remote access 219
tiled horizon data format
converting between formats 88
overview 87
Time Slice Parameters dialog box 124
timeslice 124-127
timeslice views
and new seismic data formats 89
Trace Display menu option 158
Trace Parameters dialog box
3D SEG-Y Output 134, 138
SEG-Y input 59, 69
Trace Scaling menu option 157
trial run 165
trial runs 164-167
U
Update Template parameter 61, 70, 135,
139
user library 24, 177
V
Vertical File Parameters dialog box
Output Data 106, 108, 119
vertical seismic file 108-123
Visibility menu option 162
Volume of Interest dialog box
2D 21
3D 19
W
work flows
building a flow 192
extracting attributes with PAL 189, 199
loading & processing SEG-Y data 187,
188, 196-198
processing data from SeisWorks proj-
ect 188-189
processing data from vertical file
193-195
PostStack™ Family Software User Guide
5000.8.0.0 Index 248