Acquisition/Processing: Machine learning-based deblending: Dispersed source array data example

Machine learning (ML) has proven its value in the seismic industry with successful implementations in areas of seismic interpretation such as fault and salt dome detection and velocity picking. The field of seismic processing research also is shifting toward ML applications in areas such as tomography, demultiple, and interpolation. Here, a supervised ML deblending algorithm is illustrated on a dispersed source array (DSA) data example in which both high- and low-frequency vibrators were deployed simultaneously. Training data pairs of blended and corresponding unblended data were constructed from conventional (unblended) data from another survey. From this training data, the method can automatically learn a deblending operator that is used to deblend for both the low- and the high-frequency vibrators of the DSA data. The results obtained on the DSA data are encouraging and show that the ML deblending method can offer a good performing, less user-intensive alternative to existing deblending methods. © 2021 by The Society of Exploration Geophysicists.