Paper Summary

We present results from a case study being performed in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) that utilizes two orthogonal Wide Azimuth (WAZ) surveys to create an improved image of the subsurface. The role of WAZ data in subsalt exploration and production in the GoM is now firmly established. The next challenge is to further improve subsalt images in areas with existing WAZ coverage. Orthogonal WAZ acquisition – acquiring a second WAZ dataset over existing WAZ data – provides an efficient way to obtain near Full Azimuth (FAZ) coverage while utilizing existing WAZ data. A case study from the GoM demonstrates that orthogonal WAZ data provides significant imaging uplift and brings added benefit to the tomography and model building steps.