Vibroseis and dynamite comparison as seismic energy source in North Sumatra

Abstract Vibroseis as a new energy source for seismic surveys in Indonesia was tested in the Aceh Province recently. The aim of the test was to determine if using Vibroseis as the energy source could produce significantly better data quality than dynamite. Improvement of the data quality in this inherently very poor data area was necessary to facilitate prospect exploration with more reliable and usable data sets. Prior to acquiring stacked data, a comprehensive set of tests was conducted to determine optimum parameters for both Vibroseis and dynamite sources. The Vibroseis data acquired were significantly better quality than dynamite data, exhibiting greater resolution and penetration. With the help of real time quality control using the MicroMAX system, the Vibroseis source could be fine tuned to a specific area by adjusting parameters such as sweep frequencies and fold coverage.