Vertical Seismic Profiles and or Checkshots have been in use for over 90 years. Checkshot surveys were used to measure seismic velocities by lowering a geophone into a borehole as early as 1933 and full Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP) surveys since the early 1950’s. Almost as soon as seismic data was discovered to be helpful in locating geologic features to drill (1928) and the Schlumberger brothers started to run e-logs to map the geology in a drilled oil well (1927) It became apparent that the interpretation of the surface seismic data needed a way to correlate the information collected between the two exploration techniques. This was the birth of checkshots and then full VSP surveys.

VSPs data became the bridge between the low frequency time domain surface seismic data and the high-frequency depth domain data collected in a wellbore. As Borehole Seismic (VSP) capabilities have grown over the years so has the potential for applications using the collected data.

Opportunities to use VSP data are not just limited to velocity ties or corridor stacks anymore, VSP’s can be used for a wide range of applications including Exploration & Production analysis in both complex geology and high-resolution stratigraphic areas. They assist in determining rock properties, conditioning existing surface seismic data, guiding the drill bit, and are used as input for 4D monitoring of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) just to name a few.

The acquisition systems over the many years of development have gone from a single geophone being lowered into a well to a fully instrumented wellbore that is able to record a range of data types using fiber optic technologies. This presentation will show how VSP data can be used to help in all phases of exploration and development as well as monitoring in a 4D space.

Examples will highlight how proper VSP acquisition planning, and processing can enable geoscientists to get the most value out of their VSP data as well as building that bridge in a field life cycle.