MicrosSeisGram - microseismic processing software

altcom's microseismic processing and QC workbench

altcom started this multi-sponsor R&D project called MicroSeisGram in 2007 aimed at the oil and gas and geothermal industries. The objective was to develop a platform independent microseismic processing and Quality Control (QC) software workbench.

The workbench is aimed at:

• Small-scale microseismic data processing
• QC of microseismic data and processed results
• Testing of new and enhanced processing techniques
• Standardising microseismic waveform and metadata exchange formats

The project philosophy is that the MicrosSeisGram software, processing algorithms and data structure will remain transparent to all users. This will be a departure from the usual "black box" approach to processing software, enabling use of the code for QC purposes and R&D applications.

The software was not intended for bulk and/or commercial microseismic data processing but as a tool for R&D and small scale data QC use.

The software has been developed as platform independent and is supplied to the project partners with the source-code. This makes it easy for the partners to extend the code themselves and try out new ideas

Workbench features

• Platform independence (developed in Java)
• GUI and command-line operation
• Data readers (eg SEGY, SEG2, SEED)
• Interactive arrival time and polarisation picker
• Event location
• Polarisation analysis
• Spectral analysis
• Autopickers
• Source parameters/magnitudes
• Fault plane solutions and focal mechanism inversion
• API/interface for addition of 3^rd party developed processing routines
• integrated Apache Derby SQL database (standalone or enterprise based)
• XML import/export

Project structure and deliverables

The project is funded through a consortium structure consisting of industrial partners from the hydrocarbons and geothermal industry.

The deliverables from the project include:

• Core open-source code (Core-Code)
• Complete copy of the microseismic workbench software source code for R&D use
• System documentation
• Online (email) support and maintenance
• Quarterly reports and updates
• Project website (Q3 2008)
  

Each project sponsor is granted a non-exclusive royalty-free license in-perpetuity to use and develop the software for R&D purposes.

Use of the software by the sponsor's business unit's for commercial or non R&D purposes requires the payment of a one-off license fee.

Project funding

The project was initiated in 2007 and the first phase runs for two years (2007/8).

Initial funding in 2007 has come from altcom Ltd and Chevron Energy Technology Company .

altcom Ltd also gratefully acknowledges the support of the University of Exeter and the European Social Fund (ESF) for start-up R&D funding.

The annual sponsorship fee for 2007 and 2008 is US$50,000/year.