Laplace-Fourier FWI as an alternative model building tool for depth imaging studies: Application to marine carbonates field

Summary One of the main limitations of full waveform inversion (FWI) is the need for a good starting model in order to avoid cycle-skipping and convergence to a local minimum of the cost function. Image-based methods such as tomography are therefore used in typical industrial workflows to create the initial model for FWI. In this work we propose an alternative model building workflow based on Laplace-Fourier FWI. This technique widens the frequency bandwidth of the seismic data by localizing seismic events in time. To assess its applicability in a real depth imaging project, we apply it on a carbonate field from offshore West Africa. The results confirm that the new FWI workflow can provide a model comparable to the classic one, starting from a model derived by reflection tomography. The minimal data pre-processing requirements of Laplace-Fourier FWI combined with its ability to start from a simple initial model offers the potential for a significant reduction in the turnaround time of imaging projects.