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Up hole survey (depth optimisation)

 Successive sources at varying depths in a borehole in order to determine
the velocities of the near-surface formations, the weathering thickness, and
(sometimes) the variations of record quality with source depth.
 Sometimes a string of geophones is placed in a hole of the order of 200 feet
deep to measure the vertical travel times form a nearby shallow source.

The objective of an uphole survey is to estimate the thickness and times and hence
velocities, of the near surface layers. To obtain accurate time estimates, the source
and receiver must be as broadband as possible and the data have a good signal-
to-noise ratio; that is, the source should ideally be a short time-duration pulse. No
delays should occur in the recording system, which implies that the recording
filters must be left open whenever possible, apart form anti-alias filters used for
digital recording. Checks must be made on the whole timing system, from the
time break through to the display, to ensure that any delays are understood and
accounted for in the interpretation. If detonators (caps) are used, for example,
their delay must either be very small or to be estimated for each shot so that the
detonation time is known.

Uphole survey
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Source in Borehole and Receivers at the Surface: A succession of charges

detonated at different depth are recorded by one or more receivers at the surface
located a few meters away from the hole. This is generally preferred method and
dynamite is used by the production crew. This mode of operation can also be used
in transition zone or shallow-water survey areas where it is practical and safe to
drill and load charges into the borehole.

Source: If dynamite, the size of the charge depends on the near-surface geology
and the depth of the shot; hence, tests must be conducted in the new area. As a
guide, caps (detonators) are normally sufficient to at least 20m. depth and primers
to at least 50m. Charges can be loaded and detonated independently, or a wiring
harness can be used to load many shots at one time. Regardless of which method
is used, the deepest shot must be detonated first. The times are influenced by the
charge size, with larger sizes leading to anomalous times. Thus, to obtain seismic
velocities form an uphole survey, the charge size should be kept as small as
possible yet still allow the signal recorded at the surface to have sufficient signal-
to-noise ratio.

Receiver: A number of receivers are positioned close to the top of the borehole;
a normal minimum is four located in a cross arrangement to record data from four
azimuths. The type of geophone used should have good low and high frequency
responses to obtain the desired broadband recording. Thus, a low frequency
geophone is generally required, with a natural frequency of less than 10Hz. Each
receiver should be located several meters away from the top of the borehole. If a
receiver is too close to the borehole, the recording will be contaminated by
arrivals through the drilling fluid and the invaded zone, where the drilling fluid
has entered the rock formation close to the borehole.

Parameters in the Uphole Survey

The parameters used by all the three parties in conducting the uphole surveys
are as under:

 Source Used
 Receiver
 Spread Length
 No. of Geophones
 Offset Distance
 Depth of Shot Hole
 Shot interval(depth)
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Interpretation
The main components of uphole survey interpretation are:

 Picking the first arrivals from each depth level,

 Applying any necessary corrections to these times
 Plotting the data and estimating the velocities and thicknesses of the
various layers identified.