Acquisition and application of multicomponent vector wavefields: are they practical?

Our ability to acquire and process multicomponent vector wavefields (MCVWs) has arguably never been better. We now have acquisition systems that can can provide high quality measurements, and processing workflows that can address the major barriers in imaging. Despite this, the uptake of MCVWs as an E&P tool appears to be slow leading us to pose the question: ‘are they practical’? In this paper we attempt to answer this question by reviewing the historical development and ‘state of the art’ of MCVW surveying and by looking at the additional value derived in selected applications over ‘conventional’ P-Wave surveys.