Robust joint full-waveform inversion of time-lapse seismic data sets with total-variation regularization

Abstract: We present a technique for reconstructing subsurface velocity model changes from time-lapse seismic survey data using full-waveform inversion (FWI). The technique is based on simultaneously inverting multiple survey vintages, with model difference regularization using the total variation (TV) seminorm. We compare the new TV-regularized time-lapse FWI with the $L_2$-regularized joint inversion proposed in our earlier work, using synthetic data sets that exhibit survey repeatability issues. The results demonstrate clear advantages of the proposed TV-regularized joint inversion over alternatives methods for recovering production-induced model changes that are due to both fluid substitution and geomechanical effects.