The common depth point stack

The Common Depth Point (CDP) Method is a seismic data acquisition and processing technique which transforms field recordings from seismic surveys into pseudo-cross-sectional images of the earth's geologic layering beneath the survey line. Such images are the primary geophysical analysis tools used by explorationists to pinpoint likely drilling locations for oil and gas reservoirs. The CDP Method has evolved from an elementary data enhancement concept in the analog seismic era of the 1950s to a highly sophisticated digital imaging and parameter estimation technique in the 1980s. This paper reviews the history of the method, and its underlying mathematical-physical basis in terms of simple computer simulations of reflection seismic experiments. The method is illustrated with actual examples from several geologic provinces, and the paper closes with a discussion of some limitations of the CDP Stack and possible future directions in seismic imagery.