1. n. []
In surface seismic acquisition, the horizontal distance from source to geophone. In a vertical seismic profile, geophone offset is the horizontal distance between the source and the wellhead or the surface projection of the geophone in the case of a deviated well. Offset between seismic source and receiver creates a delay, or moveout, in the arrival time of a reflection that can be corrected before stacking and can be used to determine velocity.
See related terms: acquisition, arrival time, common-offset, extended spread, fold, lithostratigraphic inversion, moveout, mute, normal moveout, offset, perpendicular offset, shotpoint, spread, tail mute, two-way traveltime, velocity analysis, vertical seismic profile, walkaway vertical seismic profile, zero-offset data