1. n. [Geophysics]

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