Traditional methods are computationally fast but deliver only qualitative images. Modern methods can yield quantitative images but are computationally intensive and are not very reliable. UNIQUE aims to solve these issues, enabling more precise and robust quantitative imaging, providing major benefits to science and industry. Wave-based imaging is critical for fields including medical diagnostics (ultrasound), seismic analysis of the subsurface, and non-destructive testing of materials. Traditional wave-based imaging has been in use for decades. Although it is fast, it only provides qualitative images and requires extensive data sampling. To get the most out of the data, or even to work with less data, we need quantitative imaging techniques. A promising solution is full-waveform inversion (FWI): an advanced computational technique used in wave-based imaging to create highly detailed, quantitative models of the subsurface or an internal structure. But FWI has major issues: it is too slow and expensive due to the massive computational power required, and it often leads to incorrect conclusions.
Collaboration with relevant knowledge users
UNIQUE will address those issues by improving the robustness, accuracy, and efficiency of wave-based imaging algorithms. In essence, UNIQUE will transform FWI from an expensive research tool into an accessible, robust tool for professionals practitioners. A key feature of the OTP programme is collaboration with relevant knowledge users to realize knowledge transfer between technical sciences and users. This can be done by making a financial or material contribution. Therefore a user committee consisting of three companies and two universities was set up for Unique. “I want to express my gratitude especially to Shearwater Geoservices” says Tristan van Leeuwen. “They co-funded this project and will assist us among other things by providing software, the data and the processing resources.”
Economical and societal impact
The development of a new and improved FWI will have a direct and far-reaching impact, in different applications. In medical diagnostics, FWI is currently too slow and unreliable for clinical use. UNIQUE’s methods could allow doctors to use lower frequencies, which would increase the depth they can scan into tissues, while providing direct, precise measurements of tissue health. Another application is the non-destructive testing of manufactured objects or constructions for structural integrity. Current methods often give low-resolution images. While they allow measuring quantitative things like the size of a defect, the overall image quality is a constraint. A fast and robust FWI method will enable higher resolution, more accurate, and informative images. Finally UNIQUE can also use FWI to help the energy transition. The shift to clean energy relies heavily on offshore facilities, like old oil and gas reservoirs to store CO2 (carbon capture) and making sure the seabed is safe and secure for wind farm foundations. Until now, there’s been a painful cost-versus-accuracy dilemma. Cheaper and affordable equipment yields poor-quality images and inaccurate data (risking expensive mistakes). But high accuracy demands expensive, time-consuming imaging. UNIQUE will solve this dilemma by developing tools that would enable faster and more accurate imaging and facilitate the design of seismic acquisition strategies for optimal cost-of-information.
