SVSL (Side View Seismic Locator)  – Determines reservoir quality by identifying zones of open fracturing which are known for superior productive potential. It is principally a new method of micro-seismic exploration designed to study fracturing in potential reservoirs.

There is a fundamental difference between SVSL and conventional seismic exploration. Conventional seismic is based primarily on the use of reflected waves, while SVSL is based on the analysis of scattered waves.

Acoustic impedance of an open fracture is of an order higher than that of other subsurface geological features, causing scattered waves to provide specific information pertaining to open fracturing. To identify low-power scattered waves in man-made seismic wave fields, SVSL uses synchronous stacking of scattered wave signals at 104 and suppression of reflected waves via special observation geometry and its proprietary Focusing Transformation Algorithms. SVSL can reprocess both 2D and 3D-seismic data, or it can be applied real-time in the field using conventional energy sources but through a proprietary acquisition process. The method is best applied in carbonate and other types of fractured reservoirs.