1. SPS 3.0
Update of the Progress of the SPS Subgroup of the SEG Technical Standards Committee
Cignoli, J.E.; Green, P.C.; Hubbell, S.E.; Moffitt, R.G.; Siddiquee, F; Bowes, A.W.; LaFon, S.K.; Musser, J.A. (Saudi Aramco)
September, 2011

2. Current SPS v2.1 Point Record (R & S) Specifications
Item
Definition of field
Cols
Format
Min. to max
Default
Just.
units 1
Record identification
1-1 A1
“S” or “R”
None
n/a 2
Line name
2-11
F10.2 to
Right 3
Point number
12-21 +
22-23
Blank 4
Point index
24-24 I1
1 to 9 5
Point code
25-26 A2 A#
Left 6
Static correction
27-30 I4
-999 to 9999 ms 7
Point depth
31-34
F4.1
0 to 99.9
Header defined 8
Seismic datum
35-38 9
Uphole time
39-40 I2
0 to 99 10
Water depth
41-46
F6.1
0 to 11
Map grid easting
47-55
F9.1 12
Map grid northing
56-65
F10.1 13
Surface elevation
66-71 to 14
Day of year
72-74 I3
1 to 999 15
Time “hhmmss”
75-80
3I2 to

3. Proposed SPS v3.0 Point Record (R & S) Specifications
Item
Definition of field
Cols
Format
Min. to max
Default
Just.
units 1
record identification
1-1 A1
“S” or “R”
None
n/a 2
line name
2-17
F16.5 to
Right 3
point number
18-33 +
34-35
Blank 4
point index
36-38 I3
1 to 999 5
point code
39-41 A3
A##
Left 6
point depth
42-49
F8.2
0 to
Header defined 7
tide height
50-54
F5.2
-9.99 to 99.99 8
water depth
55-62 9
map grid easting
63-72
F10.2 10
map grid northing
73-83
F11.2 11
surface elevation
84-91 to 12
day of year (Julian day)
92-94 13
time “hhmmss”
95-100
3I2 to 14
GPS time* (SEGD Timestamp)
F21.6 to
Seconds
* The GPS Time / SEGD Timestamp is the time in seconds with microsecond precision since 06 January :00:00 (GPS epoch). Dates and times before 06 January 1980 will have a negative GPS Time value.

4. Current SPS v2.1 Relation Record (X) Specifications
Item
Definition of field
Cols
Format
Min. to max
Default
Just. 1
Record identification
1-1 A1
“X”
None
n/a 2
Field tape number
2-7
3A2
free
right 3
Field record number
8-15 I8
0 to 4
Field record increment
16-16 I1
1 to 9 5
Instrument code
17-17 6
Line name
18-27
F10.2 to 7
Point number
28-37 to 8
Point index
38-38
F4.1I1 9
From channel
39-43 I5
1 to 99999 10
To channel
44-48 11
Channel increment
49-49
Blank1 12
50-59 13
From receiver
60-69 14
To receiver
70-79 15
Receiver index
80-80

5. Proposed SPS v3.0 Relation Record (X) Specifications
Item
Definition of field
Cols
Format
Min. to max
Default
Just. 1
record identification
1-1 A1
“X”
None
n/a 2
field tape number
2-13
6A2
free
right 3
field record number
14-21 I8
0 to 4
field record increment
22-23 I2
1 to 99 5
instrument code
24-24
1 to 9 6
source line name
25-40
F16.5 to 7
source point number
41-56 8
source point index
57-59 I3
1 to 999 9
from channel number
60-66 I7
1 to 10
to channel number
67-73 11
channel number increment
74-76 12
receiver line name
77-92 13
from receiver point number
93-108 14
to receiver point number 15
receiver point index

6. SPS 3.0 Considerations and Features
SPS v3.0 should be fully compatible with SEGD v3.0.
Proposed SPS v3.0 records all require less than 150 columns (as recommended by OGP) and still have room for expansion before that limit is reached.
SEGD supports Short Mother Records (SMR), in which multiple source events are recorded in a single record, resulting in a many-to-one relation of source point records to an ffid on tape.
This will require further generalization of the relational (X) records to allow generation of daughter records with unique ffids from the mother record.
This may be a new record or file type (similar to X) or
It may be a modification of the existing Relational (X) file with added records defining the daughter data
Additional input relating to handling SMRs and subsequent separated daughter records is solicited from industry participants. The current recommendations are Aramco-centric mainly because we have received little feedback from seismic industry service providers when solicited.
GPS time with microsecond fidelity is added to allow accurate source separation in high-productivity acquisition (such as ISS).

7. SPS 3.0 Considerations and Features (cont.)
Comma delimiting of record entries is being considered to improve robustness of the formats. [Comma-Space] delimiting is also being considered to help keep the records relatively easy to scan by eye.
OBC data acquisition easily fits within the proposed SPS 3.0 definitions.
Current and Future High-Channel Count crews require the SEGY format to increase the current channel limitation (32,767) to be compatible with SEGD (16,777,215).
Consideration should be given in future versions of all formats (SPS, SEGD, SEGY, etc.) for robust handling of Common Receiver Gather data, such as acquired by nodes and other wireless systems.
For SPS files, this can be achieved by a reversal of the roles of S and R stations within the X files.
Further development of SPS Header Blocks and Templates for specific acquisition technologies and schemes (such as, surface sources, explosives, airgun arrays, buried receivers, seabed receivers, etc.) are under development.
Documentation will proceed upon approval of proposed formats.