Abstract:The estimation of residual static correction values is essentially a nonlinear inverse problem. The use of linear inversion fails to correctly pick up static correction values when residual static correction values are high and S/N ratio is low. We use two nonlinear inversion methods (the maximum energy method and the simulated annealing method) to estimate the residual static correction values of source points and receiver points. These two methods use negative stacked energy as objective function and static correction value as model parameter. The estimation of optimum residual static correction values requires locating the global minimum of a mufti-dimensional objective function. The result of maximum energy method depends on the initial values of residual statics. The solution is often trapped into the local minimum of the objective function. The simulated annealing method is independent of initial value and can usually find the solution which corresponds to the global minimum or the approximate value.