using a computer specially adapted with a seismic data analysis package to analyze prior seismic data for a survey area;

selecting a flare spacing for a streamer configuration, the streamer configuration including a plurality of seismic receivers having a first lateral distance between outer-most, rearward-most seismic receivers that is greater than a second lateral distance between outer-most, front-most seismic receivers;

creating synthetic gaps in coverage of the prior seismic data by dropping a trace at different flare spacing;

testing capability of different interpolation algorithms to close the synthetic gaps created by the trace with the flare spacing; and

determining an optimal flare spacing for the streamer configuration based upon the capability of the different interpolation algorithms to close the synthetic gaps.