A method and system for picking first-break times for a seismic dataset are disclosed. The method includes generating a pre-processed seismic dataset and an initial refraction velocity model from the pre-stack seismic dataset and generating a first-break energy-enhanced seismic dataset using nonlinear beamforming applied to the pre-processed seismic dataset and the initial refraction velocity model. The methods further include estimating a refined refraction velocity model from the first-break energy-enhanced seismic dataset, and generating a post-processed seismic dataset from the refined refraction velocity model and first-break energy-enhanced seismic dataset. The methods still further include, for each pre-stack trace, determining a first-break time from the post-processed seismic dataset and the refined refraction velocity model. The methods also include generating a seismic image based on the first-break time for each pre-stack trace and determining a location of a hydrocarbon reservoir based on the seismic image.