Quantifying geologic growth history of subsurface oil field structures based on structural growth indications

A computer implemented method of forming with a data processing system a measure of geologic folding indicating geologic growth history of a formation layer in a subsurface oil field structure over geological time, the formation layer being one of a plurality of formations at successively lower depths in the earth, the formed measure of geologic folding being indicative of whether the layer is charged with hydrocarbons, the measure being formed based on:

• (1) relative differences in thickness, and (2) identified locations of greatest thickness and least thickness of the formation layer over its extent through the earth, the data processing system comprising a processor, a memory, and a display, the method comprising the computer processing steps of:
• (a) receiving in the memory geological data indicative of rock strata thickness and structure of the plurality of formation layers over their extent through the earth in a region of interest;
• (b) determining in the processor thickness differences of the plurality of formation layers between identified locations of greatest thickness and of least thickness;
• (c) determining in the processor a measure of magnitude of geologic folding indicating geologic growth history of the formation layer in the region of interest from the determined thickness difference of the formation layer at the identified locations of greatest thickness and of least thickness;
• (d) assembling in memory of the data processing system the determined measure of magnitude of geologic folding of the formation layer in the region of interest;
• and
• (e) forming an output display image of the determined measure of magnitude of geologic folding of the formation layer for the region of interest over geologic time to indicate if the formation layer is charged with hydrocarbons for exploration and development of the subsurface oil field structure.