Method for analyzing reflection curvature in seismic data volumes
AssigneeExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
InventorsBrian P. West, Steven R. May, Dominique Gillard, John E. Eastwood, Michael D. Gross, Thomas J. Frantes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of calculating reflection curvature in a seismic data volume wherein an apparent dip value is calculated in a first direction to generate a first apparent dip volume. A horizontal gradient is calculated in the first direction in the first apparent dip volume using a specified length scale to generate a first curvature volume. The process may be repeated one or more times, and the individual curvature volumes combined to generate a combined curvature volume for the seismic data volume.
Claims25
A method for analyzing reflection curvature in a seismic data volume, comprising:
- selecting a first substantially horizontal direction in the seismic data volume;
- selecting a first length scale for the first direction;
- calculating an apparent dip in the first direction at a plurality of the data locations in the seismic data volume, thereby generating a first apparent dip volume;
- and
- calculating a horizontal gradient in the first direction in the first apparent dip volume from the difference in apparent dip values in the first direction at locations horizontally separated in the first direction by a distance substantially equal to the first length scale, thereby generating a first curvature volume for the seismic data volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.