Method for performing stratigraphically-based seed detection in a 3-D seismic data volume
AssigneeExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
InventorsPaul A. Dunn, Marek K. Czernuszenko
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Abstract
The invention is a method for performing a stratigraphically-based seed detection in a 3-D seismic data volume. The method incorporates criteria that honor the layered nature of the subsurface so that the resulting seismic objects are stratigraphically reasonable. The method may be used to extract from a seismic data volume all seismic objects that satisfy the input criteria. Alternatively, the method may be used to determine the size and shape of a specific seismic object in a seismic data volume.
Claims32
A method for seed detection of seismic objects in a 3-D seismic data volume, said 3-D seismic data volume comprising a plurality of vertical seismic data traces, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining the value of a preselected seismic attribute at a plurality of data points along each seismic data trace;
- (b) selecting a first set of criteria for classifying each seismic data trace based on said attribute values into trace segments that are either acceptable or unacceptable for inclusion in a seismic object;
- (c) selecting a second set of criteria for allowing or preventing lateral propagation of a seismic object from one seismic data trace to an adjacent seismic data trace, wherein the second set of criteria comprises at least one of multi-voxel structure, trace shape, vertical offset, trace-to-trace statistical correlation, a constraint on self-overlapping object growth and any combination thereof;
- (d) selecting an initial data point in said 3-D seismic data volume as a seed point and attempting to grow a seismic object around said seed point based on said first and second sets of criteria;
- (e) repeating step (d) for each other data point in said 3-D seismic data volume;
- and
- (f) outputting seismic objects that satisfy pre-selected criteria for minimum and maximum size.
A method for determining the size and shape of a seismic object in a 3-D seismic data volume, said 3-D seismic data volume comprising a plurality of vertical seismic data traces, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining the value of a preselected seismic attribute at a plurality of data points along each seismic data trace;
- (b) selecting a first set of criteria for classifying each seismic data trace based on said attribute values into trace segments that are either acceptable or unacceptable for inclusion in said seismic object;
- (c) selecting a second set of criteria for allowing or preventing lateral propagation of said seismic object from one seismic data trace to an adjacent seismic data trace, wherein the second set of criteria comprises at least one of multi-voxel structure, trace shape, vertical offset, a constraint on self-overlapping object growth and any combination thereof;
- (d) selecting a seed point falling within said seismic object and growing said seismic object around said seed point based on said first and second sets of criteria;
- and
- (e) outputting the size and shape of said seismic object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.