System and method of inferring stratigraphy from suboptimal quality seismic images
AssigneeChevron U.S.A. Inc.
InventorJoseph Paul Stefani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Stratigraphy is inferred over a volume of seismic information. Seismic images are implemented to create higher fidelity stratigraphic structure by leveraging a process that translates seismic image information back and forth into and out of a space that is flattened on geographic time. The stratigraphic structure inferred may be implemented in seismic modeling.
Claims12
A computer-implemented method of inferring stratigraphy over a volume of seismic information, the method being implemented in a computer system that includes one or more physical processors, the method comprising:
- obtaining seismic information related to a subsurface volume, the seismic information including amplitude information indexed by (i) a two-dimensional position in a surface plane of the subsurface volume, and (ii) a metric related to seismic depth of the subsurface volume;
- determining a warping function for the seismic information that re-indexes the amplitude information to (i) a two-dimensional position in the surface plane of the subsurface volume, and (ii) a metric related to relative geologic age;
- obtaining a flat stratiqraphic volume in which flat, horizontally layered horizons have been defined, wherein the horizons are defined in the flat stratigraphic volume with a regular spatial frequency that has a greater resolution than the resolution of horizons that are resolvable within the obtained seismic information;
- and
- applying an inverse of the warping function to the flat stratigraphic volume to generate a proxy stratigraphic volume that is usable in subsequent seismic modeling related to the subsurface volume.
A system configured to infer stratigraphy over a volume of seismic information, the system comprising:
- one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising:
- a data module configured to obtain seismic information related to a subsurface volume, the seismic information including amplitude information indexed by (i) a two-dimensional position in a surface plane of the subsurface volume, and (ii) a metric related to seismic depth of the subsurface volume;
- a flattening module configured to determine a warping function for the seismic information that re-indexes the amplitude information to (i) a two-dimensional position in the surface plane of the subsurface volume, and (ii) a metric related to relative geologic age;
- a flat volume module configured to obtain a flat stratigraphic volume in which flat, horizontally layered horizons have been defined wherein the flat volume module is configured such that the horizons defined in the flat stratigraphic volume are defined with a regular spatial frequency that has a greater resolution than the resolution of horizons that are resolvable within the obtained seismic information;
- and
- a warping module configured to apply an inverse of the warping function to the flat stratigraphic volume to generate a proxy stratigraphic volume that is usable in subsequent seismic modeling related to the subsurface volume.
Non-transient electronic media that stores computer-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to execute a method of inferring stratigraphy over a volume of seismic information, the method comprising:
- obtaining seismic information related to a subsurface volume, the seismic information including amplitude information indexed by (i) a two-dimensional position in a surface plane of the subsurface volume, and (ii) a metric related to seismic depth of the subsurface volume;
- determining a warping function for the seismic information that re-indexes the amplitude information to (i) a two-dimensional position in the surface plane of the subsurface volume, and (ii) a metric related to relative geologic age;
- obtaining a flat stratigraphic volume in which flat, horizontally layered horizons have been defined, wherein the horizons are defined in the flat stratiqraphic volume with a regular spatial frequency that has a greater resolution than the resolution of horizons that are resolvable within the obtained seismic information;
- and
- applying an inverse of the warping function to the flat stratiqraphic volume to generate a proxy stratigraphic volume that is usable in subsequent seismic modeling related to the subsurface volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.