Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Steve R May

Yao C Cheng

John A Farre

Lee H Fairchild

Structural and stratigraphic discontinuities are identified in a 3-D volume of seismic data samples in the presence of reflection dip, by first selecting a primary and at least one secondary direction in the volume of seismic data samples. Next, skeleton patches are identified in the volume of seismic data samples, where the skeleton patches comprise groups of connected seismic samples representing seismic horizons in the volume of seismic data samples. Apparent dip is calculated in the primary and secondary directions at each data sample within the identified skeleton patches, creating a primary and secondary direction dip volumes, respectively, at corresponding data sample locations. A filter is applied to the primary direction dip and secondary direction dip volumes to fill in values at the data sample locations not within the identified skeleton patches. Finally, a discontinuity volume is determined from calculated one-dimensional, two-trace discontinuity values in the primary and secondary directions at data sample locations. The calculated apparent dips at corresponding data sample locations in the primary and secondary direction dip volumes determine which portions of the data samples to use in the corresponding discontinuity value calculations.

Growing community of inventors

Missouri City, TX, United States of America

Steve R May