초록 ▼

A method, a map and an article of manufacture for the exploration of hydrocarbons. In one embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the steps of: accessing 3D seismic data; dividing the data into an array of relatively small three-dimensional cells; determining in each cell the semblance/sim

A method, a map and an article of manufacture for the exploration of hydrocarbons. In one embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the steps of: accessing 3D seismic data; dividing the data into an array of relatively small three-dimensional cells; determining in each cell the semblance/similarity, the dip and dip azimuth of the seismic traces contained therein; and displaying dip, dip azimuth and the semblance/similarity of each cell in the form a two-dimensional map. In one embodiment, semblance/similarity is a function of time, the number of seismic traces within the cell, and the apparent dip and apparent dip azimuth of the traces within the cell; the semblance/similarity of a cell is determined by making a plurality of measurements of the semblance/similarity of the traces within the cell and selecting the largest of the measurements. In addition, the apparent dip and apparent dip azimuth, corresponding to the largest measurement of semblance/similarity in the cell, are deemed to be estimates of the true dip and true dip azimuth of the traces therein. A color map, characterized by hue, saturation and lightness, is used to depict semblance/similarity, true dip azimuth and true dip of each cell; true dip azimuth is mapped onto the hue scale, true dip is mapped onto the saturation scale, and the largest measurement of semblance/similarity is mapped onto the lightness scale of the color map.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A method for the exploration of hydrocarbons, comprising the steps of:(a) obtaining a representation of a set of seismic traces distributed over a pre-determined three-dimensional volume of the earth, said volume of the earth having subterranean features characterized by dip and di

[ We claim:] [1.] A method for the exploration of hydrocarbons, comprising the steps of:(a) obtaining a representation of a set of seismic traces distributed over a pre-determined three-dimensional volume of the earth, said volume of the earth having subterranean features characterized by dip and dip azimuth that are defined relative to a pre-defined dip azimuth measurement axis;(b) dividing said three-dimensional volume into at least one horizontal time layer, and dividing said time layer into a plurality of three-dimensional analysis cells, wherein each analysis cell has two pre-determined, mutually perpendicular lateral dimensions and has portions of at least five laterally separated seismic traces located therein;(c) calculating, within each of said analysis cells, a plurality of measures of the semblance of said traces located therein, wherein each measure of semblance is at least a function of time, the number of seismic traces within said analysis cell, and the apparent dip and apparent dip azimuth of said traces within said analysis cell;(d) identifying, within each analysis cell, the largest of said calculated measures of semblance and defining the corresponding apparent dip and apparent dip azimuth to be an estimate of the true dip and an estimate of the true dip azimuth of the seismic traces within said analysis cell; and(e) forming, from all of said analysis cells, a seismic attribute display from said largest calculated measures of semblance and said corresponding estimates of the true dip and the true dip azimuth of the seismic traces within said time layer.