Method For Geophysical and Geological Interpretation of Seismic Volumes In The Domains of Depth, Time, and Age

• US 20110002194A1
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Ganglin, Imhof, Matthias, Dimitrov, Pavel, Gillard, Dominique G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,213,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/32 Transforming one recording into another or one representation into another
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/48 Other transforms
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/63 Seismic attributes, e.g. amplitude, polarity, instant phase
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/641 Continuity of geobodies
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/643 Horizon tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/66 Subsurface modeling

Abstract

Method for transforming geologic data relating to a subsurface region between a geophysical depth domain and a geologic age domain. A set of topologically consistent surfaces (252a) is obtained that correspond to seismic data (252). The surfaces are enumerated in the depth domain. An age is assigned to each surface in the depth domain (255). The age corresponds to an estimated time of deposition of the respective surface. An age mapping volume is generated (256). An extent of the age domain is chosen. A depth mapping volume is generated (260). Both the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume are used to transform geophysical, geologic, or engineering data or interpretations (258, 263) between the depth domain and the age domain (268) and vice versa (269). The geophysical, geologic, or engineering data or interpretations transformed by at least one of the age or depth mapping volume are outputted.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for transforming geologic data relating to a subsurface region between a geophysical depth domain and a geologic age domain, comprising:

obtaining seismic data;

obtaining a set of topologically consistent surfaces that correspond to the seismic data;

enumerating the surfaces in the depth domain;

assigning an age to each of the surfaces in the depth domain, the age corresponding to an estimated time of deposition of the respective surface;

using a computer to generate an age mapping volume;

choosing an extent of the age domain;

using a computer to generate a depth mapping volume;

using both the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume to transform, on a computer, geophysical, geologic, or engineering data or interpretations between the depth domain and the age domain, and between the age domain and the depth domain; and

outputting the geophysical, geologic, or engineering data or interpretations transformed by at least one of the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a push mode is used to transform between at least one of

the depth domain and the age domain, and

the age domain and the depth domain.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a pull mode is used to transform between at least one of

the depth domain and the age domain, and

the age domain and the depth domain.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying specified layers of the depth domain having a predetermined age range by incorporating an opacity control.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein incorporating an opacity control comprises rendering transparent layers other than the specified layers such that the specified layers are visible.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume is generated by interpolating from each of the surfaces and their respective assigned ages.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising applying a filter to the ages when generating at least one of the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the age mapping volume is generated by optimizing a function that minimizes differences between surfaces, their ages, and the age mapping volume.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the age mapping volume is generated by optimizing a function of the form

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the depth mapping volume is generated by optimizing a function that minimizes differences between surfaces, their ages, and the depth mapping volume.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the depth mapping volume is generated by optimizing a function of the form

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of topologically consistent surfaces are obtained by skeletonization.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the surfaces are enumerated in the depth domain using a push-down strategy.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the surfaces are enumerated in the depth domain using a pull-up strategy.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting comprises displaying at least a portion of at least one of the depth domain and the age domain.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming and computing attributes of the subsurface region from one of the age mapping volume, the depth mapping volume, or data in the depth domain or the age domain.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising selective modification of at least one of the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume before the computation of the attributes, said selective modification being designed to create closure at one or more faults.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using at least one of the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume to compute a thickness of one or more isopachs; and

outputting the computed thickness.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using at least one of the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume to determine a presence of an enclosure volume; and

outputting information identifying the enclosure volume.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is computer-implemented.

21. A computer program product having computer executable logic recorded on a tangible, non-transitory machine readable medium, the computer program product comprising:

code for obtaining a set of topologically consistent surfaces that correspond to seismic data relating to a subsurface region;

code for enumerating the surfaces in a depth domain;

code for assigning an age to each of the surfaces in the depth domain, the age corresponding to an estimated time of deposition of the respective surface;

code for generating an age mapping volume;

code for choosing an extent of the age domain;

code for generating a depth mapping volume;

code for using both the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume to transform geophysical, geologic, or engineering data or interpretations between the depth domain and the age domain, and between the age domain and the depth domain; and

code for outputting the geologic, geophysical, or engineering data or interpretations transformed by at least one of the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume.

22. A method for managing hydrocarbon resources, comprising:

obtaining a set of topologically consistent surfaces that correspond to seismic data relating to a subsurface region;

enumerating the surfaces in a depth domain;

assigning an age to each of the surfaces in the depth domain, the age corresponding to an estimated time of deposition of the respective surface;

generating an age mapping volume;

choosing an extent of the age domain;

generating a depth mapping volume;

using both the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume to transform geophysical, geologic, or engineering data or interpretations between the depth domain and the age domain, and between the age domain and the depth domain;

using the geophysical, geologic, or engineering data or interpretations transformed by at least one of the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume to predict a presence of hydrocarbons in the subsurface region; and

managing hydrocarbon resources based on the predicted presence.