Seismic Horizon Skeletonization
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for transforming a seismic data volume acquired in a seismic survey to a corresponding data volume which, when visually displayed, shows a representation of subterranean reflector surfaces that gave rise to the data by reflecting seismic waves, said method comprising:
- (a) picking seismic reflections from the data volume, and creating initial surfaces from the picks;
(b) breaking surfaces into smaller parts (“
patches”
) that are predominantly topologically consistent;
(c) merging neighboring patches in a topologically consistent way, thus extracting topologically consistent reflection-based surfaces from the seismic data volume; and
(d) displaying the extracted surfaces for visual inspection or interpretation, or saving their digital representations to computer memory or data storage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method for analysis of hydrocarbon potential of subterranean regions by generating surfaces or geobodies and analyzing them for hydrocarbon indications. Reflection-based surfaces may be automatically created in a topologically consistent manner where individual surfaces do not overlap themselves and sets of multiple surfaces are consistent with stratigraphic superposition principles. Initial surfaces are picked from the seismic data (41), then broken into smaller parts (“patches”) that are predominantly topologically consistent (42), whereupon neighboring patches are merged in a topologically consistent way (43) to form a set of surfaces that are extensive and consistent (“skeleton”). Surfaces or geobodies thus extracted may be automatically analyzed and rated (214) based on a selected measure (213) such as one or more direct hydrocarbon indications (“DHI”), e.g. AVO classification. Topological consistency for one or more surfaces may be defined as no self overlap plus local and global consistency among multiple surfaces (52).
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for transforming a seismic data volume acquired in a seismic survey to a corresponding data volume which, when visually displayed, shows a representation of subterranean reflector surfaces that gave rise to the data by reflecting seismic waves, said method comprising:
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(a) picking seismic reflections from the data volume, and creating initial surfaces from the picks; (b) breaking surfaces into smaller parts (“
patches”
) that are predominantly topologically consistent;(c) merging neighboring patches in a topologically consistent way, thus extracting topologically consistent reflection-based surfaces from the seismic data volume; and (d) displaying the extracted surfaces for visual inspection or interpretation, or saving their digital representations to computer memory or data storage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 32)
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26. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for reducing a seismic data volume to reflection-based surfaces, said method comprising:
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(a) picking seismic reflections from the data volume, and creating initial surfaces from the picks; (b) breaking surfaces into smaller parts (“
patches”
) that are predominantly topologically consistent; and(c) merging neighboring patches in a topologically consistent way, thus extracting topologically consistent reflection-based surfaces from the seismic data volume.
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28. A method for merging surfaces identified in a seismic or seismic attribute data volume to form larger surfaces representing subterranean geologic structure or geophysical state of matter, comprising merging neighboring surfaces in a topologically consistent way.
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29. A method for exploring for hydrocarbons, comprising:
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(a) obtaining a data volume of seismic or seismic attribute data resulting from a seismic survey; (b) subdividing the data volume into parts, called objects; (c) forming regions of one or more objects; (d) developing or selecting a measure for ranking the regions in terms of potential to represent a geobody, interface surface, or intersection of these, or other physical geologic structure or geophysical state of matter that is indicative of hydrocarbon deposits; and (e) using the measure to prioritize regions, and then using the prioritization to assess the volume for hydrocarbon potential. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 33)
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Specification