Method and apparatus for automatically identifying fault cuts in seismic data using a horizon time structure
First Claim
1. A method for automatically determining one or more fault cuts in each of one or more horizons in a set of seismic data in response to one or more predetermined horizon time structures corresponding, respectively, to said one or more horizons, comprising the steps of:
- (a) identifying one or more valid gaps in each of said one or more horizon time structures, each of said valid gaps having a length and a slope which is acceptable when compared to a reference length and a reference slope;
(b) locating a plurality midpoints in each of said valid gaps; and
(c) drawing a fault cut at each of said midpoints of each of said valid gaps in each of said one or more horizon time structures, each of the fault cuts being located adjacent to an upper part of a particular one of said one or more horizons and adjacent to a lower part of said particular one of said one or more horizons in response to the drawing step (c).
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interpretation workstation based apparatus having an "Auto Fault" software stored therein automatically identifies a plurality of fault cuts in each of a plurality of horizons in a seismic data volume in response to a plurality of predetermined "horizon time structures". When a processor in the workstation executes the "Auto Fault" software, the processor will receive the "horizon time structures" and perform the following steps: (a) identify valid gaps in each of the horizon time structures where each gap has a proper length and a proper slope, (b) locate midpoints in each of the valid gaps, (c) draw fault cuts at each of the midpoints of each of the valid gaps in the horizon time structure where the drawn fault cut has an inclination angle equal to a predefined and user input inclination angle for single horizon analysis, and an angle determined by association for multiple horizon analysis, and (d) extend the upper and the lower part of the horizon of the horizon time structure to the newly drawn fault cuts until a pair of fault contacts on the fault cuts are determined whereby each of the plurality of fault cuts in each of the plurality of horizons in the seismic data are automatically and rapidly determined.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for automatically determining one or more fault cuts in each of one or more horizons in a set of seismic data in response to one or more predetermined horizon time structures corresponding, respectively, to said one or more horizons, comprising the steps of:
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(a) identifying one or more valid gaps in each of said one or more horizon time structures, each of said valid gaps having a length and a slope which is acceptable when compared to a reference length and a reference slope; (b) locating a plurality midpoints in each of said valid gaps; and (c) drawing a fault cut at each of said midpoints of each of said valid gaps in each of said one or more horizon time structures, each of the fault cuts being located adjacent to an upper part of a particular one of said one or more horizons and adjacent to a lower part of said particular one of said one or more horizons in response to the drawing step (c). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for automatically determining one or more fault cuts in each of one or more horizons in a set of seismic data in response to one or more predetermined horizon time structures corresponding, respectively, to said one or more horizons, comprising:
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first means for identifying one or more valid gaps in each of said one or more horizon time structures, each of said valid gaps having a length and a slope which is acceptable when compared to a reference length and a reference slope; second means for locating a plurality midpoints in each of said valid gaps; and third means for locating a fault cut at each of said midpoints of each of said valid gaps in each of said one or more horizon time structures, each of the fault cuts being located adjacent to an upper part of a particular one of said one or more horizons and adjacent to a lower part of said particular one of said one or more horizons. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification