Method and system for presenting seismic information

• US 9,523,783 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2013
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roxar Software Solutions AS (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Roxar Software Solutions AS (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Leahy, Garrett
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US14/096,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20140163890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 702/16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/302 in 3D data cubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/307 for determining seismic attributes, e.g. amplitude, instantaneous phase or frequency, reflection strength or polarity
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/345 Visualisation of seismic data or attributes, e.g. in 3D cubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/64 Geostructures, e.g. in 3D data cubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/665 using geostatistical modeling
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/667 Determining confidence or uncertainty in parameters

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system mapping geological formations related to seismic studies comprising interrogation means for sampling information from geological features in a mapped area, e.g. through seismic sampling methods, the sampled information being stored in association with a position related to the sampled information providing a mapping of the area, wherein the system also comprises analyzing means for obtaining attribute information related to the sampled information in each position and storing said attribute information associated to said positions so as to provide an ensemble of attribute values related to the mapped area subject to the seismic studies.

Claims

1. A system mapping geological formations related to seismic studies, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensors for sampling information from geological features in a mapped area,

storage hardware associated with a computer for storing the information in association with a position related to the sampled information providing a mapping of the area

wherein the computer obtains attribute information related to the sampled information in each position and stores said attribute information associated to said positions thereby providing an ensemble of attribute values related to the mapped area subject to the seismic studies; and

a display that shows the attribute values related to the mapped area for use in hydrocarbon exploration.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said attributes values is related to calculated uncertainty of the sampled information.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the geological features include subsurface horizons and/or faults.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein an ensemble of mappings is obtained from multiple interpretations of the seismic studies.

5. The system according to claim 4, in which the ensemble of mappings is obtained via a sampling of model space as indicated by uncertainty in a given measurement.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the attribute values are derived from seismic data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the seismic data includes at least one of amplitude attributes and isochore attributes.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the attribute values are derived from geophysical data or models.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the geophysical data includes at least one of density models and resistivity models.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein feature and spatial positions describing a subsurface feature, comprising calculating means for determining said property or attribute given an individual estimate of feature position, estimates of the property at each spatial location provided by a set of positions associated with a given feature, and the subsequent use of said property estimate distributions in subsurface mapping.

11. The system according to claim 10, comprising means for generating a set of said of spatial positions describing a subsurface feature.

12. A method for using the system according to claim 1, the method comprising:

conducting a subsurface survey;

interpreting the survey in such a way as to produce an ensemble of mappings;

producing an ensemble of attribute values from said mappings;

drilling a well at least partly based on said ensemble of attribute values; and

producing hydrocarbons from the well.