Spectral decomposition for seismic interpretation

Patent 6131071 Issued on October 10, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date:

January 19, 2019. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Assignee

BP Amoco Corporation

Application

No. 233643 filed on 01/19/1999

US Classes:

702/16Specific display system (e.g., mapping, profiling)

Examiners

Primary: McElheny, Donald Jr.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Gabala; James A., Sloat; Robert E., Watt; Terry

International Class

G06F 019/00

Abstract

The present invention is directed generally toward a method of processing seismic data to provide improved quantification and visualization of subtle seismic thin bed tuning effects and other sorts of lateral rock discontinuities. A reflection from a thin bed has a characteristic expression in the frequency domain that is indicative of the thickness of the bed: the reflection has a periodic sequence of notches in its amplitude spectrum, with the notches being spaced a distance apart that is inversely proportional to the temporal thickness of the thin bed. Further, this characteristic expression may be used to track thin bed reflections through a 3-D volume and estimate their thicknesses and lateral extent. The usefulness of this invention is enhanced by a novel method of frequency domain whitening that emphasizes the geologic information present within the spectrum. Although the present invention is preferentially applied to a 3-D seismic volume, it is alternatively applied to any collection of spatially related seismic traces.

Other References

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