Abstract: A method of identifying in situ conditions of a hydrocarbon reservoir is disclosed. The method comprises, obtaining a sample from an area of interest, such as a sediment sample or water column sample near a hydrocarbon seep; analyzing the sample to detect nucleic acid signatures that are indicative of microbes associated with hypersaline aquifers; and using the signature to determine the salinity of the hydrocarbon reservoir.

Abstract: An exemplary method for filtering multi-component seismic data is provided. One or more characteristics of the seismic data corresponding to a relative manifestation of surface wave noise on the different components, such as polarization attributes, are identified. A time-frequency boundary in the seismic data is also identified in the time-frequency transform domain, the time-frequency boundary delineating portions of the seismic data estimated to contain surface wave noise (302). Finally, filtered seismic data are created (306) by removing portions of the seismic data that correspond to the identified characteristics of surface waves and that are within the time-frequency boundary (303).