Abstract: A method is described for predicting fault seal based on a digital seismic image including defining a fault coordinate system locally parallel and perpendicular to the at least one fault surface; extracting seismic amplitudes from a sub-volume surrounding and containing the at least one fault surface and mapping the seismic amplitudes in the fault coordinate system; performing trace fitting of the seismic amplitudes along directions locally perpendicular to the fault surface to separate the fault seismic signal from other seismic energy; comparing the fault seismic signal derived from trace fitting to at least one of natural analogs and synthetic models of seismic response to generate a predicted fault seal; and identify geologic features based on the predicted fault seal. The method may be executed by a computer system.

Abstract: A method is described for predicting fault seal from a digital pre-stack seismic image including defining a window based on the at least one fault surface; calculating, via the computer processor, a seismic amplitude vs reflection angle (AVA) pattern at each spatial location on the at least one fault surface by obtaining a median value of all amplitudes within the window centered on the spatial location for a given reflection angle, and repeating the calculating for each angle in the digital pre-stack seismic image to create a complete AVA pattern along the fault surface; evaluating the complete AVA pattern along the fault surface to generate a predicted fault seal; and identifying geologic features based on the predicted fault seal. The method may be executed by a computer system.

Abstract: A method is described for predicting fault seal based on a digital seismic image including defining a fault coordinate system locally parallel and perpendicular to the at least one fault surface; extracting seismic amplitudes from a sub-volume surrounding and containing the at least one fault surface and mapping the seismic amplitudes in the fault coordinate system; performing trace fitting of the seismic amplitudes along directions locally perpendicular to the fault surface to separate the fault seismic signal from other seismic energy; comparing the fault seismic signal derived from trace fitting to at least one of natural analogs and synthetic models of seismic response to generate a predicted fault seal; and identify geologic features based on the predicted fault seal. The method may be executed by a computer system.