The improvement in seismic resolution by Map and Trace attribute analysis

Abstract

The application of 3-D surface seismic methods in delineating the areal extent of subtle coal-seam faults is discussed. Using a case history from the Sydney Basin, we show that the potential for seismic methods in coal exploration is underestimated. This is attributed, to some extent, to the widespread use of 2-D surface seismic methods, which are frequently inadequate for resolving the typical problems encountered in coal mining. Using 3-D seismic data, an important distinction between the resolution and detection limits is shown. The application of seismic migration of coal data is also stressed as being an essential processing step. Finally, map attribute analysis is introduced for the interpretation of coal 3-D seismic data, and a method to eliminate subjective interpretation is offered.