Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Exploration Geophysics Exploration Geophysics Society
Journal of the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Identification of small-scale discontinuities based on dip-oriented gradient energy entropy coherence estimation

Da Peng 1 2 Cheng Yin 1
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

1 Sichuan Province Key Laboratory of National Gas Geology, School of Geoscience and Technology, Southwest Petroleum University, 8 Xingdu Road, Xingdu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, China.

2 Corresponding author. Email: pengda2012@163.com

Exploration Geophysics 48(4) 485-492 https://doi.org/10.1071/EG16020
Submitted: 19 February 2016  Accepted: 2 August 2016   Published: 7 September 2016

Abstract

Locating small-scale discontinuities is one of the most challenging geophysical tasks; these subtle geological features are significant since they are often associated with subsurface petroleum traps. Subtle faults, fractures, unconformities, reef textures, channel boundaries, thin-bed boundaries and other structural and stratigraphic discontinuities have subtle geological edges which may provide lateral variation in seismic expression. Among the different geophysical techniques available, 3D seismic discontinuity attributes are particularly useful for highlighting discontinuities in the seismic data. Traditional seismic discontinuity attributes are sensitive to noise and are not very appropriate for detecting small-scale discontinuities. Thus, we present a dip-oriented gradient energy entropy (DOGEE) coherence estimation method to detect subtle faults and structural features. The DOGEE coherence estimation method uses the gradient structure tensor (GST) algorithm to obtain local dip information and construct a gradient correlation matrix to calculate gradient energy entropy. The proposed DOGEE coherence estimation method is robust to noise, and also improves the clarity of fault edges. It is effective for small-scale discontinuity characterisation and interpretation.

Key words: local apparent dip, seismic discontinuity attributes, small-scale discontinuities, structural boundaries, subtle faults.


References

Al-Dossary, S., and Marfurt, K. J., 2006, 3-D volumetric multispectral estimates of reflector curvature and rotation: Geophysics, 71, P41–P51
3-D volumetric multispectral estimates of reflector curvature and rotation:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bahorich, M. S., and Farmer, S. L., 1995, 3-D seismic discontinuity for faults and stratigraphic features: The Leading Edge, 14, 1053–1058
3-D seismic discontinuity for faults and stratigraphic features:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bakker, P., 2003, Image structure analysis for seismic interpretation: Ph.D. thesis, Delft University of Technology.

Bakker, P., van Vliet, L. J., and Verbeek, P. W., 1999, Edge-preserving orientation adaptive filtering: Proceedings of the IEEE-CS Coherence on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, 535–540.

Barnes, A. E., 1996, Theory of two-dimensional complex seismic trace analysis: Geophysics, 61, 264–272
Theory of two-dimensional complex seismic trace analysis:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bednar, J. B., 1998, Least-squares dip and coherency attributes: The Leading Edge, 17, 775–778
Least-squares dip and coherency attributes:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Chen, Z. H., Fomel, S., and Lu, W. K., 2013, Accelerated plane-wave destruction: Geophysics, 78, V1–V9
Accelerated plane-wave destruction:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cohen, I., and Coifman, R. R., 2002, Local discontinuity measures for 3-D seismic data: Geophysics, 67, 1933–1945
Local discontinuity measures for 3-D seismic data:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Fomel, S., 2002, Application of plane-wave destruction filters: Geophysics, 67, 1946–1960
Application of plane-wave destruction filters:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gao, D., 2003, Volume texture extraction for 3-D seismic visualization and interpretation: Geophysics, 68, 1294–1302
Volume texture extraction for 3-D seismic visualization and interpretation:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gersztenkorn, A., and Marfurt, K. J., 1999, Eigenstructure-based coherence computations as an aid to 3-D structural and stratigraphic mapping: Geophysics, 64, 1468–1479
Eigenstructure-based coherence computations as an aid to 3-D structural and stratigraphic mapping:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hocker, C, and Fehmers, G, 2002, Fast structural interpretation with structure-oriented filtering: The Leading Edge, 21, 238–243

Lawrence, P., 1998, Seismic attributes in the characterization of small-scale reservoir faults in Abqaiq Field: The Leading Edge, 17, 521–525
Seismic attributes in the characterization of small-scale reservoir faults in Abqaiq Field:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Li, Y. D., Lu, W. K., Xiao, H. Q., Zhang, S. W., and Li, Y. D., 2006, Dip-scanning coherence algorithm using eigenstructure analysis and supertrace technique: Geophysics, 71, V61–V66
Dip-scanning coherence algorithm using eigenstructure analysis and supertrace technique:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Lu, W. K., Li, Y. D., Xiao, H. Q., Zhang, S. W., and Li, Y. D., 2005, Higher-order-statistics and supertrace-based coherence-estimation algorithm: Geophysics, 70, P13–P18
Higher-order-statistics and supertrace-based coherence-estimation algorithm:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Luo, Y., Higgs, W. G., and Kowalik, W. S., 1996, Edge detection and stratigraphic analysis using 3-D seismic data: 66th Annual International Meeting, SEG, Expanded Abstracts, 324–327.

Luo, Y., al-Dossary, S., and Alfaraj, M., 2002, Edge-preserving smoothing and application: The Leading Edge, 21, 136–158
Edge-preserving smoothing and application:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Marfurt, K. J., 2006, Robust estimates of 3D reflector dip and azimuth: Geophysics, 71, P29–P40
Robust estimates of 3D reflector dip and azimuth:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Marfurt, K. J., and Kirlin, R. L., 2000, 3-D broadband estimates of reflector dip and amplitude: Geophysics, 65, 304–320
3-D broadband estimates of reflector dip and amplitude:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Marfurt, K. J., Kirlin, R. L., Farmer, S. L., and Bahorich, M. S., 1998, 3-D seismic attributes using a semblance-based coherence algorithm: Geophysics, 63, 1150–1165
3-D seismic attributes using a semblance-based coherence algorithm:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Marfurt, K. J., Sudhaker, V., Gersztenkorn, A., Crawford, K. D., and Nissen, S. E., 1999, Coherence calculations in the presence of strong structural dip: Geophysics, 64, 104–111
Coherence calculations in the presence of strong structural dip:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Neves, F. A., Zahrani, M. S., and Bremkamp, S. W., 2004, Detection of potential fractures and small faults using seimic attributes: The Leading Edge, 23, 903–906
Detection of potential fractures and small faults using seimic attributes:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ogiesoba, O. C., Klokov, A., and Hernandez, R., 2015, Diffraction imaging of polygonal faults within a submarine volcanic terrain, Maverick Basin, south Texas: Interpretation, 3, SF81–SF99
Diffraction imaging of polygonal faults within a submarine volcanic terrain, Maverick Basin, south Texas:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Randen, T., Monsen, E., Signer, C., Abrahamsen, A., Hansen, J., Saeter, T., and Schlaf, J., 2000, Three-dimensional texture for seismic data analysis: 70th Annual International Meeting, SEG, Expanded Abstracts, 668–671.

Sun, D. S., Ling, Y., Guo, X. Y., Gao, J., and Lin, J. X., 2010, Application of discrete frequency coherence cubes in the fracture detection of volcanic rocks in full-azimuth seismic data: 80th Annual International Meeting, SEG, Expanded Abstracts, 1342–1346.

Taner, M. T., Koehler, F., and Sheriff, R. E., 1979, Complex seismic trace analysis: Geophysics, 44, 1041–1063
Complex seismic trace analysis:Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |