Subsurface Fault Extraction via Undirected Graph Connectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current seismic data interpretation methods often underpredict fault presence and break continuous fault expressions into multiple patches, requiring tedious post-processing steps, due to limitations in detecting and extracting planar features with variable orientations and connectivity.
Innovation Solution
The method employs an undirected graph to identify and extract faults by generating connections based on fault probability and orientation, analyzing attributes to remove connections, and applying conditional connectivity analysis to separate fault features into individual components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If geometric calculations and conditional triangulation are used for fault extraction, then fault presence detection is performed, but continuous fault expressions are broken into multiple patches and post-processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fault extraction problem into distinct processing stages: initial fault detection using geometric calculations, connectivity analysis to identify continuous fault expressions, and selective merging of fault patches. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, reducing the need for tedious post-processing while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary connectivity analysis and fault patch merging during the main processing workflow rather than as a separate post-processing step. By establishing fault connectivity relationships and merging adjacent patches while the data structure is still being constructed, the method eliminates the need for time-consuming post-processing operations.
2Productivity
If geometric calculations are used to assess fit-to-plane measures, then fault extraction is performed, but fault presence is under predicted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple fault detection approaches by merging geometric calculations with connectivity analysis. Instead of relying solely on fit-to-plane measures, the method integrates multiple attributes including fault probability, orientation consistency, and spatial connectivity to identify faults, thereby reducing under-prediction while maintaining extraction efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used for fault detection by incorporating multiple attributes beyond geometric fit-to-plane measures. The method evaluates fault probability values, orientation attributes, and connectivity metrics simultaneously, adjusting the detection criteria to reduce under-prediction of fault presence while maintaining computational efficiency.
3Stability of the object's composition
If multiple post-processing steps are applied to merge fault patches, then continuous fault expressions are restored, but computational overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs fault patch merging and connectivity establishment during the main processing workflow rather than as separate post-processing steps. By establishing continuous fault expressions while the data structure is being constructed, the method reduces processing complexity while maintaining fault continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional processing framework that simultaneously performs fault detection, connectivity analysis, and patch merging in an integrated workflow. This universal approach eliminates the need for multiple separate post-processing steps, reducing computational overhead while ensuring continuous fault expressions are properly restored.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for subsurface fault extraction using undirected graphs is provided. Extracting faults in the subsurface may assist in various stages of geophysical prospecting. To that end, an undirected graph may be used in order to identify distinctive fault branches in the subsurface. Fault probability data, from seismic data, may be used to establish connections in the undirected graph. Thereafter, some of the connections in the undirected graph may be removed based on analyzing one or more attributes, such as dip, azimuth, or context, associated with the connections or nodes associated with the connections. After which, the undirected graph may be analyzed in order to extract the faults in the subsurface.