Geologic Orientation Data Visualization via Continuous Color Spectrum
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current geothermal energy harvesting methods face challenges in identifying and characterizing hot sedimentary aquifers due to unclear and difficult-to-interpret seismic data, particularly in standard color mapping systems that fail to utilize the entire color range, leading to ambiguous structural domain identification.
Innovation Solution
A seismic display method that visualizes geologic structure by directly revealing 3D orientations of reflectors using a color scheme that assigns each direction-angle to a respective color channel, allowing for sensitive and accurate interpretation of geologic structures and sedimentary architecture without imposing color bins, facilitating rapid structural interpretation workflows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If standard color mapping systems with fixed-color maps are used to display dip-angle and dip-azimuth volumes, then the display process is simple, but the images become unclear and difficult to interpret, and structural domains are not easily identified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by using a continuous color spectrum instead of fixed-color maps. Each color in the continuous spectrum represents a specific orientation, allowing dip-angle and dip-azimuth volumes to be displayed with full color range utilization. This enables clear visualization of structural domains and makes the images easy to interpret while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Ease of manufacture
If orientations are binned by angle and azimuth using conventional methods, then the data processing is straightforward, but similar orientations are arbitrarily placed in different bins, resulting in unclear images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter representation by using continuous color values instead of discrete bins. Each orientation is represented by a specific color in the continuous spectrum, eliminating arbitrary binning. This maintains straightforward data processing while significantly improving orientation representation accuracy and image clarity.
3Device complexity
If fixed-color maps are used that do not use the entire color range, then the color mapping is simple to implement, but the visualization is less informative and harder to interpret
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the entire color range by implementing a continuous color spectrum where each color corresponds to a specific orientation. This approach maintains simple color mapping implementation while maximizing visualization information content, allowing clear differentiation of various orientations and easy identification of structural domains.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for using direction-angles to identify geologic features and geologic attributes for use in geothermal, oil and gas, mining, and other applications. An example embodiment operates by receiving a discrete three-dimensional (3D) representation of a geologic volume comprising a set of 3D orientations, where each 3D orientation is represented as a set of direction-angles measured relative to a set of coordinate axes. The example embodiment further operates by receiving a set of other measurements of properties of the geologic volume. In response, the example embodiment operates by correlating the set of 3D orientations with the set of other measurements to generate a geologic correlation data structure. Subsequently, the example embodiment operates by identifying a geologic attribute or a geologic feature associated with the geologic volume based on the geologic correlation data structure.