Transformation of Faults in Seismic Migration and Modelling

Faults, thrust faults and intrusion boundaries as usually picked on seismic data are features quite different from normal reflection horizons.

Their definition is by terminations of reflecting interfaces rather than by discernible reflected energy off the fault or intrusion boundary.

Reflections off faults or intrusion boundaries are, in general, (except for cases of accurate depth migration) not located where the corresponding terminations of horizons line up. Frequently, they are not discernible.

Faults or intrusion boundaries that are not actual reflections may not be migrated or modelled. They have to be transformed from time to depth or depth to time domain. The transform parameters can only be derived from horizons available in both time and depth.