Fault system analysis with automatic fault displacement estimates: an exploration case study from the Norwegian Sea

A procedure for complex fault system analysis is presented where automated fault mapping technology has been coupled with an automated fault displacement estimate algorithm. This new technology is based on classification of seismic extrema identified on either side of the fault plane and allows generating a continuous measurement of the fault displacement along the fault plane and analyzing its variability in space. The driving concept is to enable a system level interpretation, where the interpreter or structural geologist focuses his attention and expertise on analyzing the fault system and quality control of the automatically mapped faults instead of doing manual interpretation work. The key elements characterizing a fault are now provided automatically and include for each individual fault plane: orientation, dip and azimuth, size, position, and statistics on displacement values such as minimum (10th percentile), median (50th percentile) and maximum (90th percentile) displacement. A visual representation of the fault displacement values on the fault plane helps understanding the orientation of paleo-stress and checking if is has a kinematic meaning. This new technology has been applied to a prospective field, characterized by deepwater, Cretaceous turbidite (probably distal) system off Norway and helped the characterization of two apparent polygonal fault networks located at different depth.