Sealing Quality Analysis of Faults and Formations by Means of Seismic Attributes and Neural Networks

A seismic interpretation technique aimed at predicting effective seals and assessing the risk of seal failure is presented. The method integrates seisrnic chimney cubes, fault cubes, pressure information, well data and other relevant information. Chimney cubes reveal subtle vertical disturbances in the seismic response that can often be interpreted in terms of hydrocarbon migration paths. Linking chimneys to seepage-related features such as pockmarks and mud-volcanoes is an established way of calibrating the interpretation. Visually comparing time-slices through the chimney cube with slices thought the fault cube is the way to distinguish between sealing and leaking faults. This paper describes the methodology and shows various interpretation examples.