Amplitude Contrast and Edge Enhancement for Fault Delineation in Seismic Data

Brandon Blake, Ryan Cantu, Laurren Langford, Ivan Vazquez

Department of Geology and Geophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

2.5km

2.5km

TWT 1768

1. Introduction

The manual seismic interpretation of Truncation 1 (Figure

1a) and CKEK (Figure 1b) agree with the automated
results determined by amplitude contrast analysis (Figure
1c).

IL (E/W) Range: 24km (~15mi)

XL (N/S) Range: 16km (~10mi)

Figure 1a

Figure 1b

Figure 1c

3. Manual Interpretation

1. Introduction
The interpretation of seismic data is a crucial step in the exploration of hydrocarbons. Such
analysis can allow for numerous hidden properties of the data to be revealed. This study uses
a versatile Petrel workflow to analyze the Amplitude Contrast of a seismic data cube. The
quality of the results were then improved using the 3D Edge Enhancement attribute. These
two attributes, when coupled, can be used to effectively characterize fractures and faults
across a reservoir. Also, a directionally steered application of the Amplitude Contrast
attribute helped increased the number of faults and fractures identified and further enhanced
their resolution. In order to test the accuracy of this method, we manually interpreted faults
that were found in the cube and compared our traces with the automated results. An overlay
of our results with the manual seismic interpretations showed excellent agreement. Thus,
geoscientists can now begin to gain confidence in the effectiveness of some of the fault
delineation techniques available to in powerful E&P software platforms like Petrel.

2. Background

3. Manual
Seismic Interpretations
Truncation
1 Interpretation:
The horizon of Truncation 1 was traced using guided auto tracking and 2D seeded tracking in
Truncation
1 Interpretation:
Petrel.
Before the
slope of the shelf begins in the trace there are some obvious faults that
TheAfter
horizon
of Truncation
1 was
traced
autotracking
and seeded
tracking in
appear.
completing
the horizon
trace,
we using
lookedguided
at the offset
of the layers
to determine
Petrel.
Before
slope
theperhaps,
shelf begins
in the trace
are some
obviousdirectly
faults that
precisely
where
the the
faults
lie. of
It is,
no coincidence
thatthere
the faults
are located
appear.
Thedome
faults(Fig.
are distinguished
by the the
offset
of the
layers.bias
After
completing
the horizon
above
the salt
2). We hand traced
faults
to avoid
from
the software
in
trace,
we us
looked
at visualization
the offset of of
thewhere
layersthe
tonormal
determine
precisely
where the faults lie. It is,
Petrel
to give
a better
faults
lie.
perhaps, no coincidence that the faults are located directly above the salt dome. Salt domes
disturb the material lying above them which then faults the overlying sediment. We traced the
faults manually in Petrel to give us better visualization of where they lie.

Figure 2: Topical view of Truncation 1 with an emphasis on the faulted region affected by
salt tectonics.
Ekofisk Formation Interpretation:
Upon initial observation the Ekofisk formation (CKEK), we observed a large regional fault
shown in Fig. 3 that cuts through the horizon. We then decided to trace the horizon and later
map the surface to examine the effects of the salt-affected horizon. After manually tracing
the large fault, we observed and later mapped multiple faults that implied domino-styled
tilted fault block structures which are characteristic of the North Sea region.
2.5km

Sediment type, deformations, faulting

Truncation 1:
Truncation 1 shown in Fig. 1a is a prograding layer that can be clearly seen in the seismic
data by the onlap layers. The sediment that was deposited at this time was siliciclastic clay
and shale-sandstone which is typical for basin sediment in the North Sea (Michelsen). The
horizon Truncation 1 is located in the Permian basin of the Dutch North Sea (Glennie).
Normal faults can be seen protruding the layer due to the salt dome tectonics underneath.
The movement of these salt domes shift the sediment layers above, resulting in the faulting
of those layers.

2.5km

5. Conclusions
Upon manually tracing both horizons Truncation 1 and CKEK, domino style faulting became evident within the
Ekofisk horizon. This is expected due to the extensional tectonic history of the North Sea. Normal faults cut across
Truncation 1 as a result of the salt tectonics below. Visually, we were able to assess the faults and determine that the
faulted areas were most likely related to the salt tectonic movement below. After tracing the horizons with guided
automatic and seeded tracking, the faults were better realized. We then traced the faults manually in Petrel and then
mapped the surface in 3D.
Directionally steered amplitude contrast located many of the faults in the area fairly well. It detected the tilted fault
blocks below TWT 1600 of the section and noticed a large amount of faults in the chaotic section near TWT 1000 of
the seismic block. Salt domes also showed high amplitude contrast; however, those readings were easily
distinguishable from faults due to their circular shape.
The domino faults that were mapped on the CKEK horizon strongly correlate with the amplitude contrast results. The
normal faults found in Truncation 1 also correlate to the amplitude contrast results, however the results showed the
faults extending farther than could be traced manually. This is due to the fact that amplitude contrast can follow more
minute differences in the data than we could visually.
This leads us to believe that although the method of directionally steered amplitude contrast followed by 3D edge
enhancement is a good process to aid the manual interpretation methods, it is not a complete replacement of the
process.
Geologists may find this method to be extremely helpful in their work as it eases the workload and increases efficiency.
It also allows a reliable method of checking ones manual interpretations for consistency.

E W

Inline 122; Z 1644

E
Inline: 265

Ekofisk Formation (CKEK):

The late-Cretaceous Ekofisk Formation shown in Fig. 1b contains a variety of lithologies
including chalky pelagic limestones, bedded chert layers, and thin clay deposits (Dino). The
formation was deposited upon nonmobile salt structures known as the Zechstein
formations. In the late Permian, salt evaporates were remobilized, forming the salt domes
that the Ekofisk was deposited onto (Harding). The presence of a large regional fault also
cuts through this horizon causing the presence of tilted fault blocks on the southwestern
side of the data set. These blocks have since been drilled and found to have a working
hydrocarbon system.
Figure 3: The large regional fault and tilted fault blocks in the salt-affected CKEK horizon.

4. Amplitude Contrast
To analyze the amplitude contrast in the
seismic cube over several directions, we
created a program that would run the
amplitude contrast volume function in
Petrel with several different input
parameters and average the results. Due to
computational limitations, the maximum
amount of parameters our program could
input was 32. Our preliminary results
indicate that this limitation does not
heavily influence our result. We
discovered
through
repetitive
experimentation that sampling directions
smaller than 30 degrees led to negligible
increases in resolution (Shown Fig. 4).

Inline X-line Only

5km

30 Degree Increments
5km

Figure 6: Comparison of the Amplitude contrast results with the manual

interpretation of the tilted fault blocks within CKEK.

10 Degree Increments
5km

Figure 5: Comparison of the Amplitude Contrast results with the manual interpretation of the region above the salt
dome within Truncation 1.

Resources:
"Ekofisk Formation CKEK." DinoLoket. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2015.
Glennie, K. W. "Chapter 1." Petroleum Geology of the North Sea: Basic Concepts and Recent Advances. Fourth ed. Oxford: Blackwell Science, 1998. N. pag. Print.
Figure 4: Note the large increase in the signal to noise ration on fault detection between Inline X-line and 30
Degree Increments and the small increase between 30 Degree Increments and 10 Degree Increments.

Location

Harding, Rachel, and Mads Husse. "Salt on the Move: Multi Stage Evolution of Salt Diapirs in the Netherlands North Sea." ScienceDirect. N.p., Mar. 2015. Web. 08 Apr.
2015.
Michelsen, O., and M. Danielsen. "Sequence and Systems Tract Interpretation of the Epicontinental Oligocene Deposits in the Danish North Sea." Geological Society,
London, Special Publications 117.1 (1996): 1-13. Lyell Collection. Web. 8 Apr. 2015.
2.5km