A method may include obtaining seismic data for a geological region of interest. The method may further include determining various velocity semblance values for the geological region of interest using a time window and the seismic data. The method may further include determining, automatically by a computer processor, one or more stacking velocities for the geological region of interest using a traced path based on the velocity semblance values and a path tracing algorithm. The path tracing algorithm may recursively determine an accumulated amplitude array based on the velocity semblance values. The path tracing algorithm may further determine the traced path among the velocity semblance values and the accumulated amplitude array, the traced path corresponding to the one or more stacking velocities. The method may further include generating a velocity model of the geological region of interest using the one or more stacking velocities.

Determination of an impulse response at a subsurface image level can include extrapolation of an up-going pressure wavefield to a subsurface image level, extrapolation of a down-going velocity wavefield to the subsurface image level, and determination of the impulse response at the subsurface image level from a hypothetical seismic source by spectral division of the extrapolated up-going pressure wavefield by the extrapolated down-going velocity wavefield.

A symmetry attribute is described that may be used for determining seismic stratigraphic features in a formation. In one example, seismic input data from a formation is processed to determine an attribute by selecting a center trace, assigning a first cluster of the traces to a left image and a second cluster of the traces to a right image, and determining symmetry about the center trace between the left and the right images.

A global objective function is initialized to an initial value. A particular model simulation process is executed using prepared input data. A mismatch value is computed by using a local function to compare an output of the particular model simulation process to corresponding input data for the particular model simulation process. Model objects associated with the particular model simulation process are sent to another model simulation process. An optimization process is executed to predict new values for input data to reduce the computed mismatch value.

Method for decomposing a complexly shaped object in a data set, such as a geobody (31) in a seismic data volume, into component objects more representative of the true connectivity state of the system represented by the data set. The geobody is decomposed using a basis set of eigenvectors (33) of a connectivity matrix (32) describing the state of connectivity between voxels in the geobody. Lineal subspaces of the geobody in eigenvector space are associated with likely component objects (34), either by a human interpreter (342) cross plotting (341) two or more eigenvectors, or in an automated manner in which a computer algorithm (344) detects the lineal sub-spaces and the clusters within them.

The approaches presently disclosed provide for fault-interpretation in a seismic volume with computer assistance, allowing automatic or semi-automatic determination of a fault surface and associated displacement across the fault. The present fault interpretation approach uses pattern matching algorithms and does not require prior interpretation of the stratigraphic horizons. In certain implementations the fault interpretation approach estimates the 3D fault surface as part of a joint fault surface location and displacement optimization process.

The instant invention is designed to provide an adaptive approach to removing short-period time/phase distortions within a downward-continuation process that is a key component of seismic migration algorithms. Using techniques analogous to residual statics corrections that are used in standard seismic processing, one inventive approach estimates and removes the effects of short wavelength velocity disruptions, thereby creating clearer seismic images of the subsurface of the earth. Additionally, the instant method will provide an updated velocity model that can be used to obtain further image improvement.

A method can include accessing data associated with a well and one or more offset wells; based on at least a portion of the data, generating a set of distributions via parametric estimation, where the distributions are associated with a well-related activity and time; analyzing individual distributions in the set of distributions with respect to at least a portion of the data to pass or fail each of the individual distributions; and, for one or more passed individual distributions, outputting one of the passed individual distributions for the well.

Systems and methods for estimating a likelihood of an object element in a given position in a subsurface volume of interest are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: obtain target subsurface data from the subsurface volume of interest; obtain an object element set corresponding to the subsurface volume of interest; generate correlation values as a function of position in the subsurface volume of interest by applying the object filters to the target subsurface data; and generate object element likelihood values by applying the object templates to positions in the subsurface volume of interest corresponding to the correlation values.

A system can receive fault likelihood data about a subterranean environment and apply a binary mask filter using a tuning parameter to convert the fault likelihood data to binary distribution data having a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of profiles in at least two directions. The system can perform, for each profile of the plurality of profiles, fault skeletonization on the binary distribution data to form fault skeletonization data with pixels connected that represent part of a fracture. The system can convert the fault skeletonization data to seismic volume data and combine and filter the seismic volume data in the at least two directions to form combined seismic volume data. The system can output the combined seismic volume data as an image for use in detecting objects to plan a wellbore operation.