Automatic fault extraction using artificial ants

Abstract

A novel fault extraction procedure for 3D seismic is presented. The procedure consists of three steps. The first step enhances the spatial discontinuities in the seismic data (fault attribute generation). The second step significantly improves the fault attributes by suppressing noise and remains of non-faulting events. This is achieved by the cooperative behavior of thousands of “artificial ants”. The advantages with this method will be demonstrated. In particular, the faults can be split into different non-intersecting sub-systems. These sub-systems ease the extraction of fault surfaces in the third step of the process.