Signal integration measure for seismic data

1. A method of processing seismic data, comprising: a) acquiring seismic data; b) determining a frequency spectrum for the seismic data using a processing unit; c) determining an amplitude value associated with a local minimum frequency from the frequency spectrum to obtain an IZ minimum-amplitude value and a minimum frequency range limit; d) determining a maximum frequency range limit; e) determining an integration-measure from an integration of the area bounded by the IZ minimum-amplitude value and the amplitude values between the minimum frequency range limit and the maximum frequency range limit; and f) storing the integration-measure for display.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the IZ minimum-amplitude value further comprises selecting the local frequency minimum in a predetermined frequency range.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the maximum frequency range limit further comprises selecting a frequency associated with an amplitude minimum.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising selecting the amplitude minimum in a predetermined frequency range.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a map of the integration-measure associated with a geographic location, which location is associated with the acquired seismic data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the seismic data comprise a plurality of time intervals.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a zero-phase band pass filter to the seismic data.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a display of the integration-measure.

9. A set of application program interfaces embodied on a computer readable medium which, when executed on a processor in conjunction with an application program, cause the processor to perform a method for displaying a hydrocarbon potential indicator determined from seismic data, wherein the method comprises; first interface that receives seismic data to determine a frequency spectrum; a second interface that receives an amplitude value associated with a local minimum frequency from the frequency spectrum to obtain an IZ minimum-amplitude value and a minimum frequency range limit; a third interface that receives a maximum frequency range limit; and a fourth interface that receives an integration-measure from the integration of the area bounded by the IZ minimum-amplitude value and the amplitude values between the minimum frequency range limit and the maximum frequency range limit.

10. The set of application interface programs according to claim 9 further comprising: a fifth interface that receives instruction data for applying a zero-phase frequency filter to the seismic data.

11. The set of application interface programs according to claim 9 further comprising: a local-frequency-minimum interface that receives instruction for selecting the local frequency minimum in a predetermined frequency range.

12. The set of application interface programs according to claim 9 further comprising: an amplitude-minimum interface that receives instruction data for selecting a frequency associated with an amplitude minimum to determine the maximum frequency range limit.

13. The set of application interface programs according to claim 9 further comprising: a map-location interface that receives instruction data for forming a map of an integration-measure associated with a location, which location is associated with the acquired seismic data.

14. An information handling system for determining a hydrocarbon potential indicator from seismic data comprising: a) a processor configured to determine an amplitude value associated with a local minimum frequency from a frequency spectrum of acquired seismic data to obtain an IZ minimum-amplitude value and a minimum frequency range limit; b) a processor configured to determine an upper frequency range limit and hydrocarbon potential indicator from the integration of the area bounded by the IZ minimum-amplitude value and the amplitude values between the minimum frequency range limit and the maximum frequency range limit; and c) a computer readable medium storing the hydrocarbon potential indicator for display.

15. The information handling system of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to determine the IZ minimum amplitude value by selecting the local frequency minimum in a predetermined frequency range.

16. The information handling system of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to determine the maximum frequency range limit by selecting a frequency associated with an amplitude minimum.

17. The information handling system of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to generate a map of the potential hydrocarbon indicator associated with a geographic location, which location is associated with the acquired seismic data.

18. The information handling system of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured determine the frequency spectrum from a plurality of time intervals.

19. The information handling system of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to apply a zero-phase band pass filter to the acquired seismic data.

20. The information handling system of claim 14 further comprising a display device for displaying the hydrocarbon potential indicator.