Systems and methods to build sedimentary attributes
View Patent ↗A method and system for computing and visualizing sedimentary attributes may include receiving, by a processor, paleo-geographic coordinates representing predicted approximate positions of particles of sediment deposited at a time period when a layer was originally formed. The processor may numerically compute or determine a sedimentation rate that varies laterally along the layer. The processor may determine a sedimentary attribute based on the lateral variation of the sedimentation rate along the layer with respect to the paleo-geographic coordinates. A monitor or display may display the sedimentary attribute of the layer in the present-day geological space.
1. A method to visualize geological attributes that represent geological properties of particles of a geological layer, the method comprising:
in one or more processors:
receiving measured geological data representing a present-day configuration of the geological layer in present-day geological coordinates;
transforming the geological data to a pair of paleo-geographic coordinates and a geological-time coordinate representing predicted approximate positions of the particles of the geological layer deposited at a time period when the geological layer was originally formed;
receiving a measure of compaction of the particles of the geological layer;
determining a sedimentation rate as a function of the measure of compaction and a variation of the geological-time coordinate;
determining a geological attribute as a function of a variation of the sedimentation rate with respect to the paleo-geographic coordinates; and
displaying on the geological layer or on a cross-section the geological attribute representing geological properties of particles within the geological layer with respect to the present-day geological coordinates.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measure of compaction of the particles varies laterally along the geological layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geological attribute includes sedimentary expansion that represents variations in a flux of sediment being deposited.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geological attribute is sedimentary potential, wherein the gradient of the sedimentary potential represents a vector field related to a lateral variation in the geological layer's thickness.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geological attribute is sedimentary acceleration, wherein the sedimentary acceleration has a magnitude proportional to the rate of variation in the thickness of the geological layer and a direction oriented toward the direction of increasing layer thickness.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geological attribute is selected from a group consisting of: sedimentary acceleration, sedimentary expansion, sedimentary potential, sedimentary expansion ratio, sedimentary horizontal divergence, sedimentary horizontal norm, curvature of an iso-paleo-geographic-line, curvature of a normal-line and normal divergence.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the paleo-geographic coordinates vary along a surface that follows the curvature of horizons bounding the geological layer.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the variation of the geological-time coordinate depends on derivatives of the geological-time coordinate with respect to the paleo-geographic coordinates.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the variation of the sedimentation rate depends on derivatives of the sedimentation rate with respect to the paleo-geographic coordinates.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measure of compaction of the particles of the geological layer measures a decrease in porosity due to a weight of overlying geological layers of sediment.
11. A system to visualize geological attributes that represent geological properties of particles of a geological layer, the system comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
receive measured geological data representing a present-day configuration of the geological layer in present-day geological coordinates,
transform the geological data to a pair of paleo-geographic coordinates and a geological-time coordinate representing predicted approximate positions of the particles of the geological layer deposited at a time period when the geological layer was originally formed,
receive a measure of compaction of the particles of the geological layer,
determine a sedimentation rate as a function of the measure of compaction and a variation of the geological-time coordinate,
determine a geological attribute as a function of a variation of the sedimentation rate with respect to the paled-geographic coordinates, and
display on the geological layer or on a cross-section the geological attribute representing geological properties of particles within the geological layer with respect to the present-day geological coordinates.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to receive the measure of compaction of the particles that varies laterally along the geological layer.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the geological attribute to include sedimentary expansion that represents variations in a flux of sediment being deposited.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the geological attribute to include sedimentary potential, wherein the gradient of the sedimentary potential represents a vector field related to a lateral variation in the geological layer's thickness.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the geological attribute to include sedimentary acceleration, wherein the sedimentary acceleration has a magnitude proportional to the rate of variation in the thickness of the geological layer and a direction oriented toward the direction of increasing layer thickness.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the geological attribute selected from a group consisting of: sedimentary acceleration, sedimentary expansion, sedimentary potential, sedimentary expansion ratio, sedimentary horizontal divergence, sedimentary horizontal norm, curvature of an iso-paleo-geographic-line, curvature of a normal-line, and normal divergence.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate the paleo-geographic coordinates that vary along a surface that follows the curvature of horizons bounding the geological layer.
18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the variation of the geological-time coordinate based on derivatives of the geological-time coordinate with respect to the paleo-geographic coordinates.
19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the variation of the sedimentation rate based on derivatives of the sedimentation rate with respect to the paleo-geographic coordinates.
20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to receive the measure of compaction of the particles that measures a decrease in porosity due to a weight of overlying geological layers of sediment.