Seismic lineation mapping method and system

1. A method for seismic lineation mapping comprising:

collecting from a seismic survey a seismic dataset with information about lithological and structural lineations including minor lineations generated by subtle structural geological features in an underground earth formation comprising rock layers that are stacked between horizons and a network of fractures that generate the subtle geological features;

identifying in the seismic dataset seismic attribute volumes relating to trace continuity, amplitude, frequency and phase, which attribute volumes may each by themselves have an insufficient resolution to display the minor lineations generated by the subtle structural geological features;

selecting a horizon of interest from said horizons;

generating single attribute lineation maps representing lineations including the minor lineations on the horizon of interest in each of the identified seismic attribute volumes; and

generating a seismic multivolume lineation map in which the single attribute lineation maps generated for each of the identified seismic attribute volumes are combined, to enhance display of the minor lineations generated by the subtle geological features;

displaying the minor lineations in the seismic multivolume lineation map in which the single attribute lineation maps generated for the identified seismic attribute volumes have been combined;

dividing the formation into a series of adjacent grid cells;

gridding the displayed lineations within the grid cells;

measuring a total length of the displayed lineations within at least one selected grid cell;

measuring a total combined lineation length in the fractured rock formation;

weighting the measured total length of the displayed lineations within the at least one selected grid cell by the measured total lineation length in the fractured earth formation to generate a proxy for fracture intensity and/or intensity of reservoir alteration in the at least one grid cell; and

measuring an angular variance of the displayed lineations with a grid cell to generate a proxy for the connectivity of fracture networks in the at least one grid cell; and

displaying the seismic multivolume lineation map at a graphical user interface (GUI), whereby the display of the minor lineations generated by the subtle geological features is enhanced.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the single attribute lineation maps comprises identifying the minor lineations on the selected horizon of interest in each of the identified seismic attribute volumes, creating an image layer for each of the identified seismic attribute volumes whereby the image layer consists of lineation traces that trace the identified minor lineations in the identified seismic attribute volume, wherein each image layer corresponds to one of the single attribute lineation maps.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises combining the proxies for fracture intensity and/or fracture connectivity with existing well data, which data include initial well production rates and/or ultimate well recoveries to allow sweet-spotting of production from areas of the fractured formation with a high fracture intensity/alteration and/or fracture connectivity.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is used to manage and/or enhance production of crude oil and/or gas from the underground formation which comprises the minor lineations generated by subtle structural geological features and crude oil and/or gas stored in pores spaces between particles of the formation.

5. A system for seismic lineation mapping comprising a computer, a graphical user interface (GUI), and a computer readable medium, which, when connected to the computer, induces the computer to execute a method for seismic lineation mapping wherein:

collecting from a seismic survey a seismic dataset with information about lithological and structural lineations including minor lineations generated by subtle structural geological features in an underground earth formation comprising rock layers that are stacked between horizons;

identifying in the seismic dataset seismic attribute volumes relating to trace continuity, amplitude, frequency and phase, which attribute volumes may each by themselves have an insufficient resolution to display the minor lineations generated by the subtle structural geological features;

selecting a horizon of interest from said horizons;

generating single attribute lineation maps representing lineations including the minor lineations on the horizon of interest in each of the identified seismic attribute volumes; and

generating a seismic multivolume lineation map in which the single attribute lineation maps generated for each of the identified seismic attribute volumes are combined, to enhance display of the minor lineations generated by the subtle geological features; and

displaying the seismic multivolume lineation map at the GUI, whereby the display of the minor lineations generated by the subtle geological features is enhanced, wherein the computer and GUI are configured to:

divide the formation into a series of adjacent grid cells;

grid the displayed lineations within the grid cells;

measure a total length of the displayed lineations within at least one selected grid cell;

measure a total combined lineation length in the fractured earth formation;

weight the measured total length of the displayed lineations within the at least one selected grid cell by the measured total lineation length in the fractured earth formation to generate a proxy for fracture intensity and/or intensity of reservoir alteration in the at least one grid cell; and

measure an angular variance of the displayed lineations with a grid cell to generate a proxy for the connectivity of fracture networks in the at least one grid cell.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the computer and GUI are furthermore configured to combine the proxies for fracture intensity and/or fracture connectivity with existing well data, which data include initial well production rates and/or ultimate well recoveries to allow sweet-spotting of production from areas of the fractured formation with a high fracture intensity/alteration and/or fracture connectivity.