# Seismic Identification and Characterization of Deep Strike-Slip Faults in the Tarim Craton Basin
## 5 Fault Identification through Attribute Fusion  
### Fault Identification Comparison of Preferred Attributes  
The ant tracking attribute is the industry's most commonly used algorithm for fault identification, facilitating automated recognition of faults and fractures in seismic profiles.  
Figure 7: Attributes of seismic gradient. Many details in the trunk fault can be detected with minimal interference from non-breaks. (**a**) Map of the amplitude variance attribute. It describes the geological structure data mainly through the similarity attribute of adjacent seismic signals. (**b**) Map of the amplitude gradient attribute. By searching the disorder of the seismic amplitude gradient vector in each azimuth and dip angle in three-dimensional space, the most disordered surface is found to be the fault location.  
This algorithm offers clarity in identifying and characterizing faults while also facilitating the analysis of their direction and distribution through profiles and sections, including strike, azimuth, and other features. Nonetheless, when applied to the heterogeneous deep carbonate reservoirs in the Tarim Craton Basin, the ant tracking attribute exhibits limitations, such as a reduced recognition ability for carbonate faults and challenges in identifying fine faults (Figure 8a,b). For instance, in horsetail sections of strike-slip faults, the presence of geological information beyond fractures leads to the identification of numerous pseudo-faults with disordered forms, yielding unreliable results. Furthermore, the ant tracking attribute proves less accurate in identifying small-scale faults, which are often of significant interest in tight carbonate reservoir exploration.  
Figure 8: Cont.  
The amplitude gradient attribute proves highly effective in enhancing the identification of branch faults and in capturing secondary faults and most fractures that are often undetectable through coherence and edge detection methods. Compared to conventional ant tracking techniques, this attribute-based detection technology significantly reduces noise interference and false fault information, providing the precise localization of fault development. Notably, the amplitude gradient attribute outperforms the conventional ant tracking attribute in accurately revealing the trend of the main strike-slip fault and further uncovering the structural style of the fault (Figure 8c,d). Though the highly irregular amplitude gradient attribute can act as a reference pinpointing the main fault's location within deep carbonate rocks of strike-slip faults, ant tracking offers a more intricate depiction of the fault's internal structure. Regarding branch faults of strike-slip faults, the amplitude gradient attribute successfully reflects the trends and locations of these faults, whereas ant tracking often exhibits excessive disorder and interferes with the accurate determination of branch fault locations, presenting false information. Consequently, a combined utilization of the advantages of both attributes is recommended for the identification of craton strike-slip faults.