A computer-implemented geometric method of 3D structural restoration of a subsurface model, comprising: a. receiving, at a computer processor, data representative of a subsurface volume of interest including one or more chronohorizons and geometry and topology of any faults of relevance; b. developing, via the computer processor, a quantitative structural model of the subsurface volume of interest, including i. a fault framework geometry, ii. a fault framework topology, and iii. the one or more chronohorizons; c. selecting, via a human machine interface, a datum horizon, deposition of the datum horizon representing a geologic time to which the quantitative structural model should be restored; d. developing, via the computer processor, a 3D geometric coordinate transformation of the subsurface volume of interest such that i. the datum horizon is represented by an isovalue surface of a paleo-vertical coordinate, ii. the paleo-vertical coordinate is distributed throughout the subsurface volume of interest such that its gradient is approximately constant, and iii. optimization criteria, including at least minimization of 2D distortion within all isovalue surfaces of the paleo-vertical coordinate field within the volume of interest, are optimized between past and present states; e. applying, via the computer processor, the 3D geometric coordinate transformation to at least some geologic features in the quantitative structural model creating an alternate representation of the quantitative structural model; and f. rescaling, via the computer processor, the paleo-vertical coordinates of the alternate representation of the quantitative structural model according to criteria that accurately relate vertical and horizontal dimensions to generate a 3D restored model, wherein the criteria used by the rescaling includes one or more of: i. homogeneous scaling that preserves global volume; ii. homogeneous scaling that preserves volume below the datum horizon; iii. conservation of line length between some or all points in the alternate representation of the quantitative structural model and the datum horizon along equivalent paths in present-day and restored space; and iv. local conservation of volume, at model resolution scale, by integration of volume strain to calculate refined vertical displacements. a. receiving, at a computer processor, data representative of a subsurface volume of interest including one or more chronohorizons and geometry and topology of any faults of relevance; b. developing, via the computer processor, a quantitative structural model of the subsurface volume of interest, including i. a fault framework geometry, ii. a fault framework topology, and iii. the one or more chronohorizons; i. a fault framework geometry, ii. a fault framework topology, and iii. the one or more chronohorizons; c. selecting, via a human machine interface, a datum horizon, deposition of the datum horizon representing a geologic time to which the quantitative structural model should be restored; d. developing, via the computer processor, a 3D geometric coordinate transformation of the subsurface volume of interest such that i. the datum horizon is represented by an isovalue surface of a paleo-vertical coordinate, ii. the paleo-vertical coordinate is distributed throughout the subsurface volume of interest such that its gradient is approximately constant, and iii. optimization criteria, including at least minimization of 2D distortion within all isovalue surfaces of the paleo-vertical coordinate field within the volume of interest, are optimized between past and present states; i. the datum horizon is represented by an isovalue surface of a paleo-vertical coordinate, ii. the paleo-vertical coordinate is distributed throughout the subsurface volume of interest such that its gradient is approximately constant, and iii. optimization criteria, including at least minimization of 2D distortion within all isovalue surfaces of the paleo-vertical coordinate field within the volume of interest, are optimized between past and present states; e. applying, via the computer processor, the 3D geometric coordinate transformation to at least some geologic features in the quantitative structural model creating an alternate representation of the quantitative structural model; and f. rescaling, via the computer processor, the paleo-vertical coordinates of the alternate representation of the quantitative structural model according to criteria that accurately relate vertical and horizontal dimensions to generate a 3D restored model, i. homogeneous scaling that preserves global volume; ii. homogeneous scaling that preserves volume below the datum horizon; iii. conservation of line length between some or all points in the alternate representation of the quantitative structural model and the datum horizon along equivalent paths in present-day and restored space; and iv. local conservation of volume, at model resolution scale, by integration of volume strain to calculate refined vertical displacements.