Patent ID: 7206782

Claim:
A method for deriving a seismic attribute file executed by a computer system, comprising the steps of: a. inputting a horizon file data; b. inputting attribute file data wherein the attribute file data are selected from the group consisting of: i. a set of compiled seismic reflection data processed using a defined attribute generating algorithm, and extracted for a horizon of interest; ii. a set of compiled seismic reflection data processed using a defined attribute generating algorithm in conjunction with a horizon of interest; iii. a set of compiled seismic velocity data processed using a defined attribute generating algorithm and extracted for a horizon of interest; iv. a set of compiled seismic velocity data processed using a defined attribute generating algorithm in conjunction with a horizon of interest; v. a set of geophysical gravity data extracted for a horizon of interest; vi. a set of geophysical gravity data compiled for a horizon of interest; vii. a set of geophysical gravity data collected for a horizon of interest; viii. a set of geophysical remote sensing data extracted for a horizon of interest; ix. a set of geophysical remote sensing data compiled for a horizon of interest; x. a set of geophysical gravity data collected for a horizon of interest; xi. a set of compiled geologic measurements for a horizon of interest; xii. a set of collected geologic measurements for a horizon of interest; xiii. a set of petro-physical measurements for a horizon of interest; xiv. a set of compiled or collected engineering data for a horizon of interest; or xv. combinations thereof; c. indexing from the attribute file data at corresponding geographic locations of the horizon file, forming an attribute file; d. obtaining the gradient of the horizon file data thereby producing a horizon vector file; e. obtaining the gradient of the attribute file thereby producing an attribute vector file; and f. performing a compilation of the horizon vector file and the attribute vector file to ascertain if attribute changes in a direction towards a surface datum for a narrow time and depth range are detected and measured, wherein the narrow range is less than 5% of the total time or depth range contained within the horizon file.