Patent ID: 8838428

Claim:
A method of identifying hydrocarbon plays in sedimentary basins, the method comprising: a) providing a sediment fill volume representing at least one of lithology distribution, sediment age distribution, depositional conditions distribution, burial history, erosion history, and compaction history in a geologic basin; b) applying one or more predictive models to the sediment fill volume in a computerized system to provide at least one play-element volume; wherein each of the at least one play-element volume provides at least a three dimensional representation of at least one play element; and wherein, for each of a plurality of locations within the geologic basin, each of the at least one play-element volume represents at least qualities of the at least one play element and a probability that the at least one play element satisfies determined criteria; wherein the sediment fill volume comprises a plurality of cells in at least three dimensions representing at least one characteristic of sedimentary fill in the geologic basin; wherein the sedimentary fill volume comprises a plurality of cells representing temperature and pressure properties applied to locations of the sediment fill volume; wherein the at least one play-element volume comprises a plurality of cells corresponding to the plurality of cells in the sediment fill volume and the associated temperature and pressure properties; and wherein the at least one play-concept volume comprises a plurality of cells corresponding to the plurality of cells in the at least one play-element volume; c) analyzing at least one of the at least one play-element volume to define at least one play-concept volume; wherein each of the at least one play-concept volume provides an at least three-dimensional representation of a hydrocarbon play in a subsurface formation; wherein each of a plurality of locations within the at least one play-concept volume is attributed with: 1) an identification of each play element associated with the location, 2) the qualities of each play element associated with the location, 3) the probability for each play element that the play element satisfies determined criteria, and 4) a composite likelihood that the location represents a hydrocarbon play; d) exporting at least one of the at least one play-element volume and the at least one play-concept volume; and e) utilizing at least one of the at least one play-element volume and the at least one play-concept volume to identify one or more hydrocarbon plays.