Patent ID: 7337069

Claim:
A method for forming a model of a spatial distribution of a lithologic composition of sediments deposited in a sedimentary basin having sedimentary sequences, and a temporal evolution of bathymetry, comprising: estimating, from interpretations of measurements resulting from seismic surveys and well data, input data comprising: maps giving current thicknesses of the sedimentary sequences; a map of initial topography of a basement of the sedimentary basin; a distribution of a sedimentary supply in the basin, comprising at least descriptions of location in space, lithologic composition, and evolution of supply volume in time during filling of the basin; and diffusion coefficient values characterizing transport of the sediments to the basin; and establishing the three-dimensional map by applying the input data to a first iterative inversion procedure, comprising: calculating a thickness of each of the sequences by solving instationary diffusive transport equations; updating an accommodation at an end of each of the sequences by applying a second iterative procedure, comprising calculating a residue between current thicknesses of the sedimentary sequences and calculated thicknesses, and correcting the accommodation by preconditioning the residue until a sufficiently low residue is obtained on the thicknesses; and locating hydrocarbon reservoirs from the three-dimensional map.