Patent ID: 8213261

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for transforming geologic data relating to a subsurface region between a geophysical depth domain and a geologic age domain, comprising: obtaining seismic data; obtaining a set of topologically consistent surfaces that correspond to the seismic data in their current state in the geophysical depth domain; enumerating the surfaces in the depth domain; assigning an age to each of the surfaces in the depth domain, the age corresponding to an estimated time of deposition of the respective surface; using a computer to generate an age mapping volume that maps said surfaces to approximally flat geometries and preserves the relative vertical order between samples, voxels, and points on the surfaces; choosing an extent of the age domain; using a computer to generate a depth mapping volume that maps points of approximally equal age of deposition to their current vertical location while preserving their relative order; using both the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume to transform, on a computer, geophysical, geologic, or engineering data or interpretations between the depth domain and the age domain, and between the age domain and the depth domain, each said transform being directly preceded by one or more operations or interpretations performed on said geophysical, geologic, or engineering data, interpretations, or the age mapping volume or the depth mapping volume; and outputting the geophysical, geologic, or engineering data or interpretations transformed by at least one of the age mapping volume and the depth mapping volume.