Abstract:
A measure of structural growth of subsurface geological formations layers or intervals is obtained to investigate and analyze layer structure development history. The measure or indication can be considered a structural growth index (SGI) and is used to evaluate for possible presence of hydrocarbons in the layers or strata in a structure of concern. The structural growth measure or index for a given geologic interval of interest is defined as the ratio of the layer thickness difference measured at two selected locations, one at a structural high and the other at a structural low of layer or interval, over the larger number of the paired-thickness measurements. The structural growth measure is determined for a series of sequentially layered geologic formations of interest and displays of determined measures are formed as functions of geologic time for the formations. Based on the structural growth measure, the geologic growth history of the given oil field structure is revealed quantitatively.