Super fast new algorithm to compute seismic dips

We released a very fast new algorithm in the dip-steering plugin. With this algorithm inline - and crossline dips are computed at every sample position using Principal Component Analysis of the seismic amplitude field. 

The direction of the first principal component is the normal of the wavefront reflection and thus perpendicular to the dip. The second and third components are located within the plane tangent to the seismic reflection. Optionally, a third attribute called “Planarity” is also computed and stored in the steering cube. Planarity is the relative difference between the first two Eigen Values. It indicates how flat (planar) the reflector is. Values range between 0 and 1. Planarity is a good measure for the confidence we have in the estimated dips. Dips can be computed with confidence in areas with locally flat reflectors (high Planarity) and with less confidence in noisy areas (low Planarity). The attribute is used as confidence volume to weigh the dip field in inversion-based flattening as is done in the unconformity tracker and the HorizonCube.

Not only is the algorithm much faster than the other two methods, phase gradient and FFT, it also computes more accurate dips in steeply dipping strata as attested by one enthusiastic user:

"The new PCA dip algorithm computes steep dips much better than the older methods." Colin Hawke, Principal Geophysicist, Ophir Energy.

Author: dr. ir. Paul de Groot, CEO at dGB Earth Sciences