Summary

The past few years has seen an explosion in the number of map and seismic-related attributes. Upwards of thirty attributes can be computed on an interpretation workstation at the mere touch of a button. Computing these attributes has been made very easy, however understanding what each attribute means and how it can be used to assist the interpreter has been more difficult. In fact, despite the plethora of new tools that have been added to the interpreters' arsenal, it is noticeable that it is the three attributes which were introduced first i.e. dip, azimuth and edge, which are still the most frequently used today. This is probably because most interpreters use attribute maps to assist in fault interpretation, to which these three are well suited. Various curvature attributes have also been found to be very useful in delineating faults, map lineaments and surface shapes such as ridges and valleys and these form the main focus of this paper.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90937©1998 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Salt Lake City, Utah