ABSTRACT Although horizon interpretation is a routine task for building reservoir models and accurately estimating hydrocarbon production volumes, it is a labour‐intensive and protracted process. Hence, many scientists have worked to improve the horizon interpretation efficiency via auto‐picking algorithms. Nevertheless, the implementation of a classic auto‐tracking method becomes challenging when addressing reflections with weak and discontinuous signals, which are associated with complicated structures. As an alternative, we propose a workflow consisting of two steps: (1) the computation of strata histograms using transdimensional Markov‐chain Monte Carlo and (2) horizon auto‐tracking using waveform‐based auto‐tracking guided by those strata histograms. These strata histograms generate signals that are vertically sharper and more laterally continuous than original seismic signals; therefore, the proposed workflow supports the propagation of waveform‐based auto‐picking without terminating against complicated geological structures. We demonstrate the performance of the novel horizon auto‐tracking workflow through seismic data acquired from the Gulf of Mexico, and the Markov‐chain Monte Carlo inversion results are validated using log data. The auto‐tracked results show that the proposed method can successfully expand horizon seed points even though the seismic signal continuity is relatively low around salt diapirs and large‐scale faults.

中文翻译：

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由跨维马尔可夫链蒙特卡罗生成的地层直方图引导的半自动地平线跟踪

摘要 虽然层位解释是建立储层模型和准确估算油气产量的常规任务，但它是一个劳动密集型且耗时长的过程。因此，许多科学家致力于通过自动挑选算法来提高地平线解释效率。然而，在处理与复杂结构相关的微弱和不连续信号的反射时，经典自动跟踪方法的实现变得具有挑战性。作为替代方案，我们提出了一个由两个步骤组成的工作流程：（1）使用跨维马尔可夫链蒙特卡罗计算地层直方图和（2）使用由这些地层直方图引导的基于波形的自动跟踪进行地平线自动跟踪。这些地层直方图生成的信号比原始地震信号在垂直方向上更清晰，在横向上更连续；因此，所提出的工作流程支持基于波形的自动拾取的传播，而无需终止复杂的地质结构。我们通过从墨西哥湾采集的地震数据展示了新型地平线自动跟踪工作流程的性能，并使用测井数据验证了马尔可夫链蒙特卡罗反演结果。自动跟踪结果表明，即使盐底辟和大型断层周围的地震信号连续性相对较低，该方法也能成功扩展层位种子点。建议的工作流程支持基于波形的自动拾取的传播，而无需终止复杂的地质结构。我们通过从墨西哥湾采集的地震数据展示了新型地平线自动跟踪工作流程的性能，并使用测井数据验证了马尔可夫链蒙特卡罗反演结果。自动跟踪结果表明，即使盐底辟和大型断层周围的地震信号连续性相对较低，该方法也能成功扩展层位种子点。建议的工作流程支持基于波形的自动拾取的传播，而无需终止复杂的地质结构。我们通过从墨西哥湾采集的地震数据展示了新型地平线自动跟踪工作流程的性能，并使用测井数据验证了马尔可夫链蒙特卡罗反演结果。自动跟踪结果表明，即使盐底辟和大型断层周围的地震信号连续性相对较低，该方法也能成功扩展层位种子点。