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Int. J Sci. Emerging Tech Vol‐5 No 5 May, 2013

Using Continuous Wavelet Transform and Short

Time Fourier Transform as Spectral
Decomposition Methods to Detect of
Stratigraphic Channel in One of the Iranian
South-West Oil Fields
E. Shokrollahi#1, G. Zargar#2, M.A. Riahi*3
# Petroleum exploration engineering department, Petroleum University of Technology, Abadan, Iran
1 erf_shokrollahi@yahoo.com
2 zargar@put.ac.ir
*
(Institue of Geophysics,University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran)
3 mariahi@ut.ac.ir

Abstract--Classical seismic methods for characterization

of hydrocarbon reservoirs have been used for decades.
Stratigraphic events affect seismic sections in addition to
structural events. Today the necessity of usage of seismic
sections to determine reservoir extension and
stratigraphic characteristics is increasing. Conventional
seismic sections cannot display most of the important
events in reservoir studies. The study of frequency
content of seismic sections can provide better
understanding to geoscientists, as well as interpreters in
the field of petroleum engineering studies. An is
frequency process is a powerful tool in terms of reservoir
imaging. One of the methods that provides is frequency
slice is Spectral Decomposition (SD).
SD is a comprehensive method that eliminates most
of limitations encountered in seismic data to reveal
geological information. SD provides continuous analysis
of amplitude, frequency, phase, and energy spectrum.
Therefore, SD is applied to obtain an amplitude
spectrum of frequency content of seismic trace which is
attributed to the temporal center of the sample trace, so
higher frequency resolution is obtained at lower
frequencies and higher time resolution at higher
frequencies.
In this paper, Short Time Fourier Transform
(STFT) and Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) as
SD methods were used in order to detect stratigraphic
channel at one of the Iranian South-West oil fields for
which it has the potential to be considered as a reservoir.
Keywords: Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT), Short
Time Fourier Transform (STFT), Spectral Decomposition
(SD), stratigraphic channel, Sarvak.
1. Introduction
Different methods have been introduced for SD of
seismic data. The goal of all these methods is to
decompose the seismic signal to its components in
__________________________________________________________________________
International Journal of Science & Emerging Technologies Transform (CWT) is a suitable method to overcome
IJSET, E‐ISSN: 2048 ‐ 8688
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order to obtain more geological information. Based on
definition, SD refers to any method that produces
continuous analysis of amplitude, frequency, phase,
and energy spectrum. In this method, the output of
each seismic trace is an amplitude spectrum of
frequency content of input trace that refers to temporal
center of sample. Therefore, the result of SD of a
seismic trace is a time-frequency analysis window.
One of the oldest methods in obtaining local
spectrum is Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) which
is a classical frequency decomposition method. This
transform calculates the relative intensity of each
frequency component of the whole signal, but does not
provide any information about frequency content
changes with time. Therefore, DFT method is not
suitable for non-stationary signals and cannot
determine frequency changes with time (seismic
waves are not stationary, i.e. Their frequency content
varies with time).
To resolve this problem of DFT, Short Time
Fourier Transform (STFT) or Fast Fourier Transform
(FFT) has been widely used to decompose non-
stationary signals. The basic idea in STFT is to divide
a non-stationary signal to small segments (which are
considered as stationary parts) and calculate Fourier
transform for each segment. To perform this division,
a window function is chosen and multiplied by the
signal. One of the setbacks of this method is the
constant-length time interval obtained from window
function. Short temporal window provides suitable
time resolution but the resulting frequency resolution
is low. If a larger temporal window is selected,
frequency resolution will be improved but time
resolution will be reduced. Therefore, if the goal is
exact identification of separate time events, methods
in which the window length is automatically adjusted
to frequency should be used.
Decomposition by Continuous Wavelet
the resolution problems in decomposition by STFT
method. In CWT the signal is multiplied by a function

Int. J Sci. Emerging Tech Vol‐5 No 5 May, 2013
such as window function in STFT in which the length
of the window is not constant. The length of temporal
window changes according to the required frequency
resolution. This change in window length is the result
of a window function called “wavelet function”. An
important step in CWT method is selection of the
wavelet function which is called Mother wavelet.
Commonly used wavelets in CWT are Morlet wavelet,
Gaussian wavelet and Mexican-Hat wavelet. Although
there is no absolute optimal wavelet among the
common wavelets, by considering the purpose and
type of usage, specifications for suitable Mother
wavelet must be considered to choose an optimal
wavelet.
As an example side lobes of Morlet wavelet
reduce vertical resolution of CWT [1].
In this study, performance of CWT and STFT in
mapping stratigraphic channel in one of the Iranian
South-West oil fields using 3-D seismic data, is
investigated.
2. Theory and Method
2.1 Spectral Decomposition Methods
2.1.1 Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT)
Peyton et al. (1998) [2], partyka et al. (1999) [3],
and Marfurt and Kirlin (2001) [4] are the prominent
founders of this method.
The basis of this method is selecting an optimal
window length and making its convolution with
Gaussian window, so that the Fourier Transform of
this window can be calculated. Proper selection of the
window is the main problem of this method.
Based on the selected temporal window the STFT
provides a time-frequency spectrum. In STFT, time-
frequency resolution is fixed over the entire time-
frequency space by preselecting a window length.
Therefore, resolution in seismic data analysis becomes
dependent on user-specified window length.
Mathematically, STFT is the inner product of
signal and a time shifted window in time τ
and the frequency ω as shown in ‘Eq (1)’:
,
∞ The useful wavelets commonly used in wavelet
∞
̅ (1)
Where ̅ is the complex conjugate of
This method is a useful operator in studying and
detection of thin layers.
2.1.2 Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT)
CWT in signal analysis is considered an
alternative method for frequency distribution analysis
of non-stationary time series. In CWT method by
increasing or decreasing temporal covering length,
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frequency covering length tends towards high
frequencies and low frequencies respectively;
therefore, by increasing frequency resolution, time
resolution decreases consequently and vice versa [5].
As hydrocarbon reservoirs are detectable in low
frequencies and thin layers with high temporal
resolution are detectable in high frequencies this
method is a proper method in reservoir
characterization [6].
Wavelet transform was first used by Morlet et al.
in 1980s for assessing of seismic data [7].
Wavelet with symbol (t) is usually defined as a
function (t) ϵ L2(R) with zero mean which can be
determined in two time and frequency domains. By
translating this wavelet (t) a family of wavelets can
be produced:
(2)
, √
In which τϵR, σ ≠ 0, σ is scale parameter, τ
Translation parameter and is complex conjugate
of (t). As wavelets are usually normalized, a
coefficient 1/√σ is used. CWT is defined as the inner
product of the signal u (t) and a group of wavelets σ,
τ (τ). Its formula is as:
, , ,
∞
∞
(3)
√
In , which is the time-scale map (i.e. the
scalogram).
The scalogram cannot provide a direct and clear
interpretation of frequency. For interpretation of the
time-scale map in terms of a time-frequency map, a
constant (c), which is obtained from the relation
between scale and central frequency, must be
calculated approximately as follows:
(4)
The easiest step in conversion of scale to
frequency is equating it with a scale-frequency map of
wavelet.
transform are Morlet, Gaussian and Mexican-Hat. In
this article, these three wavelets are used in CWT
analysis.
.
2.2 Using CWT and STFT for Practical Study
of the Field
In this paper, CWT and STFT are used as SD
methods for detection of the channel in seismic data in
one of the Iranian oil fields.

Int. J Sci. Emerging Tech Vol‐5 No 5 May, 2013
This oil field with a trend of S-N is located in the
Dezful Embayment in the South-West of Iran. Dezful
Embayment contains major oilfields of Iran, in other
words, it is the center of South-West Iran oil province,
which is geologically a part of Northern Arabian plate.
This region, with a flat and even topography, is
covered with a layer of quaternary alluvial sediments
which has a thin thickness.
The geological studies of this oil field show that
in the section related to Sarvak Formation, channel
events commonly exist. Sarvak Formation
stratigraphic ally locates in the second sequence of
Middle cretaceous and has reservoir potential.
Figure 1 shows 3-D seismic cube of the studied
oil field and figure 2 shows the interpreted Sarvak
horizon. The studied section by SD methods for
detection of channel is beneath this horizon.
Figure 1. 3-D seismic volume of the studied oil field
Figure 2. Interpreted Sarvak horizon from 3-D
seismic cube
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Figure 3 shows the seismic amplitude response in
time slice of 1800ms obtained from 3-D seismic cube
of figure 1. This horizon slice is taken 20 ms under the
Sarvak horizon shown in figure 2.
Figure 3. Seismic amplitude response of time slice
1800 ms (20 ms below the Sarvak horizon)
As it is seen, no specific geological event which
causes changes in seisimc structure is detectable.
CWT has been calculated as follows.CWT was
calculated as isofrequency seismic sections based on
all three Morlet,Gaussian and, Mexican-Hat wavelets
at frequencies of 20, 30, and 40Hz and the results have
been shown in figures 4 to 6 for a temporal depth of
1800ms.
At frequency of 20Hz in figure 4, both Morlet and
Gaussian wavelets provide better resolutions
compared to Mexican-Hat. At 30Hz frequency in
figure 5, Morlet wavelet provides better resolution
than Gaussian wavelet which in term provides better
amplitude contrast than Mexican-Hat. In 40Hz
frequency in figure 6, Gaussian wavelet provides
relatively a good resolution, although Morlet wavelet
does not provide relatively good resolution, it provides
higher amplitude contrast compared to low resolution
of Mexican-Hat wavelet.
The minimum and maximum seismic amplitudes
as a result of CWT method are shown in table 1.
The obtained results from CWT are generally as
follows:
 In 20 and 30Hz frequencies Morlet,
Gaussian, and Mexican-Hat wavelets performed better
respectively.
 In 30Hz frequencies Gaussian, Morlet and
Mexican-Hat wavelets performed better respectively.
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Int. J Sci. Emerging Tech Vol‐5 No 5 May, 2013

(a)

(a)

(b)

(b)

(c)
Figure 4. Illustration of isofrequeny slices of 20Hz
obtained from CWT method. (a) Morlet wavlet, (b)
Gaussian wavelet, (c) Mexican-Hat wavelet (c)

Figure 5. Illustration of isofrequeny slices of 30Hz

obtained from CWT method. (a) Morlet wavlet, (b)
Gaussian wavelet, (c) Mexican-Hat wavelet
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Int. J Sci. Emerging Tech Vol‐5 No 5 May, 2013

(c)
(a)
Figure 6. Illustration of isofrequeny slices of 40Hz
obtained from CWT method. (a) Morlet wavlet, (b)
Gaussian wavelet, (c) Mexican-Hat wavelet

(b)

Table 1. Estimation of seismic amplitude of isofrequency sections obtained from CWT method

Morlet Wavelet GaussianWavelet Mexican-Hat Wavelet

Max Min Max Min Max Min

amplitude amplitude amplitude amplitude amplitude amplitude
20Hz
isofrequency 0.557274 0.012638 0.166242 0.004634 0.342124 0.010825
sections

30Hz
isofrequency 0.646286 0.020745 0.245229 0.008189 0.37163 0.011042
sections

40Hz
isofrequency 0.603053 0.17234 0.288686 0.007864 0.352619 0.009143
sections
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Int. J Sci. Emerging Tech Vol‐5 No 5 May, 2013

STFT is the second method of SD used in this

study to obtain isofrequncy seismic sections.In the
following STFT calculation is studied. STFT method
was calculated as isofrequency seismic sections in
frequencies of 15, 25, and 35Hz and in 10, 56, and
100ms time intervals and the results were shown in
figures 7 to 9 for a temporal depth of 1800ms.

Analyzing isofrequency images in figure 7 and 8

shows that isofrequency slices of the temporal
window of 56 ms (figure 7-b and 8-b) illustrate the
thickness and boundaries of the channel much better
than the other two temporal windows of STFT method.
Also 35Hz isofrequency image of 100ms temporal
window shows the channel details better than 56 and
10ms temporal windows of STFT method in figure 9.
(a)
As shown in figures and observed in the
maximum and minimum amplitude values of sections
in table 2, isofrequency sections of STFT have a lower
quality than CWT method and CWT displayed a better
performance compared to STFT method in channel
detection.

The obtained results from STFT are generally as

follows:

Comparison of the obtained results from different

temporal windows in an isofrequency seismic section:
 In 15 and 25Hz isofrequency sections, 56, 100,
and 10ms time intervals performed better in
channel detection respectively. (b)
 In 35Hz isofrequency sections, 100, 56, and
10ms time intervals performed better in channel
detection respectively.
Comparison of isofrequency seismic sections in
equal temporal windows:
 In 10ms temporal window, a better channel
resolution is obtained in frequencies of 35, 25, and
15Hz respectively.
 In 56ms temporal window, a better channel
resolution is obtained in frequencies of 25, 15, and
35Hz respectively.
 In 100ms temporal window, a better channel
resolution is obtained in frequencies of 25, 35, and
15Hz respectively.
(c)

Figure 7. Illustration of isofrequeny slices of 15Hz

obtained from STFT method. (a) 10 ms temporal
window, (b) 56 ms temporal window, (c) 100 ms
temporal window
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Int. J Sci. Emerging Tech Vol‐5 No 5 May, 2013

(a)
(a)

(b)
(b)

(c)
(c)

Figure 8. Illustration of isofrequeny slices of 25Hz Figure 9. Illustration of isofrequeny slices of 35Hz
obtained from STFT method. (a) 10 ms temporal obtained from STFT method. (a) 10 ms temporal
window, (b) 56 ms temporal window, (c) 100 ms window, (b) 56 ms temporal window, (c) 100 ms
temporal window temporal window
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Table 2. Estimation of seismic amplitude of isofrequency sections obtained from STFT method

10ms temporal window 56ms temporal window 100ms temporal window

Max Min Max Min Max Min amplitude

amplitude amplitude amplitude amplitude amplitude
15Hz
isofrequency 3.06994 0.09092 34.37968 1.485297 31.463892 1.115812
sections

25Hz
isofrequency 4.39585 0.14683 52.11539 1.3913 52.763969 2.252071
sections

35Hz
isofrequency 5.84562 0.16486 58.22383 1.960338 82.458725 3.277157
sections

In figure 10, the position of the studied channel is

shown in vertical seismic section.

Vertical seismic section in figure 10-a is located

where the channel main body is existed corresponding
to Cross line number 5570 of seismic cube. Relative
horizon to Sarvak Formation is characterized in figure.
The oval shows the location of the main body of the
channel. Figures 10-b shows 20Hz is frequency
sections resulting from CWT method using Morlet
wavelet, corresponding to time slice of 1800ms, in
addition to the location of corresponding vertical
section.

(b)

Figure 10. (a) Vertical seismic section

corresponding to Crossline number 5570. Sarvak
Horizon is specified in the figure. The oval shows the
location of main branch of the channel. (b) 20Hz
isofrequency section of CWT method, using Morlet
wavelet corresponding to 1800ms time slice. Red line
shows the location of vertical section shown in figure
10-a
3. Conclusion
Spectral Decomposition is a powerful tool in
detection of channels by using 3-D seismic data.
(a) Application of CWT and STFT as two effective
SD-based methods is proper tools in imaging the
buried channels which provide the possibility of
comparison between the resulted is frequency slices
for these methods.
The best result in channel detection of all CWT is
frequency sections is obtained from Morlet Mother
Wavelet and in 20Hz section. The best result of all

Int. J Sci. Emerging Tech Vol‐5 No 5 May, 2013
STFT is frequency sections is obtained in 25Hz is
frequency section of 56ms temporal window.
Based on the obtained results of this paper, is
frequency slices of CWT method relatively showed
better quality than STFT method and detection of
channel with more details is provided well by CWT
method. This is because of constant Time-Frequency
resolution in STFT method over the entire Time-
Frequency space by preselecting a window function.
Contrary to STFT in CWT method, the adaptive
wavelet causes the production of optimum window
length relative to frequency content of seismic data. In
other words in CWT method by increasing or
decreasing temporal covering length, frequency
covering length tends towards high frequencies and
low frequencies respectively.
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