The match game: New stratigraphic correlation algorithms

New algorithms for automatic correlation of geologic strata are introduced. The algorithms are extensions of the Smith and Waterman (1980) dynamic programming technique and include several features that greatly increase the utility for sedimentary sequences. Gaps in correlation (unconformities) caused by local nondeposition or eroded strata can include in a single “event” several strata. Furthermore, these gaps can be weighted as a single event, rather than as the sum of gap events for each strata. In addition, one or several adjacent strata in a second column can be correlated (matched) with one or several strata in a second column. Deletions within one of these multiple matches are also possible. The new algorithms include the method of minimum distance and the method of maximum similarity. Within this context, a similarity algorithm is given to locate and correlate the best matching segments or intervals from each stratigraphic column. All correlations within a preset distance of the optimum likewise can be produced for any of these algorithms. An example of specific assignments of these weight functions is given for correlation of well logs from the San Juan Basin.

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