3D coherence technique can be used to determine the horizontal heterogeneity of strata and lithology by capturing the signal coherency of adjacent seismic channels among the data volume of 3D seismics.The technique has the following features: ① it is based on tectonic characteristics of acquisition areas and can automatically detect the fault systems

thus yielding more objective interpretations by avoiding the dependence on workers' experiences of conventional structural interpretation;② numbers of coherent track

size of time window

and selection of delay parameters

are of vital importance for the interpretation quality of the technique;③ it can be used in the description of horizontal heterogeneity of reservoirs and determination of the boundary of special geologic anomalous bodies

such as karst topography

channel sand

sand bank

and etc.;④ by utilizing the rapid processing speed of computers

it enhances the interpretation efficiency and reduces the exploration cycle.