Subjective uncertainty and biases: The impact on seismic data interpretation

The interpretation of seismic image data involves dealing with considerable uncertainty. Interpreters employ heuristics (“rules of thumb”) during interpretation to make judgments. These heuristics lead to unwanted, and usually unknown, cognitive biases that influence the interpretation. This chapter introduces the concept of subjective uncertainty and goes on to describe four of the key biases that influence the seismic interpretation process: anchoring; availability; herding; and framing. Each bias is described from original conception through to how it influences the seismic interpretation process. Research specific to seismic interpretation is outlined and summarized. The chapter concludes with an overview of bias mitigation methods that can be employed for seismic interpretation.