Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Michigan
Technological
University
presentation by
Fehmi Kamcili
February 10, 2001
Fig.: Shaded Relief and Contour map

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Table of content
Introduction
Grid Files
Grid Methods
1. Inverse Distance to a Power; 2. Kriging;
3. Minimum Curvature; 4. Modified Shepards Method;
5. Natural Neighbor; 6. Nearest Neighbor;
7. Polynomial Regression; 8. Radial Basis Function;
9. Triangulation w/ linear Interpolation

Best Results
Conclusion

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Introduction
Surfer 7; Feb. 2000
Surface mapping system
Golden Software, Inc.
Differences in created
grid-files visualized by
overlaying wireframe
and contour maps
Fig.: Wireframe and Contour Map
Vernon/Rosebuch oilfields in Isabella county, Michigan
with 245 well Data-Points (Lat-Long of Top Dundee)

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Grid Files

Fig.: Contour and Post Map

gridding by specifing
source file
-Spreadsheets (Excel)
-manually in Surfer
(Worksheet)
gridding method
accuracy of grid
faults and breaklines
creates file.grd

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Grid Methods

Fig.: Wireframe Map

Inv. Distance to power

Kriging
Minimum curvature
Modified shepards
Natural neighbor
Nearest neighbor
Polynomial regression
Radial basis function
Triangulation w/ linear
interpolation

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7
Fig.: Power:
0.00001

-2 9 0 5.1 93 3
-2 9 0 5.1 93 3
-2 9 0 5.1 93 3
-2 9 0 5.1 93 3
-2 9 0 5.1 93 4
-2 9 0 5.1 93 4

Inverse Distance to a
Power

-2 9 0 5.1 93 4
-2 9 0 5.1 93 4
-2 9 0 5.1 93 4
-2 9 0 5.1 93 5
-2 9 0 5.1 93 5
-2 9 0 5.1 93 5
-2 9 0 5.1 93 5
-2 9 0 5.1 93 5
-2 9 0 5.1 93 6

-2 86 0
-2 87 0
-2 88 0
-2 89 0
-2 90 0
-2 91 0
-2 92 0
-2 93 0
-2 94 0
-2 95 0
-2 96 0
-2 97 0

Fig.: Power: 2

weighting average
interpolator
Power parameter
between 1E-38 & 38
0 = planar surface;
great weighting power
= less effect on points
far from the grid node
during interpolation

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7
Fig.:
Power: 8

Inverse Distance to a
Power

-2 8 6 0
-2 8 7 0
-2 8 8 0
-2 8 9 0
-2 9 0 0
-2 9 1 0
-2 9 2 0
-2 9 3 0
-2 9 4 0
-2 9 5 0
-2 9 6 0
-2 9 7 0
-2 9 8 0

-2 8 7 5
-2 8 8 0
-2 8 8 5
-2 8 9 0
-2 8 9 5
-2 9 0 0
-2 9 0 5
-2 9 1 0
-2 9 1 5
-2 9 2 0
-2 9 2 5
-2 9 3 0
-2 9 3 5
-2 9 4 0
-2 9 4 5
-2 9 5 0
-2 9 5 5

exact or smoothing
interpolator
generate "bull's-eyes
-smoothing reduce
this effect
very fast method for
gridding
-till 500 Datapoints

Fig.: with
smoothing: 0.01
-2 9 6 0
-2 9 6 5

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Kriging
-286 0
-287 0
-288 0
-289 0
-290 0
-291 0
-292 0
-293 0
-294 0
-295 0
-296 0
-297 0
-298 0

Fig.: Point Kriging

by entering path & file

name production estimated
standard deviation grid

express trends
suggested in your data
Point or Block
-Block is using
average valuessmoother; not perfect
specify & add as
many variogramcomponents as wished

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Minimum Curvature
-28 6 0
-28 8 0
-29 0 0
-29 2 0
-29 4 0
-29 6 0
-29 8 0
-30 0 0
-30 2 0
-30 4 0
-30 6 0
-30 8 0
-31 0 0
-31 2 0
-31 4 0
-31 6 0

Fig.: default

smooth but not exact

recalculation of grid
node values until
reached less of max.
Residual value, or
max. Iteration
Set Internal and
Boundary Tension
Relaxiation Factor

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7
Fig.: 1
-2800
-2850
-2900

Modified Shepards
Method

-2950
-3000
-3050
-3100
-3150
-3200
-3250
-3300

-29 00
-29 50
-30 00
-30 50
-31 00
-31 50
-32 00
-32 50
-33 00
-33 50

Fig.: 2

-34 00

Like IDP Method

exact or smoothing
Weighting and
Quadratic Neighbors
parameters specifies
size (number) of local
neighborhood
Fig.1: Q13/W19;
Fig.2: Q40/W60

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Natural Neighbor

-2 86 0
-2 87 0
-2 88 0
-2 89 0
-2 90 0
-2 91 0
-2 92 0
-2 93 0
-2 94 0
-2 95 0
-2 96 0
-2 97 0
-2 98 0

Fig.: default

Natural Neighbor
interpolation
algorithm uses a
weighted average of
neighboring
observations, where
the weights are
proportional to new
added polygons

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Nearest Neighbor

-2 86 0
-2 87 0
-2 88 0
-2 89 0
-2 90 0
-2 91 0
-2 92 0
-2 93 0
-2 94 0
-2 95 0
-2 96 0
-2 97 0
-2 98 0

Fig.: default

assigns value of the

nearest point to each
grid node
useful when data are
already evenly
spaced
this method is
effective for filling
missing values

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7
Fig.: 1

-2 8 7 5
-2 8 8 0
-2 8 8 5

Polynomial
Regression

-2 8 9 0
-2 8 9 5
-2 9 0 0
-2 9 0 5
-2 9 1 0
-2 9 1 5
-2 9 2 0
-2 9 2 5
-2 9 3 0
-2 9 3 5

-2 8 4 0
-2 8 5 0
-2 8 6 0
-2 8 7 0
-2 8 8 0
-2 8 9 0
-2 9 0 0
-2 9 1 0
-2 9 2 0
-2 9 3 0
-2 9 4 0
-2 9 5 0

Fig.: 2

-2 9 6 0

used to define largescale trends &

patterns
not real interpolator
(does not predict
unknown Z values)
Fig.1: Simple planar
surface; Fig.2: Bilinear saddle

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Radial Basis
Function
-287 0
-288 0
-289 0
-290 0
-291 0
-292 0
-293 0
-294 0
-295 0
-296 0
-297 0
-298 0
-299 0
-300 0
-301 0
-302 0
-303 0
-304 0
-305 0

Fig.: 5. Thin plate spline

1. Inverse Multiquadric
2. Multilog
3. Multiquadric
4. Natural Cubic Spline
5. Thin plate Spline
1.; 2.; 4.- error
5.- good; 3.- best

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Radial Basis
Function
-2870
-2875
-2880
-2885
-2890
-2895
-2900
-2905
-2910
-2915
-2920
-2925
-2930
-2935
-2940
-2945
-2950
-2955
-2960
-2965
-2970
-2975

Fig.: 3. Multiquadric

all exact
interpolators
+ smoothing factor
= variogram in K.
(mathematically
specifies spatial
variability of data set
& resulting grid file

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Triangulation w/
linear Interpolation
-28 60
-28 70
-28 80
-28 90
-29 00
-29 10
-29 20
-29 30
-29 40
-29 50
-29 60
-29 70
-29 80

Fig.: default

creates triangles by
drawing lines
between data points
exact interpolator
for evenly distributed
data over grid area
-sparse areas result in
distinct triangular
facets on map

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Best Results
zKriging is exact, has many options & modifications,
but needs knowledge

-2860
-2870
-2880
-2890
-2900
-2910
-2920
-2930
-2940
-2950
-2960
-2970

Fig.: Point Kriging

-2980

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Best Results
zRadial Basis Function is exact, shows nice views
& is uncomplicated

Fig.: Radial Basic

Function; Multiquadric

-2870
-2875
-2880
-2885
-2890
-2895
-2900
-2905
-2910
-2915
-2920
-2925
-2930
-2935
-2940
-2945
-2950
-2955
-2960
-2965
-2970
-2975

Analysis of different gridding

methods using Surfer7

Conclusion
I did not consider all aspects & details
Surfer is very powerful for the 3D-Visualization
Surfer 7 works:
-fast & without consuming much disk space
-uncomplicated with Object manager
All processes (gridding, mapping) can be automated
with writing programs in Visual Basic
Help content is very useful & describes also background
information