A method for predicting pore pressure is described which initially
involves obtaining, for one point in a volume of Earth, a value of pore
pressure and one or more seismic attributes. A relationship is determined
between the value of pore pressure and the seismic attribute, for example
by use of a neural network. Seismic data is then obtained for the volume
of earth and the same attributes as selected above when determining
relationship are extracted from the seismic data for another point in the
volume. The extracted seismic attributes are then used as inputs to the
previously determined relationship to produce as an output, a prediction
of pore pressure at the other point. The seismic attributes are frequency
related seismic attributes and include for example instantaneous
frequency, weighted mean frequency, instantaneous pseudo-quality factor,
instantaneous dominant frequency, instantaneous bandwidth, instantaneous
phase, effective bandwidth, peak frequency, envelope and energy half
time.