Geological Stress Inversion Using Fault Displacement and Slip Tendency: 8,589,080

A computer-implemented method of determining the stress state associated with a geological fault is described. The source data comprises measured fault displacement values, or proxy displacement values, associated with the fault. An error function calculates error as a function of normalized fault displacement and normalized slip tendency. Candidate stress states are used to determine slip tendency values, which are used in the error function to calculate an error value. This value is minimized to determine the "best" candidate stress state.