In a preferred embodiment the invention comprises a system for analyzing seismic data which includes selecting a geologic time volume (120) for a subsurface region of interest and selecting a procedure (122) for generating a derived data volume based on the geologic time volume. The selected procedure is used to calculate the derived data volume (124) and the derived data volume is stored in a data storage medium (126). In specific embodiments of the invention, the derived data volumes include but are not limited to difference volumes, discontinuity volumes, fault volumes, unconformity volumes, throw volumes, heave volumes, dip magnitude volumes, dip azimuth volumes, strike volumes, surface normal volumes, closure volumes, spill point volumes, isopach volumes and isopach anomaly volumes.
">