New Feature | 3D Drillhole: creating contact surfaces

Leverage Surfer’s 3D Drillhole functionality to transform raw subsurface data into high-fidelity models featuring precise contact surfaces and stratigraphic layers. Import borehole data, identify stratigraphic picks, and generate continuous surfaces that visualize geological boundaries, well construction, and environmental data in a unified 3D coordinate system.

Whether you are modeling lithological units or analyzing contamination plumes, Surfer provides the advanced tools needed for rigorous subsurface analysis and professional reporting.

• Contacts
  • A contact could indicate changes in rock type, density, depositional period, or the type of mineralization, etc.
  • Set or define contact points parameters such as keyword, point or interval data.
  • Define the contacts as either depositional or erosional to control how they interact with each other.
• Surfaces
  • Visualize surfaces for things such as lithological units or the bottom of a coal seam.
  • Make changes to the gridding parameters and see the surfaces update in real time.
  • Create (or load) topography and base surfaces.
  • Customize surface parameters that include color, opacity, and minimum distance between surfaces.
  • Save the surface grid files for use in other maps or projects.

Create surfaces from contact points by simply checking a box.

Create a 3D Drillhole model in Surfer

Surfer’s 3D environment enables the visualization of true vertical or deviated drillhole paths. By importing collar, survey, and interval data, you can generate a spatial model that serves as the foundation for all subsequent subsurface mapping. Check out our article Create a 3D Drillhole model in Surfer for more details.

Identifying stratigraphic contact points (picks)

Once the drillhole paths are established, identifying specific contact points (sometimes called "picks") is essential for surface modeling. These points represent the intersection of different geologic units or well construction intervals.

• Enter 3D View
  1. Open a file with a Drillhole model.
  2. In the Contents window, select the Map containing your drillhole layer.
  3. In the Properties window, select the View tab.
  4. In the 3D View field, click the 3D View button.
• Mark Contact Points
  1. In the Contents window, select your Drillhole layer.
  2. In the ribbon, click 3D View | Drillhole Contacts | Create.
  3. Identify your contacts using the settings in the Create Contacts window.
• Export Contact Points
  1. In the Contents window, select your Drillhole layer.
  2. In the ribbon, click 3D View | Drillhole Contacts | Export.
  3. In the Save As window, select the file name and location.
  4. In the Export Contacts window, select your desired settings and click OK.

Generating and Visualizing Contact Surfaces

After exporting your picks, you can grid this data to create a continuous surface that represents the boundary between subsurface layers.

• Grid the contact data
  1. Navigate to the 2D view.
  2. In the ribbon, click Home | Grid Data | Grid Data.
  3. Select the contact point data file.
  4. Set your gridding settings and save the grid file.
• Add Contact Surfaces
  1. Return to the 3D View.
  2. In the Contents window, select each contact.
  3. In the Properties window, set the Type of contact (Depositional or Erosional).
  4. Select the Contacts group in the Contents window.
  5. Check the box next to Create surfaces for all contacts.

Data Requirements

Ensure your data is organized into three primary tables: Collars (location), Survey (orientation), and Intervals (lithology or measurements). This structure is required to accurately orient drillholes in the 3D environment.

Example Walkthrough

This example walkthrough provides a structured, end-to-end demonstration of the 3D Drillhole workflow, from initial data orientation to final surface generation. By following these steps, you can master the primary techniques for marking stratigraphic contacts and visualizing them as continuous, project-ready geological models. This process is essential for identifying stratigraphic trends that may not be apparent in 2D and ensuring that your geological boundaries, well construction details, and environmental data are communicated with the level of detail required for rigorous technical reporting.

You now have a dynamic 3D model where surfaces intersect drillholes at precise contact depths. This visualization can be rotated and inspected from any angle to verify stratigraphic continuity across your project site.

Advanced Options

Surfer creates surfaces in "younging order." Depositional surfaces cannot cross-cut older surfaces, while Erosional surfaces can. You can adjust these interaction rules under File | Options | 3D View Drillhole Surface.

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