A method for detecting hydrocarbons including obtaining seismic trace data for a region of interest; processing, using a processor, the seismic trace data to calculate a signal spectrum for each of a plurality of locations in the region of interest; calculating a dominant frequency of the signal spectrum; calculating at least one measure of energy decay above the dominant frequency, calculating at least one measure of energy decay below the dominant frequency, and calculating at least one measure spectral shape of the signal spectrum, and locating a hydrocarbon reservoir in the region of interest using the at least one measure of energy decay below the dominant frequency, the at least one measure of energy decay above dominant frequency and the dominant frequency; or locating a hydrocarbon reservoir in the region of interest using the at least one measure of energy decay below the dominant frequency and the at least one measure of energy decay above dominant frequency; or and locating a hydrocarbon reservoir in the region of interest using the at least one measure of energy decay below the dominant frequency and the dominant frequency; or locating a hydrocarbon reservoir in the region of interest using the at least one measure of spectral shape and the dominant frequency.