Patents by Inventor Craig J. Beasley

Craig J. Beasley has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9939543
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to methods for processing seismic data including enhancing seismic data generated by a seismic sensor. The methods may include receiving seismic data that had been acquired using the seismic sensor. The seismic data may include one or more first seismic data elements related to a first seismic event. The methods may include generating summands of the seismic data as an inner product of multiple seismic data elements associated with the first seismic data elements and one or more second seismic data elements. The second seismic data elements may be different than the first seismic data elements. The methods may further include enhancing the seismic data by estimating outliers in the summands of the inner product and replacing the outliers with interpolated values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Craig J. Beasley, Ian Moore, Robin Fletcher, Clara Castellanos Lopez
  • Publication number: 20170192116
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to methods for processing seismic data including enhancing seismic data generated by a seismic sensor. The methods may include receiving seismic data that had been acquired using the seismic sensor. The seismic data may include one or more first seismic data elements related to a first seismic event. The methods may include generating summands of the seismic data as an inner product of multiple seismic data elements associated with the first seismic data elements and one or more second seismic data elements. The second seismic data elements may be different than the first seismic data elements. The methods may further include enhancing the seismic data by estimating outliers in the summands of the inner product and replacing the outliers with interpolated values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Craig J. Beasley, Ian Moore, Robin Fletcher, Clara Castellanos Lopez
  • Patent number: 9506339
    Abstract: A method for managing a fracturing operation. In one implementation, the method may include positioning one or more sources and one or more receivers near a hydrocarbon reservoir; pumping a fracturing fluid into a well bore of the hydrocarbon reservoir; performing a survey with the sources and the receivers during the fracturing operation; comparing the baseline survey to the survey performed during the fracturing operation; analyzing one or more differences between the baseline survey and the survey performed during the fracturing operation; and modifying the fracturing operation based on the differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: Craig J. Beasley, Iain Bush
  • Patent number: 9453925
    Abstract: A technique includes determining at least one parameter that characterizes a seismic survey in which multiple interfering seismic sources are fired and seismic sensors sense energy that is produced by the seismic sources. The determination of the parameter(s) includes optimizing the seismic survey for separation of the sensed energy according to the seismic sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO L. L. C.
    Inventors: Craig J. Beasley, William Henry Dragoset, Jr., Ian Moore
  • Patent number: 9354341
    Abstract: Propagation of wavefields are simulated along paths in a survey environment, where the simulated propagation includes an influence of a reflection at an interface that causes ghost data in measured survey data. Deghosting of the measured survey data is performed using the simulated wavefields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Craig J. Beasley, Richard T. Coates
  • Patent number: 9151856
    Abstract: A method for processing seismic data. The method may include receiving seismic data due to a plurality of seismic sources and applying a first operator to the seismic data to generate a first estimate of seismic data. The method may then include applying a second operator to the first estimate of seismic data to generate residual seismic data due to one or more seismic sources. The method may determine a second estimate of seismic data based on the first estimate and the residual seismic data. The method may then process the second estimate of seismic data due to each seismic source to determine the presence of hydrocarbon deposits in a subterranean area of the earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Craig J. Beasley, William H. Dragoset, Jr., Antoun Salama
  • Patent number: 9127543
    Abstract: A method for managing a fracturing operation. In one implementation, the method may include positioning a seismic source and at least one seismic receiver near a hydrocarbon reservoir; pumping a fracturing fluid into a well bore of the hydrocarbon reservoir such that the fracturing fluid may include an additive that enhances acoustic impedance between the fracturing fluid and subsurface formations in which the hydrocarbon reservoir is located and that produces a foam; performing a seismic survey with the seismic source and the at least one seismic receiver during the fracturing operation; and identifying locations of the fracturing fluid within subsurface formations in which the hydrocarbon reservoir is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Craig J. Beasley, Olivier Peyret
  • Patent number: 9086507
    Abstract: To determine characteristics of a subterranean body, pressure testing is performed, where the pressure testing involves drawing down pressure in the well. Pressure data in the well is measured during the pressure testing, and a seismic surface operation is performed. Seismic data is measured as part of the seismic survey operation. The pressure data and the seismic data are provided to a processing system for processing to determine characteristics of the subterranean body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Craig J. Beasley, Iain Bush
  • Patent number: 8938363
    Abstract: A method for managing a fracturing operation. In one implementation, the method may include positioning one or more sources and one or more receivers near a hydrocarbon reservoir; pumping a fracturing fluid into a well bore of the hydrocarbon reservoir; performing a survey with the sources and the receivers during the fracturing operation; comparing the baseline survey to the survey performed during the fracturing operation; analyzing one or more differences between the baseline survey and the survey performed during the fracturing operation; and modifying the fracturing operation based on the differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Craig J. Beasley, Iain Bush
  • Publication number: 20140140172
    Abstract: Propagation of wavefields are simulated along paths in a survey environment, where the simulated propagation includes an influence of a reflection at an interface that causes ghost data in measured survey data. Deghosting of the measured survey data is performed using the simulated wavefields.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: CRAIG J. BEASLEY, RICHARD T. COATES
  • Publication number: 20140027111
    Abstract: A method for managing a fracturing operation. In one implementation, the method may include positioning one or more sources and one or more receivers near a hydrocarbon reservoir; pumping a fracturing fluid into a well bore of the hydrocarbon reservoir; performing a survey with the sources and the receivers during the fracturing operation; comparing the baseline survey to the survey performed during the fracturing operation; analyzing one or more differences between the baseline survey and the survey performed during the fracturing operation; and modifying the fracturing operation based on the differences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: CRAIG J. BEASLEY, IAIN BUSH
  • Patent number: 8588025
    Abstract: A technique for acquiring wide azimuth seismic data using simultaneous shooting is presented in which a plurality of seismic sources are positioned to achieve a desired crossline sampling as a function of the number of passes. This is accomplished by “interleaving” sources as deployed in the spread, as positioned in multiple passes, or some combination of these things, to achieve an effective shotline interval during acquisition or an effective crossline sampling less than their crossline source separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Nicolae Moldoveanu, Craig J. Beasley
  • Patent number: 8395966
    Abstract: A technique includes obtaining seismic data acquired by seismic sensors of a composite seismic signal that is produced by the firings of multiple seismic sources. The technique includes modeling the seismic data as being a function of models for the sources and linear operators and defining desired constraints on the models. The technique includes simultaneously determining the models based on the modeling and the desired constraints. The datasets are generated based on the determined models. Each dataset is indicative of a component of the composite seismic signal and is attributable to a different one of the seismic sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ian Moore, Craig J. Beasley, William H. Dragoset, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20130000893
    Abstract: A method for managing a fracturing operation. In one implementation, the method may include positioning a seismic source and at least one seismic receiver near a hydrocarbon reservoir; pumping a fracturing fluid into a well bore of the hydrocarbon reservoir such that the fracturing fluid may include an additive that enhances acoustic impedance between the fracturing fluid and subsurface formations in which the hydrocarbon reservoir is located and that produces a foam; performing a seismic survey with the seismic source and the at least one seismic receiver during the fracturing operation; and identifying locations of the fracturing fluid within subsurface formations in which the hydrocarbon reservoir is located.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: CRAIG J. BEASLEY, OLIVIER PEYRET
  • Patent number: 8218393
    Abstract: A system includes an interface and a processor. The interface receives seismic datasets, which are associated with multiple firings of a set of at least one seismic source. Each dataset is acquired by seismic sensors during a different time period of a sequence of time periods that are limited by times at which the set of seismic source(s) are fired. The processor, for each of the firings of the set of seismic source(s), generates an associated shot record based on information contained at least two of the datasets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Craig J. Beasley
  • Patent number: 8210262
    Abstract: A method for managing a fracturing operation. In one implementation, the method may include positioning a seismic source and at least one seismic receiver near a hydrocarbon reservoir; pumping a fracturing fluid into a well bore of the hydrocarbon reservoir such that the fracturing fluid may include an additive that enhances acoustic impedance between the fracturing fluid and subsurface formations in which the hydrocarbon reservoir is located; performing a seismic survey with the seismic source and the at least one seismic receiver during the fracturing operation; and identifying locations of the fracturing fluid within subsurface formations in which the hydrocarbon reservoir is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Craig J. Beasley
  • Publication number: 20120155218
    Abstract: A method for processing seismic data. The method may include receiving seismic data due to a plurality of seismic sources and applying a first operator to the seismic data in an ith domain to generate a first estimate of seismic data due to an ith seismic source. The ith domain may correspond to the ith seismic source of the plurality of seismic sources. The method may then include applying a second operator to the first estimate of seismic data due to the ith seismic source in one or more domains other than the ith domain to generate residual seismic data due to one or more seismic sources other than the ith seismic source. After applying the a second operator to the first estimate of seismic data due to the ith seismic source, the method may determine a second estimate of seismic data due to the ith seismic source based on the first estimate and the residual seismic data due to the seismic sources other than the ith seismic source. The method may then repeat some of the steps described above (i.e.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Craig J. Beasley, William H. Dragoset, JR., Antoun Salama
  • Patent number: 8174928
    Abstract: To reduce a number of required channels for a survey system having seismic sensors, the seismic sensors are partitioned into groups of corresponding seismic sensors. An aggregation unit applies different transformations of signals of the seismic sensors within a particular one of the groups. The differently transformed signals within the particular group are aggregated to form an aggregated signal. The aggregated signal for the particular group is transmitted, over a channel of the survey system, to a processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Craig J. Beasley
  • Publication number: 20110272147
    Abstract: A method for managing a fracturing operation. In one implementation, the method may include positioning one or more sources and one or more receivers near a hydrocarbon reservoir; pumping a fracturing fluid into a well bore of the hydrocarbon reservoir; performing a survey with the sources and the receivers during the fracturing operation; comparing the baseline survey to the survey performed during the fracturing operation; analyzing one or more differences between the baseline survey and the survey performed during the fracturing operation; and modifying the fracturing operation based on the differences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Craig J. Beasley, Iain Bush
  • Patent number: RE47389
    Abstract: A technique for acquiring wide azimuth seismic data using simultaneous shooting is presented in which a plurality of seismic sources are positioned to achieve a desired crossline sampling as a function of the number of passes. This is accomplished by “interleaving” sources as deployed in the spread, as positioned in multiple passes, or some combination of these things, to achieve an effective shotline interval during acquisition or an effective crossline sampling less than their crossline source separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Inventors: Nicolae Moldoveanu, Craig J. Beasley