Patents by Inventor Mark Elliott Willis
Mark Elliott Willis 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).
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Patent number: 11269096Abstract: A method to generate a vertical seismic profile includes acquiring a set of distributed acoustic sensing measurements from a set of overlapping measurement channels on an optical fiber, wherein each of the set of distributed acoustic sensing measurements are measured at a gauge length. The method also includes generating a set of virtual seismic measurements corresponding with subdivisions in the set of overlapping measurement channels based on the set of distributed acoustic sensing measurements and generating the vertical seismic profile based on the set of virtual seismic measurements.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2018Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Amit Padhi, Mark Elliott Willis
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Patent number: 11249210Abstract: A method and system for processing a slowness profile. A method may comprise disposing a geophone array into a borehole, positioning the geophone array at a first location within the borehole; discharging a seismic source; positioning the geophone array at a second location within the borehole; discharging the seismic source, wherein the seismic source produces an acoustic wave; recording a vertical seismic profiling dataset, wherein vertical seismic profiling comprises a dataset of recorded acoustic waves by the geophone array at the first location within the borehole and the second location within the borehole; picking a first gap travel time from the vertical seismic profiling dataset; and determining the slowness profile, wherein the slowness profile comprises determining a slowness of the acoustic wave through a formation by the geophone arrays. A well system may comprise a geophone array, comprising a plurality of geophones, and an information handling system.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2016Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Xiang Wu, Mark Elliott Willis, Oscar Augusto Barrios
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Patent number: 11215727Abstract: Various embodiments include apparatus and methods implemented to take into consideration gauge length in optical measurements. In an embodiment, systems and methods are implemented to interrogate an optical fiber disposed in a wellbore, where the optical fiber is subjected to seismic waves, and to generate a seismic wavefield free of gauge length effect and/or to generate a prediction of a seismic wavefield of arbitrary gauge length, based on attenuation factors of a plurality of wavefields acquired from interrogating the optical fiber. In an embodiment, systems and methods are implemented to interrogate an optical fiber disposed in a wellbore, where the optical fiber is subjected to seismic waves, and to convert a seismic wavefield associated with a first gauge length to a seismic wavefield associated with a different gauge length that is a multiple of the first gauge length. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2017Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Xiang Wu, Mark Elliott Willis, David Andrew Barfoot
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Publication number: 20210405232Abstract: Systems and methods relate to borehole seismic studies. Traditionally, borehole seismic studies are conducted using geophones. Seismic acquisition can be performed using fiber optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). Because DAS measures dynamic relative displacement over a gauge length, which is different from particle velocity, DAS data can be converted into an equivalent geophone output response. Operations include converting DAS data into distributed velocity, and then, converting the velocity output into an equivalent geophone response. Various aspects include separating the data into interleaving subsets, integrating each subset along the spatial coordinates, selecting a window width over which the median of each subset will be calculated and subtracted from the data, performing a spatial average or low-pass filtering over contiguous values, performing a time-domain low-pass filtering, and performing the velocity-to-geophone conversion operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2019Publication date: December 30, 2021Inventors: Michel Joseph LeBlanc, Mark Elliott Willis, Andreas Ellmauthaler, Xiang Wu
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Publication number: 20210405231Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include components, devices, systems, and operations and functions for generating a seismic profile. An optical signal is generated in an optical signal medium disposed in proximity to a formation. A seismic source induces seismic signals within the formation. A backscatter response corresponding to the seismic signals from the optical signal medium is detected and quadrature modulated to generate a quadrature trace. A seismic response is generated by determining phase differences in the backscatter response based on the quadrature modulated backscatter response. Portions of the seismic response above or below a response threshold are removed to generate a threshold seismic response. The threshold seismic response is correlated with at least one of the seismic signals to generate a correlated seismic response.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2019Publication date: December 30, 2021Inventors: Xiang Wu, Mark Elliott Willis, Andreas Ellmauthaler
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Publication number: 20210396898Abstract: A seismic source is positioned at the surface of a geologic formation and a plurality of seismic receivers is positioned in a wellbore of the geologic formation. Seismic wavefield data is obtained based on the seismic source outputting seismic energy into the wellbore and the plurality of seismic receivers receiving the seismic energy. A velocity profile is determined along the wellbore based on the seismic wavefield data. P and S wave data in a downgoing direction is separated from the seismic wavefield data based on an inversion and the velocity profile. The P and S wave data in the downgoing direction is adaptively subtracted from the seismic wavefield data to form residual wavefield data. The P and S wave data in a upgoing direction is separated from the residual wavefield data based on the inversion and an updated velocity profile. The P and S wave data in the upgoing and downgoing direction is output.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2019Publication date: December 23, 2021Inventors: Amit Padhi, Kary Darnell Green, Jose David Carrillo Rangel, Mark Elliott Willis
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Patent number: 11194070Abstract: A distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) system is coupled to an optical fiber along a plurality of channels. The system generates a DAS seismic profile of the subsurface formation based on detected seismic data, identifies at least one region having coherent noise, and identifies which of the plurality of channels are within the identified at least one region. For each trace of data associated with the plurality of noisy channels, the system converts, from a time to a wavelet domain, the trace of data and a reference trace having less coherent noise, and suppresses the wavelet coefficients of the trace of data based on the wavelet coefficients of the reference trace. After the system mitigates the noise in the wavelet domain, an inverse wavelet transform is applied to the trace of data to convert back to the time domain and create a reduced noise DAS seismic profile.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Amit Padhi, Mark Elliott Willis
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Patent number: 11073629Abstract: A method for identifying a location of a distributed acoustic system channel in a distributed acoustic system. The method may comprise generating a two or three dimensional layer model interface with an information handling system, preparing a P-wave first arrival pick time table, estimating an initial model layer properties, estimating a location of the distributed acoustic system channels, preparing an overburden file of layer properties, running an anisotropic ray tracing, defining an upper and a lower limits for model parameters, specifying parameters for the inversion, running an inversion, selecting a solution based at least in part on stored error predictions, and calculating a mean and a standard deviation of an inverted model parameter.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2019Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Amit Padhi, Mark Elliott Willis, Xiang Wu, Andreas Ellmauthaler
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Publication number: 20210208295Abstract: A method to process vertical seismic profile (VSP) data includes receiving VSP data, migrating the VSP data output using an initial velocity model to produce migrated depth values associated with the respective receivers, sorting and collecting the migrated depth values corresponding to each receiver to produce a migrated common receiver gather (CRG) associated with each receiver, stacking the migrated depth values of the CRGs corresponding to respective fixed lateral positions in an image volume to produce a common image gather (CIG) associated with each lateral position, and generating a semblance panel having the stacked depth migration values plotted as contours on a first axis for velocity ratio (vr), which is based on migration velocity and true velocity) and a second axis for true depth (Zt). The method further includes updating the initial velocity model based on a plurality of data points selected from the semblance panel to provide an updated velocity model.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2016Publication date: July 8, 2021Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Amit Padhi, Mark Elliott Willis
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Publication number: 20210199829Abstract: A method and system for processing a slowness profile. A method may comprise disposing a geophone array into a borehole, positioning the geophone array at a first location within the borehole; discharging a seismic source; positioning the geophone array at a second location within the borehole; discharging the seismic source, wherein the seismic source produces an acoustic wave; recording a vertical seismic profiling dataset, wherein vertical seismic profiling comprises a dataset of recorded acoustic waves by the geophone array at the first location within the borehole and the second location within the borehole; picking a first gap travel time from the vertical seismic profiling dataset; and determining the slowness profile, wherein the slowness profile comprises determining a slowness of the acoustic wave through a formation by the geophone arrays. A well system may comprise a geophone array, comprising a plurality of geophones, and an information handling system.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2016Publication date: July 1, 2021Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Xiang Wu, Mark Elliott Willis, Oscar Augusto Barrios
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Publication number: 20210131276Abstract: A system and a method for performing a borehole operation, wherein the system may comprise a coiled tubing string and a fiber optic cable disposed in the coiled tubing string and wherein the fiber optic cable is strain-coupled to the coiled tubing string. A method of performing a borehole operation may comprise disposing a coiled tubing string into a borehole and wherein a fiber optic cable is strain-coupled to the coiled tubing string, and measuring at least one property of the borehole with the fiber optic cable.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2018Publication date: May 6, 2021Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Michel Joseph LeBlanc, Mark Elliott Willis, Andreas Ellmauthaler, Dan Quinn, Philippe Quero, Mikko Jaaskelainen, Alexis Garcia
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Publication number: 20210103063Abstract: An apparatus includes a seismic sensor to detect seismic waves having at least a subset of seismic multiples and a machine-readable medium having program code executable by a processor to cause the apparatus to determine seismic measurements of the seismic waves, generate a fitted reflectivity model based on a set of reflectivity models using a nonlinear scheme, and identify a subset of the seismic measurements corresponding to the subset of seismic multiples. The apparatus also includes program code to cause the apparatus to generate a set of reduced-noise seismic measurements based on the subset of the seismic measurements.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2018Publication date: April 8, 2021Inventors: Amit Padhi, Mark Elliott Willis, Xiaomin Zhao
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Patent number: 10955576Abstract: High fidelity velocity models are generated for acoustic vertically transverse isotropic media by taking advantage of full-waveform based modeling using VSP data. The present disclosure determines VTI parameters in acoustic media using pseudo-acoustic equations which can eliminate the contribution from shear waves, and thus significantly reduce the time needed to perform inversion. The methods disclosed herein provide workflows for performing full waveform inversion to provide velocity models used to generate seismic images with high quality and resolution.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2017Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Sonali Pattnaik, Amit Padhi, Mark Elliott Willis
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Publication number: 20210062645Abstract: A DAS VSP technique is used to determine the induced fracture height and fracture density of an induced fracture region. The DAS VSP technique obtains pre-hydraulic fracturing DAS VSP survey time-lapse data to establish a baseline reference for the direct acoustic wave travel time. The DAS VSP technique obtains one or more time-lapse data corresponding to the subsequent monitor surveys conducted after each hydraulic fracturing stage along the well. Forward modeling is used to determine a theoretical acoustic wave travel time difference. The forward modeling uses seismic anisotropy to describe the behavior of seismic waves traveling through the induced fracture regions. An inversion scheme is then used to invert for the induced fracture height and the fracture density using the forward modeling. The two extracted induced fracture characteristics may then be used to determine optimal hydraulic fracturing parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Inventors: Xiaomin Zhao, Mark Elliott Willis
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Publication number: 20210055436Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to the inversion of geophysical and/or logging measurements for formation evaluation and monitoring. The disclosure may be related to methods of deconvolution and/or inversion of piecewise formation properties. A method for formation evaluation from a downhole tool may comprise disposing a downhole tool into a wellbore, broadcasting a signal into a formation penetrated by the wellbore, recording the signal from the formation with at least one receiver disposed on the downhole tool, computing an objective function, and determining formation properties by minimizing the objective function.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2018Publication date: February 25, 2021Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Xiang Wu, Mark Elliott Willis, Wei-Bin Ewe, Glenn Andrew Wilson
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Publication number: 20210032979Abstract: A method and system for determining a deployment profile of a fiber optic cable. The method may comprise disposing a fiber optic cable into a tubular structure, opening and closing a valve to form a pressure pulse, wherein the pressure pulse travels within the tubular structure, sensing the pressure pulse within the tubular structure with the fiber optic cable and at least one pressure transducer, recording data from the pressure pulse with the fiber optic cable and the at least one pressure transducer, and sending the data to an information handling system from the fiber optic cable. A well measurement system may comprise a tubular structure, a fiber optic cable, a valve, and an information handling system, wherein the information handling system is configured to open and close the valve to form a pressure pulse and record data from the pressure pulse.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2018Publication date: February 4, 2021Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: John Philip Granville, Mark Elliott Willis
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Publication number: 20210011185Abstract: To mitigate zigzag noise and increase the quality of data provided from DAS VSP in wells with significant vertical sections, zigzag noise characteristics are identified and quantified. The zigzag noise properties can be extracted from an analysis of an autocorrelation of DAS VSP traces. The zigzag noise has a characteristic time period or repeat time delay that is the time period for the noise to propagate along the wireline through a zone of the wellbore with poor acoustic coupling between the fiber optic cable and formation. This period can be identified from analysis of the autocorrelation referred to herein as a crosswise lag summation function. The crosswise lag summation function identifies groups of DAS data traces containing zigzag noise and outputs zigzag noise periodicity for each group of traces. Once it has been identified, the zigzag noise can be removed from the VSP data and improve formation evaluation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2020Publication date: January 14, 2021Inventors: Mark Elliott Willis, Pedro William Palacios, Andreas Ellmauthaler, Xiaomin Zhao
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Publication number: 20200333487Abstract: A method to generate a vertical seismic profile includes acquiring a set of distributed acoustic sensing measurements from a set of overlapping measurement channels on an optical fiber, wherein each of the set of distributed acoustic sensing measurements are measured at a gauge length. The method also includes generating a set of virtual seismic measurements corresponding with subdivisions in the set of overlapping measurement channels based on the set of distributed acoustic sensing measurements and generating the vertical seismic profile based on the set of virtual seismic measurements.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2018Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventors: Amit Padhi, Mark Elliott Willis
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Publication number: 20200271811Abstract: A system for processing DAS VSP surveys in real-time is provided. The system includes a DAS data collection system coupled to at least one optical fiber at least partially positioned within a wellbore and configured to repeatedly activate a seismic source of energy. The system further includes an information processing system connected to the DAS data collection system. A seismic dataset is received from the DAS data collection system. The seismic dataset includes a plurality of seismic data records. Two or more of the plurality of seismic data records are combined into a stack. A quality metric indicative of a desired signal-to-noise ratio or incoherence of the stack is determined for each processed seismic dataset collected from a repeated source. Instructions are sent to the DAS data collection system to stop activating the seismic source, in response to determining that the quality metric has reached a predefined threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2016Publication date: August 27, 2020Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Glenn Andrew Wilson, Xiang Wu, Andreas Ellmauthaler, Mark Elliott Willis
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Publication number: 20200241159Abstract: A method for processing vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data is provided. The method includes receiving VSP data in response to seismic energy applied to the formation, processing a down-going portion of the VSP data associated with a down-going wave field, outputting a first set of estimation values based on processing the down-going portion of the VSP data, the first set of estimation values estimating at least one of slowness or velocity, processing an up-going portion of the VSP data associated with an up-going wave field, outputting a second set of estimation values based on processing the up-going portion of the VSP data, the second set of estimation values estimating at least one of slowness or velocity, and determining an estimation associated with the formation based on the first and second sets of estimation values.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2017Publication date: July 30, 2020Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Mark Elliott Willis, Amit Padhi