Patents by Inventor Randolph E. F. Pepper

Randolph E. F. Pepper 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: 8803878
    Abstract: Visualizing region growing in 3D voxel volumes relates to generating a 3D scene having a plurality of voxels for representing a volume data set of seismic data collected from the oilfield, defining a segmentation algorithm for segmenting the volume data within the 3D scene, the segmentation algorithm comparing a pre-determined threshold to an attribute of a voxel of the plurality of voxels, defining a control parameter associated with the attribute for controlling the segmentation algorithm, adjusting the control parameter to guide the segmentation algorithm in segmenting the volume data set to generate a visualized geobody, and displaying the visualized geobody.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jahn Otto Næsgaard Andersen, Randolph E. F. Pepper, Bjarte Dysvik
  • Patent number: 8639444
    Abstract: A method for performing chrono-stratigraphic interpretation of a subterranean formation. The method includes obtaining a seismic volume containing stratigraphic features of the subterranean formation deformed by structural events, performing structural restoration of the seismic volume to generate a restored seismic volume by removing deformation due to the structural events, performing a chrono-stratigraphic interpretation based on the restored seismic volume to generate chrono-stratigraphic objects each associated with a respective relative geologic age, and displaying the chrono-stratigraphic objects in a chrono-stratigraphic space according to the respective relative geologic age of each of the stratigraphic objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Randolph E. F. Pepper, Agnes Dubois, Manoj Vallikkat Thachaparambil, Philippe Paul Jacques Marza, Renchu Wu
  • Patent number: 8599643
    Abstract: A method for structural dip removal. The method includes converting a seismic volume to a depth domain, extracting seismic dips from the seismic volume in the depth domain along a borehole trajectory, analyzing a borehole using the seismic dips to obtain structural dip data, and in response to determining that the seismic dips and borehole dips obtained from borehole imagery are consistent, generating a three dimensional (“3D”) structural model using the structural dip data. The method further includes performing a structural restoration using the 3D structural model to obtain depositional geometry data, removing structural dip from the borehole imagery using the 3D structural model to obtain sedimentary dip data, and performing a stratigraphic interpretation using the depositional geometry data and the sedimentary dip data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Randolph E. F. Pepper, Philippe Paul Jacques Marza, Agnes Dubois
  • Patent number: 8515678
    Abstract: A method for performing chrono-stratigraphic interpretation of a subterranean formation. The method includes obtaining a seismic volume containing stratigraphic features of the subterranean formation deformed by structural events, performing structural restoration of the seismic volume to generate a restored seismic volume by removing deformation due to the structural events, performing a chrono-stratigraphic interpretation based on the restored seismic volume to generate chrono-stratigraphic objects each associated with a respective relative geologic age, and displaying the chrono-stratigraphic objects in a chrono-stratigraphic space according to the respective relative geologic age of each of the stratigraphic objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Randolph E. F. Pepper, Agnes Dubois, Manoj Vallikkat Thachaparambil, Philippe Paul Jacques Marza, Renchu Wu
  • Patent number: 8457940
    Abstract: A method for modeling a subterranean formation of a field, including receiving a structural model and restoring geological layers thereof to create boundary conditions each associated with a corresponding geological layer, and iteratively modeling each geological layer by alternatively applying a petroleum system model (PSM) and a geomechanical model (GMM) to a first geological layer while exchanging data between the PSM and GMM for convergence prior to applying the PSM and the GMM to a second geological layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Gui Fen Xi, Randolph E. F. Pepper, Agnes Dubois, Jimmy Klinger
  • Patent number: 8447525
    Abstract: A method for performing seismic interpretation of a subterranean formation by enabling dual-domain interpretation of seismic features in the present day depth domain and simultaneously in a structurally restored “mapped” seismic domain. Specifically, seismic interpretation is performed on structurally restored seismic volumes while concurrently viewing the interpretation results in the structural domain. This increases the interpretation confidence by improved correlation of structural deformed events to their pre-structurally deformed geometry. The method includes the ability to progressively remove structural deformation from the seismic volume, corresponding to moving back in geologic time. The interpretation can be performed in either domain (present-day structure or structurally restored to a defined geologic event), and the interpretation will be mapped to any other computed geologic age or present structural age.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Randolph E. F. Pepper, Agnes Dubois, Jimmy Klinger
  • Patent number: 8346695
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of performing oilfield operations for an oilfield, the oilfield having a subterranean formation. The method includes collecting a first volume data set of seismic data and a second volume data set of seismic data, co-rendering a visually-melded scene directly from the first volume data set and the second volume data set, displaying the visually-melded scene comprising a visualized geobody, where the visualized geobody corresponds to a portion of the first volume data set and the second volume data set, and selectively adjusting the oilfield operations based on the visualized geobody.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Randolph E. F. Pepper, Oystein Amundrud, Per Salomonsen, Jahn Otto Naesgaard Andersen, Thomas Hagen
  • Patent number: 8255816
    Abstract: An example method of modifying a model of a field includes presenting a representation of field data in a first window and receiving a selection of a portion of the representation of the field data. The method further includes presenting the portion of the representation in a second window, creating a magnified portion, where the representation and the magnified portion are presented concurrently. The method further includes receiving a request to modify the field data presented in the magnified portion, modifying the field data based on the request, and based on the modified field data, updating the magnified portion and the representation to obtain a modified magnified portion and a modified representation, respectively. The method further includes concurrently presenting the modified magnified portion in the second window and the modified representation in the first window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: David Hammock, Phil Hodgson, Tedros Kifle, Glen Lillehammer, Randolph E. F. Pepper, Tram Thi Nhat Tran, Juliani Vachon
  • Publication number: 20120029827
    Abstract: A method for performing seismic interpretation of a subterranean formation by enabling dual-domain interpretation of seismic features in the present day depth domain and simultaneously in a structurally restored “mapped” seismic domain. Specifically, seismic interpretation is performed on structurally restored seismic volumes while concurrently viewing the interpretation results in the structural domain. This increases the interpretation confidence by improved correlation of structural deformed events to their pre-structurally deformed geometry. The method includes the ability to progressively remove structural deformation from the seismic volume, corresponding to moving back in geologic time. The interpretation can be performed in either domain (present-day structure or structurally restored to a defined geologic event), and the interpretation will be mapped to any other computed geologic age or present structural age.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Randolph E. F. Pepper, Agnes Dubois, Jimmy Klinger
  • Publication number: 20120026832
    Abstract: A method for structural dip removal. The method includes converting a seismic volume to a depth domain, extracting seismic dips from the seismic volume in the depth domain along a borehole trajectory, analyzing a borehole using the seismic dips to obtain structural dip data, and in response to determining that the seismic dips and borehole dips obtained from borehole imagery are consistent, generating a three dimensional (“3D”) structural model using the structural dip data. The method further includes performing a structural restoration using the 3D structural model to obtain depositional geometry data, removing structural dip from the borehole imagery using the 3D structural model to obtain sedimentary dip data, and performing a stratigraphic interpretation using the depositional geometry data and the sedimentary dip data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Randolph E.F. PEPPER, Philippe Paul Jacques Marza, Agnes Dubois
  • Publication number: 20120029828
    Abstract: A method for performing chrono-stratigraphic interpretation of a subterranean formation. The method includes obtaining a seismic volume containing stratigraphic features of the subterranean formation deformed by structural events, performing structural restoration of the seismic volume to generate a restored seismic volume by removing deformation due to the structural events, performing a chrono-stratigraphic interpretation based on the restored seismic volume to generate chrono-stratigraphic objects each associated with a respective relative geologic age, and displaying the chrono-stratigraphic objects in a chrono-stratigraphic space according to the respective relative geologic age of each of the stratigraphic objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Randolph E.F. Pepper, Agnes Dubois, Manoj Vallikkat Thachaparambil, Philippe Paul Jacques Marza, Renchu Wu
  • Publication number: 20120029895
    Abstract: A method for modeling a subterranean formation of a field, including receiving a structural model and restoring geological layers thereof to create boundary conditions each associated with a corresponding geological layer, and iteratively modeling each geological layer by alternatively applying a petroleum system model (PSM) and a geomechanical model (GMM) to a first geological layer while exchanging data between the PSM and GMM for convergence prior to applying the PSM and the GMM to a second geological layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gui Fen Xi, Randolph E. F. Pepper, Agnes Dubois, Jimmy Klinger
  • Patent number: 8103493
    Abstract: Systems and methods of performing oilfield operations for an oilfield are provided. The oilfield has a subterranean formation with geological structures and reservoirs therein. A plurality of oilfield modules are positioned in an application. Each of the oilfield modules models at least a portion or attribute of the oilfield. The oilfield modules are selectively connected via a connection. The connections may be integrated connections providing cooperation for integrated modeling therebetween and/or dynamic connections providing knowledge sharing for unified modeling therebetween whereby at least one oilfield model is generated. At least one internal database may be positioned in the application for collecting oilfield data and operatively connected to the of oilfield modules. At least one oilfield model is generated using the oilfield data and the oilfield modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Russ Sagert, Randolph E. F. Pepper, Bruce Cornish, Bill Gillock, Mark Passolt, Amit Lodh, Shashi Menon
  • Publication number: 20100171740
    Abstract: Visualizing region growing in 3D voxel volumes relates to generating a 3D scene having a plurality of voxels for representing a volume data set of seismic data collected from the oilfield, defining a segmentation algorithm for segmenting the volume data within the 3D scene, the segmentation algorithm comparing a pre-determined threshold to an attribute of a voxel of the plurality of voxels, defining a control parameter associated with the attribute for controlling the segmentation algorithm, adjusting the control parameter to guide the segmentation algorithm in segmenting the volume data set to generate a visualized geobody, and displaying the visualized geobody.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jahn Otto Naesgaard Andersen, Randolph E.F. Pepper, Bjarte Dysvik
  • Publication number: 20090192773
    Abstract: An example method of modifying a model of a field includes presenting a representation of field data in a first window and receiving a selection of a portion of the representation of the field data. The method further includes presenting the portion of the representation in a second window, creating a magnified portion, where the representation and the magnified portion are presented concurrently. The method further includes receiving a request to modify the field data presented in the magnified portion, modifying the field data based on the request, and based on the modified field data, updating the magnified portion and the representation to obtain a modified magnified portion and a modified representation, respectively. The method further includes concurrently presenting the modified magnified portion in the second window and the modified representation in the first window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CENTER
    Inventors: David Hammock, Phil Hodgson, Tedros Kifle, Glen Lillehammer, Randolph E. F. Pepper, Tram Thi Nhat Tran, Juliani Vachon
  • Publication number: 20090089028
    Abstract: Systems and methods of performing oilfield operations for an oilfield are provided. The oilfield has a subterranean formation with geological structures and reservoirs therein. A plurality of oilfield modules are positioned in an application. Each of the oilfield modules models at least a portion or attribute of the oilfield. The oilfield modules are selectively connected via a connection. The connections may be integrated connections providing cooperation for integrated modeling therebetween and/or dynamic connections providing knowledge sharing for unified modeling therebetween whereby at least one oilfield model is generated. At least one internal database may be positioned in the application for collecting oilfield data and operatively connected to the of oilfield modules. At least one oilfield model is generated using the oilfield data and the oilfield modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: SCHLUMERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Russ Sagert, Randolph E.F. Pepper, Bruce Cornish, Bill Gillock, Mark Passolt, Amit Lodh, Shashi Menon
  • Publication number: 20080243749
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of performing oilfield operations for an oilfield, the oilfield having a subterranean formation. The method includes collecting a first volume data set of seismic data and a second volume data set of seismic data, co-rendering a visually-melded scene directly from the first volume data set and the second volume data set, displaying the visually-melded scene comprising a visualized geobody, where the visualized geobody corresponds to a portion of the first volume data set and the second volume data set, and selectively adjusting the oilfield operations based on the visualized geobody.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Randolph E.F. Pepper, Oystein Amundrud, Per Salomonsen, Jahn Otto Naesgaard Andersen, Thomas Hagen
  • Patent number: 6757614
    Abstract: A seismic signal processing method will analyze a resultant set of seismic data, generated in response to a seismic operation performed on a particular portion of an Earth formation, for the purpose of determining a set of geologic characteristics of the particular portion of the Earth formation. When the seismic signal processing method is performed, a cross correlation technique is utilized. In particular, a first data set, which represents a standard set of ‘comparison traces having known geologic characteristics’ and includes two or more traces having known geologic characteristics but does not constitute a part of an input seismic volume, is cross correlated with a second data set having unknown geologic characteristics. As a result of that cross correlation, an output record, known as a ‘correlation spectral volume’, is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Randolph E. F. Pepper, Peter P. Van Bemmel
  • Publication number: 20020128778
    Abstract: A seismic signal processing method will analyze a resultant set of seismic data, generated in response to a seismic operation performed on a particular portion of an Earth formation, for the purpose of determining a set of geologic characteristics of the particular portion of the Earth formation. When the seismic signal processing method is performed, a cross correlation technique is utilized. In particular, a first data set, which represents a standard set of ‘comparison traces having known geologic characteristics’ and includes two or more traces having known geologic characteristics but does not constitute a part of an input seismic volume, is cross correlated with a second data set having unknown geologic characteristics. As a result of that cross correlation, an output record, known as a ‘correlation spectral volume’, is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Inventors: Randolph E.F. Pepper, Peter P. Van Bemmel
  • Patent number: 6201884
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for testing a large plurality of displayed data points of recorded spatial data to determine and display trends created by different sets of the data points within the recorded spatial data. An analysis operator interactively uses an onscreen graphic tool called a widget to set trend search parameters after studying the displayed data points, and uses a pop-up menu to set other search and display parameters for the trend search. The onscreen graphic tool permits the user to easily see on-screen, and manually set, search parameters indicating the direction of a search from a user selected starting point, how far each step of a search will be performed for adjacent data points in a fault line, within what angle the search will be performed on either side of the user indicated search direction, and if trend searches being performed are in one or both directions from the user selected starting point in the recorded spatial data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Peter P. Van Bemmel, Randolph E. F. Pepper