Patents by Inventor Werner M. Heigl

Werner M. Heigl 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).

  • Method for detecting gas influx in wellbores and its application to identifying gas bearing formations
    Patent number: 8077545
    Abstract: A method for identifying gas in a wellbore includes imparting acoustic energy into the wellbore at a first selected position and detecting the acoustic energy at a second position in the wellbore spaced apart from the first position. Acoustic velocity of fluid in the wellbore from the detected acoustic energy. Presence of gas in the fluid is determined from the velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Apache Corporation
    Inventor: Werner M. Heigl
  • Data processing method for determining acoustic velocities from acoustic well logging instruments
    Patent number: 7957905
    Abstract: A method for estimating interval travel time of an Earth formation using an acoustic well logging instrument having a plurality of spaced apart acoustic transmitters and acoustic receivers includes measuring travel time between a transmitter and a receiver for substantially all possible combinations of each of the plurality of transmitters and each of the plurality of receivers. Each of the possible combinations includes a common depth interval of the Earth formations. The method then include determining at least one statistical measure of center of the measured travel times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Apache Corporation
    Inventor: Werner M. Heigl
  • DATA PROCESSING METHOD FOR DETERMINING ACOUSTIC VELOCITIES FROM ACOUSTIC WELL LOGGING INSTRUMENTS
    Publication number: 20090240436
    Abstract: A method for estimating interval travel time of an Earth formation using an acoustic well logging instrument having a plurality of spaced apart acoustic transmitters and acoustic receivers includes measuring travel time between a transmitter and a receiver for substantially all possible combinations of each of the plurality of transmitters and each of the plurality of receivers. Each of the possible combinations includes a common depth interval of the Earth formations. The method then include determining at least one statistical measure of center of the measured travel times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventor: Werner M. Heigl
  • METHOD FOR DETECTING GAS INFLUX IN WELLBORES AND ITS APPLICATION TO IDENTIFYING GAS BEARING FORMATIONS
    Publication number: 20090059720
    Abstract: A method for identifying gas in a wellbore includes imparting acoustic energy into the wellbore at a first selected position and detecting the acoustic energy at a second position in the wellbore spaced apart from the first position. Acoustic velocity of fluid in the wellbore from the detected acoustic energy. Presence of gas in the fluid is determined from the velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventor: Werner M. HEIGL