Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Arnold & Associates
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Patent number: 6212477Abstract: Method and systems are provided for processing c-wave data resulting in less sensitivity to errors in p-wave velocity analysis. Therefore, according to one aspect of the invention, a process is provided for processing c-wave data, the process comprising: providing zero-offset gather without a hyperbolic movement correction; performing migration on the zero-offset gather; performing velocity analysis on the migrated zero-offset gather; and performing NMO on the migrated data using the velocity from the velocity analysis.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 1999Date of Patent: April 3, 2001Assignee: PGS Tensor, Inc.Inventors: Xianhuai Zhu, Suat Altan, Matthew A. Brzostowski, Weizhug Wang
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Patent number: 6208587Abstract: Methods are provided for automatic detection of linear seismic events and the detected events are used in correction of statics and geometry error.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 1997Date of Patent: March 27, 2001Assignee: PGS Tensor, Inc.Inventor: Federico D. Martin
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Patent number: 6182015Abstract: A method and system for processing first and second seismic traces includes rotating the first seismic traces and the second seismic traces to forty-five degrees in the time domain. In one embodiment, the rotated first time domain traces and second time domain traces are transformed to the frequency domain to obtain an amplitude spectrum for each rotated first time domain trace and an amplitude spectrum for each rotated second time domain trace. Each amplitude spectrum is squared to obtain a power spectrum for each transformed and rotated time domain trace. The phase of each transformed rotated time domain trace to zero. The power spectrum for each transformed rotated time domain trace is then averaged. Each transformed rotated time domain trace is divided into time windows. A power spectrum for each window is obtained for the entire of each transformed rotated time domain trace. The power spectra of each window of the transformed rotated time domain trace is summed to obtain a summed first power spectrum.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 1999Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: PGS Tensor, Inc.Inventors: Suat Altan, Jianchao Li, Xianhuai Zhu
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Patent number: 6177014Abstract: This disclosure sets out a method and apparatus for recovery of cesium formate in water solution after use in a drilling process where trash and other debris accumulate in the drilling fluid. It incorporates a first stage centrifuge, a second stage centrifuge and a membrane separator serially connected, and incorporates a feedback loop. A feedback loop iteratively redirects solids and heavy weight concentrate after processing and recycles it to enhance recovery by enhanced removal of cuttings and trash in the stream. In addition, cuttings and other solids removed from the fluid stream are introduced into a wash tank, mixed with water, and the cuttings are further processed to remove remnants of the cesium formate. These recovered cesium formate remnants are passed through an evaporator to regain the density loss attributable to the dilutive wash water. The cuttings can then be thrown away without throwing away the valuable cesium formate in the drilling solution.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 1998Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Inventors: J. Leon Potter, Gart L. Hensley
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Patent number: 6170424Abstract: A mooring system provides a bridle having a star-like shape that is useful for mooring a single vessel or for mooring two or more vessels relative to one another. In general, the mooring system provides a mooring bridle formed of a plurality of anchor connections spaced about a central mooring position. Each anchor connection includes an anchor having a passageway therethrough and an anchor line threaded through the passageway. An anchor buoy is connected to each end of the anchor line; and a bridle line connects the anchor buoys. Adjacent anchor connections share a common anchor buoy and are, thus, interconnected. The length of the bridle lines are less than the distance between the anchors so that the diameter of the circle formed by the bridle lines is less than that formed by the anchors. Vessel lines attached to the anchor buoys extend to the central mooring position for attachment of a tender vessel thereto.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 1998Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: Petroleum Geo-Services (US), Inc.Inventor: Knut Boerseth
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Patent number: 6151275Abstract: A method and system of dual wavefield reinforcement or increasing the contributions to each image point in the seismic image can be accomplished by aligning the upward traveling energy, U, and the downward traveling energy, D, and then summing U and D in the stacking process. A method of dual wavefield reinforcement includes receiving seismic data having both up going and down going wavefields. The up going wavefields are separated from the down going wavefields. Pre-NMO and post NMO statics for each of said up going and said down going wavefields are calculated. The determined pre-NMO static is applied to each of the up going and the down going wavefields. NMO/DMO stacking velocities for the seismic data on an up going wavefield floating datum is determined.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 1998Date of Patent: November 21, 2000Assignee: PGS Tensor, Inc.Inventor: Joel Starr
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Patent number: 6128581Abstract: A method and device for processing a seismic survey data set including: an actual source location, an actual receiver location, and an actual reflection event location is provided. The actual source location and actual receiver location are over a first layer having a first layer velocity and a first layer ray parameter, and over a second layer having a second layer velocity different from the first layer velocity and a second layer ray parameter different from the first layer ray parameter. The actual reflection event location is located below the first layer. The method comprises: providing the first layer velocity; providing the second layer velocity; providing the first layer ray parameter; providing the second layer ray parameter; determining a correction factor for the position of a ray path end dependant upon the first and second layer velocities and the first and second layer ray parameters; and applying the correction factor to the ray path end, wherein a ray path-corrected ray path end is provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 1999Date of Patent: October 3, 2000Assignee: PGS Seres ASInventor: Yaohui Zhang
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Patent number: 6106198Abstract: A process comprising: fixing a first end of a tendon to an anchor; lowering the anchor to the sea floor; securing the anchor to the sea floor; fixing a second end of the tendon to the platform. A tendon comprising: a flexible line that extends from the TLP to the anchor, wherein the flexible line comprises a top end and a bottom end; an attacher of the top end of the flexible line to the TLP; and an attacher of the bottom end of the flexible line to the anchor. A platform comprising: a platform for floating on the surface of the sea; an anchor for attachment to the sea floor; and a flexible tendon for securing the platform to the anchor.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 1997Date of Patent: August 22, 2000Assignee: Petroleum Geo-Services ASInventor: Knut B.o slashed.rseth
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Patent number: 6085862Abstract: The invention disclosed is a drive assembly for acoustic sources having sound emitting surfaces (1) adapted to be excited into vibrational motions. The invention is especially for use in seismic surveys. The drive assembly includes an electric rotational motor with at least one associated axle comprising at least an axle part (18) and a number of rods (21, 22) arranged radially in relation to the axle. The inner ends of the rods (21, 22) are influenced by the axle part (18) and the outer ends of the rods (21, 22) are adapted to excite the sound emitting surfaces (1) into vibrational motion. The inner ends of the rods (21, 22) are connected to the axle part (18) and the connection is adapted to perform both push and pull forces upon the rods. One or more spring elements (23) are provided between at least one of the rods (21, 22) and the sound emitting surfaces (1).Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 1997Date of Patent: July 11, 2000Assignee: PGS Seres ASInventor: Rune Tenghamn
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Patent number: 6076629Abstract: There is provided an acoustic source especially for use in seismic studies at sea. The acoustic source has a longitudinal axis and sound emitting surfaces adapted to be put into sound emitting movements towards and away from each other by use of a drive unit. The sound emitting surfaces comprise two curved plate members having upper and lower ends essentially symmetrically positioned in relation to the longitudinal axis of the acoustic source, and forming a convex cross section with their respective upper and lower edges converging towards each other. The upper and lower edges of the sound emitting surfaces, respectively, are connected to each other with two corresponding side elements, the side elements each being connected to at least one hinge stretching along at least a part of the length of the source.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1998Date of Patent: June 20, 2000Assignee: Unaco Systems ABInventor: Rune Tengham
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Patent number: 6041888Abstract: Acoustic source, especially for use in seismic studies at sea, with sound emitting surfaces adapted to be put into sound emitting movements toward and away from each other by use of a drive unit in a known manner, in which the sound emitting surfaces comprise two curved plate members essentially symmetrically positioned in relation to the longitudinal axis of the source, forming a convex cross section with their respective upper and lower edges converging towards each other, and the respective upper and lower edges of the sound emitting surfaces are flexibly connected to two corresponding side elements positioned between them, and that the source comprises a rigid frame for supporting the drive unit, comprising at least two rigid slide rods stretching through the side elements, and that rigid covers are mounted on the slide rods, covering at least the whole side elements, thus forming rigid, covering surfaces with a constant distance between the covers.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1998Date of Patent: March 28, 2000Assignee: Unaco Systems ABInventor: Rune Tengham
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Patent number: 6026059Abstract: Processes are described for providing a data set useful for performing analysis of reflection attribute variation among traces in a window of three-dimensional seismic data, wherein the traces have a reflection point assigned thereto and wherein the traces represent recordings from shot-receiver pairs having various azimuth angles. According to one embodiment, the process comprises: assigning an offset value to a plurality of traces; fitting a substantially conical surface having a major and a minor axis to the data of the traces within the window, wherein: the major axis of the cone represents the azimuth direction having the lowest variation in the reflection attribute, and the minor axis of the cone represents the azimuth direction having the highest variation in the reflection attribute; assigning a coordinate set to the surface, wherein the coordinate set is related to a survey geometry of the data; and comparing the reflection attribute variation as a function of offset and azimuth.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 1997Date of Patent: February 15, 2000Assignee: Petroleum Geo-Services (US), Inc.Inventor: Joel Starr
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Patent number: 5997218Abstract: A process comprising: generating a stabilizing moment, before the platform is secured and tensioned to the sea floor, wherein the generating vertically aligns the central axis of the TLP; and reducing the size of the TLP in the wave zone, after a tendon of the platform is secured to the sea floor. A device comprising: a generator of a stabilizing moment, before the platform is secured and tensioned to the sea floor, wherein the generator vertically aligns the central axis of the TLP; and a reducer of the size of the TLP in the wave zone, after a tendon of the platform is secured to the sea floor.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 1997Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: Petroleum Geo-Services ASInventor: Knut B.o slashed.rseth
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Patent number: 5979588Abstract: A method for monitoring production mineral reservoirs, the method comprising: permanently installing a geophone in a borehole; generating a first set of seismic waves; receiving a first set of seismic data with the geophone; recording the first set of data of said receiving a first set of seismic data; generating a second set of seismic waves after sufficient time has passed for conditions in the reservoir to have changed from the generating a first set of seismic waves; receiving a second set of seismic data with the geophone; and recording the second set of seismic data of said receiving a second set of seismic data. A method for installing instruments below the surface of the earth, the method comprising: drilling a borehole with a drill apparatus; inserting an instrument in the borehole; and permanently fixing the instrument in the borehole.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 1997Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignee: Petroleum Geo-Services, Inc.Inventor: Sven O. Havig
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Patent number: 5913280Abstract: Methods, systems, and towing bridles, are provided to increase spread width, streamer separation, and number in marine seismic data acquisition. The invention is applicable for towing seismic equipment behind a marine seismic data equipment handling vessel along a data acquisition path, the system comprising: a deflector attached to a deflector line; an equipment handling vessel attached to the deflector; a deflector line pulling vessel attached to the deflector line; and the marine seismic data equipment attached to the deflector line.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 1997Date of Patent: June 22, 1999Assignee: Petroleum Geo-Services (US), Inc.Inventors: Einar Nielsen, Michael J. Russell