Abstract: A method and device for measuring a property, such as torque, includes a plurality of sensors, and a measuring device. The sensors attach to a downhole apparatus at a distance from one another. The sensors provide signals indicating their positions. A logic circuit may calculate an angle between the sensors. The logic circuit then calculates the property based on the angle, the distance between the sensors, and other known physical properties of the downhole apparatus.

Abstract: A drilling system has multiple cutting structures, including a bit and one or more secondary cutting structures. A method balances the rate of penetration of the drilling system and the wear on the cutting structures by controlling weight on bit and RPM. The method includes calculating a predicted rate of penetration for the bit, using in the calculation the current predicted wear on the bit and the properties of the rock to be penetrated by the bit. The method includes calculating a predicted rate of penetration for at least one of the one or more secondary cutting structures, using in the calculation the current predicted wear on the secondary cutting structure and the properties of the rock to be penetrated by the secondary cutting structure. The method includes determining the slowest rate of penetration among those calculated for the bit and at least one the one or more secondary cutting structures.

Abstract: A sequence in the earth, defined by an upper sequence boundary and a lower sequence boundary, where at least one of the boundaries includes an unconformity, is modeled by creating a restored space corresponding to the sequence by reconstructing a portion of the sequence missing because of the unconformity. The sequence in restored space has a restored top boundary having a position and a restored base boundary having a position. Stratigraphic layering is performed within the restored space sequence, using as guides the positions of the restored top boundary and the restored base boundary of the sequence in restored space.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a sample compartment. The apparatus further includes an inlet port through which the sampled reservoir fluid may be introduced into the sample compartment. The apparatus further includes a concentrating object that can be placed within the sample compartment. The concentrating object includes an outer surface and an inner surface recessed from the outer surface. The inner surface is receptive to adsorbing the selected portion of the sampled reservoir fluid.

Abstract: A method for constructing a traffic intersection is disclosed. One version of the intersection includes a protected turn-around lane that allows traffic to turn around and proceed in the opposite direction. The protected turn-around lane provides for a protected turn without having a traffic indicator phase dedicated to protecting such a turn. Another version of the intersection includes an overpass and a protected path through the overpass allowing traffic to turn around and travel in substantially the opposite direction. Another version of the intersection includes an overpass and a protected turn-around lane.

Abstract: A method and device for measuring a property, such as torque, includes a plurality of sensors, and a measuring device. The sensors attach to a downhole apparatus at a distance from one another. The sensors provide signals indicating their positions. A logic circuit may calculate an angle between the sensors. The logic circuit then calculates the property based on the angle, the distance between the sensors, and other known physical properties of the downhole apparatus.

Abstract: A traffic intersection is disclosed. One version of the intersection includes a protected turn-around lane that allows traffic to turn around and proceed in the opposite direction. The protected turn-around lane provides for a protected turn without having a traffic indicator phase dedicated to protecting such a turn. Another version of the intersection includes an overpass and a protected path through the overpass allowing traffic to turn around and travel in substantially the opposite direction. Another version of the intersection includes an overpass and a protected turn-around lane.

Abstract: A method, computer system and article of manufacture for visualizing a model including a first surface is disclosed. The method includes determining, as the model is being built, the rendering resolution of a portion of the first surface based on a view frustum from which the first surface is to be viewed and rendering the portion of the first surface on the output device using the rendering resolution. The vertices and edges to be rendered are selected based on the view frustum, using view frustum culling and bounding sphere projection. The vertices and edges selected to be rendered are tessellated using incremental and decremental tessellation. The tessellated vertices and edges are rendered. Predictive techniques are used to estimate future view frustums. Quality may be traded off against performance by adjusting parameters. Material properties are represented.

Abstract: A method, computer system and computer program are disclosed for representing a first surface at multiple levels of resolution. The first surface is partitioned into nodes with one or more boundaries, each level of resolution having a subset of the boundaries. A second surface may be classified against the first surface. Surfaces and the model may be decimated. Portions of the surfaces may be loaded from persistent memory on demand and removed when no longer required.

Abstract: A volume rendering process is disclosed. Data including a plurality of voxels are recorded. Each voxel includes an opacity-adjusted value representative of a value of a parameter at a location within the volume adjusted by applying an opacity curve to the value. A computer is used to process such data. The process includes partitioning the plurality of voxels among a plurality of slices. Each slice corresponds to a respective region of the volume. For each slice, the process apportions the plurality of voxels associated with that slice among a plurality of cells associated with that slice. Each cell corresponds to a respective sub-region of the region associated with that slice. For each cell, the process determines that the cell is nontransparent if more than a predetermined number of the voxels associated with that cell have an opacity-adjusted value greater than a predetermined value. Otherwise the cell is determined to be transparent.

Abstract: A triggerable remote controller is disclosed which includes a trigger signal including a command, a GPS processor coupled to the trigger signal, a position signal carrying position information generated by the GPS processor in response to the trigger signal, a telemetry transmitter coupled to the position signal, a telemetry transmit signal transmitted by the telemetry transmitter, the telemetry transmit signal carrying the position information, a trigger signal controller coupled to the trigger signal, an actuator coupled to the trigger signal controller, the trigger signal controller being configured to attempt to activate the actuator depending on the command. A sensor may also be coupled to the trigger signal controller and the trigger signal controller may be configured to attempt to access the sensor. A GPS antenna embedded in a grommet-shaped housing is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method, computer system, and computer program for analyzing geological data sampled from a subsurface region and an analysis of the geological data stored in a geoscience model on a magnetic media, including building a simulation input model from the geoscience model. Data is acquired and interpreted to produce a geoscience model. A boundary is constructed for dividing the region into a first sub-region and a second sub-region; storing on the magnetic media the shape of the boundary as a parametric function whose parameter density can vary. A subsurface region divided into sub-regions, in each of which a material property varies without discontinuities.

Abstract: An acoustic logging apparatus includes a tool body and a housing. A transducer operating in the bending mode is mounted in the housing. The transducer operates such that it is excited by or emits acoustic energy in only one of the two directions substantially perpendicular to the face of the transducer. The housing is mounted substantially removed from the axis of the body. An acoustic receiver includes an outer sleeve having a flange and a hat slidably mounted within the outer sleeve. The sliding of the hat compensates for variations in pressure and temperature. An acoustic transmitter includes a main housing and a hat slidably supported within the main housing. The sliding of the hat compensates for variations in pressure and temperature. Combinations of air gaps and o-rings in the transducer acoustically isolate a piezoelectric crystal from its housing and the housing from its enclosure. The acoustic receiver and acoustic transmitter are configured to be replaced in the field.

Abstract: A downhole tool for use at or near the bit measures the vibrations at or near the bit. The tool uses statistical techniques to choose strong events. The tool sends data regarding the strong events to the surface via telemetry.

Abstract: A method, computer system or computer program for interactively constructing, editing, rendering and manipulating geoscience models including aggregating the functionality of a geometry system and a graphics system, enforcing consistency between the geometry system and the graphics system, and interfacing the geometry system and the graphics system to an application through an integration layer.

Abstract: A power spectrum density processor is located near the drill bit while drilling. The power spectral density processor computes the power spectral density of the vibrations generated by the drill bit while drilling. The power spectral density information is telemetered to the surface where it is used to enhance drill bit seismic techniques.

Abstract: The invention features a method, computer system, and computer program for analyzing geological data stored on computer-readable media, including organizing the data to represent a plurality of sub-regions and a feature, and classifying the feature into a subset of the plurality of sub-regions. The method, computer system, and computer program analyze geological data stored on computer-readable media, including organizing the data to represent a plurality of sub-regions, and editing the sub-regions. The method, computer system, and computer program analyze geological data stored on computer-readable media, including organizing the data into a database, which includes a geometry part and a separate design part. The method, computer system, and computer program includes preserving the shape of a feature during classification and editing.

Abstract: A method, computer system and computer program for analyzing geological data sampled from a subsurface region stored in a geoscience model on a computer-readable media including defining consistency; detecting an inconsistency; and resolving the inconsistency.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring the size of a borehole while drilling are disclosed. The apparatus includes a gamma ray source configured to direct gamma rays into a formation, a far gamma ray detector and a near gamma ray detector configured to detect gamma rays originating in the formation and a far gamma ray counter and a near gamma ray counter coupled to the far gamma ray detector and the near gamma ray detector, respectively. The apparatus also includes a sampler coupled to the gamma ray counters configured to take and store samples from the counters, the sampler configured to reset the counter when a sample is taken. The apparatus includes a density computer for computing far density and near density for each sample, a standoff computer for computing the standoff for each sample from the far density for that sample, a formation density and a mud density, and a borehole size computer for adding the maximum standoff, the minimum standoff and the diameter of the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing a swivel release rope spool including a first mounting surface; and a first rotatable cleat detachably attached to the first mounting surface.