Patents Assigned to WesternGeco L.L.C.
  • Publication number: 20140286125
    Abstract: A system and method for performing a seismic survey. The system includes a first seismic source and a second seismic source configured for generating seismic signals. The first seismic source is configured for generating seismic signals ranging from about 4 Hz to about 120 Hz. The second seismic source is configured for generating seismic signals ranging from about 0 Hz to about 8 Hz. The system includes receivers to receive seismic data in response to seismic signals generated by the seismic sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventor: John QUIGLEY
  • Publication number: 20140286127
    Abstract: A technique includes receiving first data acquired by at least a particle motion gradient sensor or a rotation sensor of a streamer that is subject to vibration due to towing of the streamer; and receiving second data acquired by at least one particle motion sensor of the streamer and being indicative of particle motion and vibration noise. The technique includes processing the second data in a processor-based machine to, based at least in part on the first data, attenuate the vibration noise indicated by the second data to generate third data indicative of the particle motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: NICOLAS GOUJON, JOHAN O.A. ROBERTSSON, AHMET KEMAL OZDEMIR
  • Publication number: 20140283615
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a representation of a volume acceleration of a seismic vibrator. The method includes determining a signature of the seismic vibrator based at least in part on the representation of the volume acceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventor: ROBERT MONTGOMERY LAWS
  • Patent number: 8842493
    Abstract: A technique enables measuring of the actual firing sequence times in a seismic survey application. The actual firing sequence times are then employed in simultaneous source resolution methods. For example, simultaneous seismic sources may be deployed in a survey region. The seismic sources are then fired, and the actual firing times are determined and recorded for use in optimizing the seismic survey.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jan Almaas, Stig Solheim, Johan Hauan, Tor A. Ommundsen, Kjell Saeten
  • Publication number: 20140269185
    Abstract: Described herein are implementations of various technologies for a method. The method may receive a baseline survey dataset for a region of interest. The method may obtain a transformed dataset from the baseline survey dataset using a transform. The method may determine sparsity characteristics from the transformed dataset. The method may determine survey parameters using the sparsity characteristics. The survey parameters may be for a monitor survey for the region of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: RALF G. FERBER, ALI Ă–ZBEK, MASSIMILIANO VASSALLO, DAVID NIGEL TODHUNTER
  • Publication number: 20140269172
    Abstract: A seismic streamer and associated method are provided. The seismic streamer may include a seismic streamer core having a cylindrical configuration. A melt-processable thermoplastic layer may be coupled with the seismic streamer core, the melt-processable thermoplastic layer being extruded to form a first tube. An elastomeric layer may be coupled with the melt-processable thermoplastic layer, the elastomeric layer being extruded to form a second tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: ROBERT SETH HARTSHORNE, NILS HALVOR HEIEREN, ANDERS NESHEIM, GARY JOHN TUSTIN
  • Publication number: 20140278116
    Abstract: A method includes receiving data representing measurements acquired by seismic sensors in response to energy that is produced by shots of a seismic source. The energy that is produced by the seismic source for each shot includes a plurality of discrete frequencies of discrete frequency bands that are within a frequency range of interest and are separated by at least one excluded frequency or frequency band. The data may be processed to determine at least one characteristic of a geologic structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: DAVID FRASER HALLIDAY, ROBERT MONTGOMERY LAWS, JON-FREDRIK HOPPERSTAD, EVERHARD JOHAN MUIJZERT, EMMANUEL COSTE
  • Publication number: 20140269173
    Abstract: A marine survey acquisition system. The system may include a vessel for towing a marine survey spread. The marine survey spread may include streamers, marine vibrators and a cable. The cable may be coupled to a respective streamer from among the streamers and one of the marine vibrators. The cable may power the respective streamer and the one of the marine vibrators. The one of the marine vibrators may emit energy at a high frequency range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: EMMANUEL COSTE, NICOLAS GOUJON, ROBERT MONTGOMERY LAWS
  • Publication number: 20140278297
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of processing data representing energy propagating through a medium (e.g., acoustic, elastic or electromagnetic energy) and describes an efficient and flexible approach to forward modeling and inversion of such energy for a given medium. The representation theorem for the wave-equation is used, in combination with time-reversal invariance and reciprocity, to express the Green's function between two points in the interior of the model as an integral over the response in those points due to sources regularly distributed on a surface surrounding the medium and the points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: DIRK-JAN VAN MANEN, ANDREW CURTIS, JOHAN OLOF ANDERS ROBERTSSON
  • Publication number: 20140278119
    Abstract: A technique includes towing at least one seismic source in connection with a survey of a structure; and operating the seismic source(s) to fire shots, where each shot is associated with a frequency sweep. The technique includes varying phases of the frequency sweeps from shot to shot according to a predetermined phase sequence to allow noise in an energy sensed by seismic sensors to be attenuated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: DAVID FRASER HALLIDAY, ROBERT MONTGOMERY LAWS
  • Publication number: 20140269171
    Abstract: A method of performing a marine survey is provided. The method may include deploying, into a body of water, a towable streamer including one or more sensors for performing a subterranean survey. The method may also include receiving, from the sensors, information relating to the subterranean survey at a data storage device housed within a portion of the towable streamer. The method may also include storing the information within the data storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Westerngeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: KENNETH E. WELKER
  • Patent number: 8838392
    Abstract: Passive seismic data is collected from measurements of seismic sensors in respective sensor assemblies, where the passive seismic data is based on measurements collected during periods when no active seismic source was activated. Attenuation of surface noise in the passive seismic data is performed using data from divergence sensors in at least some of the sensor assemblies. The passive seismic data with surface noise attenuated is output to allow for performing an operation related to a subterranean structure using the passive seismic data with the surface noise attenuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: David Fraser Halliday, Everhard Muyzert, Pascal Edme
  • Patent number: 8836336
    Abstract: First electromagnetic data is acquired for a subterranean structure using a first survey technique, and second electromagnetic data is acquired for the subterranean structure using a second, different survey technique in which static positioning of at least one electromagnetic source is employed. The first and second electromagnetic data are combined to characterize the subterranean structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignees: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Tracy Campbell, Jostein Kjerstad, Graham Paterson Birkett
  • Patent number: 8837256
    Abstract: A technique includes acquiring data, which is indicative of operations that are being conducted in connection with a subterranean survey. The technique includes communicating the data in real time over a long range communication network to allow at least one remote user to remotely observe the operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Brian David Smith
  • Publication number: 20140254308
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to identifying reflected acoustic signals. In one implementation, a method may include receiving initial positions of an acoustic positioning source and an acoustic positioning receiver of an acoustic positioning system in a seismic spread. The method may also include calculating an expected travel difference between the acoustic positioning source and the acoustic positioning receiver. The method may further include receiving an acoustic positioning signal from the acoustic positioning receiver. The method may additionally include calculating an actual travel difference between the acoustic positioning source and the acoustic positioning receiver based on the acoustic positioning signal. The method may further include comparing the actual travel difference to the expected travel difference. The method may also include identifying whether the acoustic positioning signal is a reflected positioning signal based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventor: KENNETH E. WELKER
  • Publication number: 20140247697
    Abstract: A technique includes determining at least one parameter to regulate actuation of a seismic source based on a frequency-based maximum deliverable output for the source. The technique includes using at least one sensor to acquire a measurement of an output of the source in response to the source being regulated using the at least one parameter and processing data representative of the measurement in a processor-based machine to selectively update the frequency-based maximum deliverable output and the at least one parameter based at least in part on the measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventor: CLAUDIO BAGAINI
  • Patent number: 8824239
    Abstract: An inventive method provides for control of a seismic survey spread while conducting a seismic survey, the spread having a vessel, a plurality of spread control elements, a plurality of navigation nodes, and a plurality of sources and receivers. The method includes the step of collecting input data, including navigation data for the navigation nodes, operating states from sensors associated with the spread control elements, environmental data for the survey, and survey design data. The positions of the sources and receivers are estimated using the navigation data, the operating states, and the environmental data. Optimum tracks for the sources and receivers are determined using the position estimates and a portion of the input data that includes at least the survey design data. Drive commands are calculated for at least two of the spread control elements using the determined optimum tracks. The inventive method is complemented by an inventive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ken Welker, Peter Tyler
  • Publication number: 20140244177
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a method for use in a time lapse, marine seismic survey includes accessing a set of acquired, multicomponent seismic data; and interpolating a set of time lapse seismic data from the acquired seismic data. In other aspects, a program storage medium is encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform the above method and a computing apparatus programmed to perform one or more of such methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventor: JOHAN O. A. ROBERTSSON
  • Publication number: 20140244179
    Abstract: A data set can be corrected for the effects of interface waves by interferometrically measuring an interface wavefield between each of a plurality of planned locations within a survey area; and correcting survey data acquired in the survey area for the interface waves. The interface wavefield may be interferometrically measured by receiving a wavefield including interface waves propagating within a survey area, the survey area including a plurality of planned survey locations therein; generating interface wave data representative of the received interface wavefield; and constructing a Green's function between each of the planned survey positions from the interface wave data. Other aspects include an apparatus by which the interface wavefield may be interferometrically measured and a computer apparatus programmed to correct the seismic data using the interferometrically measured interface wave data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: DIRK-JAN VAN MANEN, JOHAN O. A. ROBERTSSON, ANDREW CURTIS
  • Publication number: 20140236487
    Abstract: Methods and computing systems for processing seismic data are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for processing seismic data comprises receiving seismic data that includes active data corresponding to an active shot from a seismic source. The processing includes processing at least a portion of the active data using a passive data processing technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Westerngeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: WOUTER PEPIJN KIMMAN