Patents Assigned to WesternGeco L.L.C.
  • Patent number: 8547787
    Abstract: A technique includes distributing particle motion sensors along the length of a seismic streamer. Each particle motion sensor is eccentrically disposed at an associated angle about an axis of the seismic streamer with respect to a reference line that is common to the associated angles. The sensors are mounted to suppress torque noise in measurements that are acquired by the particle motion sensors. This mounting includes substantially varying the associated angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ahmet Kemal Ozdemir, Oeyvind Teigen, Lars Borgen
  • Patent number: 8547782
    Abstract: A seismic survey system having a source array (11) coupled to a deflector device (15) that controls the position of the source array. A positioning system unit (16) is mounted on the source array to provide a signal to a controller, informing the controller of the current position of the source array so that the controller can control the position of the deflector device (15) and the coupled source array. A seismic source (14) on the source array may be triggered when the source array is at a desired location as measured by the positioning system unit. The deflector device (15) comprises one or more wings (18) in a generally vertical or, alternatively, in a generally horizontal arrangement disposed adjacent to a central body (19). The streamlined central body has connection points that allow the deflector device (15) to be connected to a tow cable (13) from the tow vessel (12) and to the source array (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Martin Howlid, Rohitashva Singh
  • Patent number: 8548784
    Abstract: A method to predict tars and tar sands in petroleum exploration and production in a subsurface volume by building a viscoelastic property model of the volume using rock behavior including tars together with seismic inversion to derive a lithology volume identifying tars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jianchun Dai, Annabelle Kania, Cengiz Esmersoy, Ling Duan
  • Patent number: 8547786
    Abstract: A technique includes determining at least one attribute of a slowness vector associated with a seismic gather based on pressure data and an indication of particle motion that is measured by at least one seismic sensor while in tow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Griffin, Clement Kostov, Alfonso Gonzalez
  • Publication number: 20130250721
    Abstract: It is described a method of interpolating and extrapolating seismic recordings, including the steps of deriving particle velocity related data from seismic recordings obtained by at least one streamer carrying a plurality of multi-component receivers and using the particle velocity related data to replace higher derivatives of pressure data in an expansion series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventor: JOHAN OLAF ANDERS ROBERTSSON
  • Publication number: 20130250723
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes combining pseudorandom sweeps with an independent, or nearly independent, survey acquisition technique. Targeted design of pseudorandom sweeps can direct the majority of cross-correlation noise to lie outside key time-lags of the record (i.e., windows of interest). Embodiments of the invention are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: TIMOTHY JAMES DEAN, Kambiz Iranpour, Pieter Leonard Vermeer, Claudio Bagaini
  • Patent number: 8542554
    Abstract: Method for velocity model building and analysis using wavefield-coordinates reflection operators in wave-equation migration or reverse-time migration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Colin J. Thomson, Philip Kitchenside
  • Publication number: 20130245955
    Abstract: A method for predicting a plurality of surface multiples for a plurality of target traces in a record of seismic data acquired in a survey area. The method includes selecting a target trace and identifying two or more desired traces for multiple prediction based on the target trace. After identifying the desired traces, the method identifies one or more recorded traces for each desired trace. Each identified recorded trace is described as being substantially close to one of the desired traces. The method then includes correcting the identified recorded traces for one or more geometry-related effects associated with the survey area and convolving the corrected recorded traces to generate a plurality of convolutions. After convolving the corrected recorded traces, the method then stacks the convolutions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: WILLIAM H. DRAGOSET, JR., IAN MOORE
  • Patent number: 8537637
    Abstract: A method of seismic surveying A method of seismic surveying comprises the step of acquiring imaging seismic data relating to an underlying geological structure at a survey location and simultaneously, or substantially simultaneously, acquiring statics seismic data relating to the near-surface (5) at the survey location. The method may use an imaging source (12) to acquire the imaging seismic data and a separate statics source (13,13?) to acquire the statics seismic data. Alternatively only an imaging source (12) may be used, and the statics seismic data may be obtained from surface waves, airwaves or ground-roll waves that are generated by the imaging source and that have hitherto been regarded only as unwanted noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Andreas Laake
  • Publication number: 20130235697
    Abstract: Computing systems and methods for processing collected data are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for iteratively separating a simultaneous-source dataset is provided, wherein the simultaneous-source dataset is used as an input dataset for a first iteration of simultaneous-source separation. The input dataset includes a plurality of shots that include data corresponding to a plurality of source activations. The method of iteratively separating the input dataset includes generating simulated simultaneous shots based on shots separated in the input dataset; and forming an output dataset based on the separated simultaneous shots and the simultaneous-source dataset, wherein the output dataset is configured for use as the input dataset for the next iteration of separating the simultaneous-source dataset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: BARTOSZ SZYDLIK, IAN MOORE
  • Publication number: 20130235701
    Abstract: A seismic survey method including determining an expected time when an actuation step will be performed by a seismic source device, transmitting a signal from the seismic source device to a source control system thereby alerting the source control system of the expected time when the actuation step will be performed by the seismic source device; and in response to the signal from the seismic source device, providing a communication from the source control system to the seismic source device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: MARTIN LAYCOCK, Kevin O'Connell, Sergey Koshechkin, Mohamed Dehbaoui
  • Patent number: 8531913
    Abstract: A method for estimating subsurface elastic parameters is described herein. One or more slowness vectors may be determined based on a vertical seismic profile of a subsurface area. A model containing anisotropy parameters and a well deviation estimate may be generated based on survey data. The slowness vectors may be corrected for the well deviation estimate based on the model. One or more modeled slowness vectors may be calculated using the corrected slowness vectors and the anisotropy parameters in the model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Stephen Allan Horne, Douglas E. Miller
  • Patent number: 8527248
    Abstract: A system and method for performing an adaptive drilling operation is provided. The method involves obtaining data prior to drilling, constructing a base model with a base model unit from data obtained prior to drilling, constructing an overburden posterior model with an overburden model unit using the base model and data obtained from overburden drilling, constructing a reservoir posterior model with a reservoir model unit using the overburden posterior model and the data obtained from reservoir drilling and updating drilling operation based on the models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: R. K. Michael Thambynayagam, Cengiz Esmersoy, Peter Gerhard Tilke, Maurice Nessim, Annabelle Kania, Sudhendu Kashikar, Gregory P. Grove, Nader C. Dutta, Raj Banerjee, Jeffrey B. Spath, Christopher Hopkins
  • Patent number: 8522915
    Abstract: A method for selecting parameters of a seismic source array comprising a plurality of source elements each having a notional source spectrum is described, the method comprising calculating a ghost response function of the array; calculating directivity effects of the array; and adjusting the parameters of the array such that the directivity effects of the array are compensated by the ghost response to minimize angular variation of a far field response in a predetermined frequency range. A method for determining a phase center of a seismic source array is also related, the method comprising calculating a far field spectrum of the array at predetermined spherical angles, and minimizing the phase difference between the farfield spectra within a predetermined frequency range by adjusting a vertical reference position from which the spherical angles are defined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jon-Fredrik Hopperstad, Robert Montgomery Laws, Julian Edward Kragh
  • Patent number: 8521434
    Abstract: A method of processing seismic data including pressure data and pressure gradient data to obtain gradients of moveout corrected pressure data, comprising applying a move-out correction function to the pressure gradient data; and adding a correction term dependent on a moveout corrected time-derivative of the pressure data and a spatial derivative of the moveout correction function. The method may be used prior to any data processing algorithm which uses pressure gradient data in which moveout correction is applied prior to the algorithm, either because the algorithm makes a zero offset assumption or because it is beneficial for the algorithm to operate on moveout corrected data to reduce aliasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ian Moore
  • Patent number: 8521437
    Abstract: A method for spatially interpolating pressure values of seismic data uses known values of pressure and spatial derivatives of pressure at a plurality of irregularly spaced locations along the direction of interpolation. The interpolation preferably uses an interpolation operator calculated by assuming that an interpolated pressure value comprises a linear combination of the known pressure values at locations xi and the spatial derivatives at locations X?, with operator coefficients wi and w? respectively, and calculating the coefficients by minimizing an error function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ian Moore
  • Patent number: 8520467
    Abstract: A technique includes deploying seismic sensors to perform a seismic survey and during the deployment of the seismic sensors, testing each of the seismic sensors to determine an associated sensor transfer function. The technique includes determining an associated operator to apply to seismic data acquired by each of the seismic sensors in the seismic survey based at least in part on a frequency dependent variation between the associated sensor transfer function and a nominal response for the seismic sensor. The technique includes processing the seismic data, including applying the associated operators to the seismic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Qinglin Liu, Daniel Ronnow, Kambiz Iranpour
  • Patent number: 8520469
    Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a housing structure, a seismic sensor in the housing structure to measure seismic waves propagated through a subterranean structure, and a pressure sensor in the housing structure. A processor in the housing structure is configured to receive a first signal based on an output of the seismic sensor, and a second signal based on an output of the pressure sensor. First and second digital filters are applied to the first and second signals. Application of the first and second digital filters to the first and second signals causes production of a substantially zero output in response to input that includes just noise data detected at the seismic sensor and the pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Daniel Ronnow, Qinglin Liu, Jon Magnus Soerli, Julian Edward Kragh, Pascal Edme, Everhard Muyzert
  • Patent number: 8509027
    Abstract: A technique includes receiving seismic data acquired in a survey of a region, the region being associated with locations; processing the seismic data to estimate at least one frequency dependent surface wave property over the region; based at least in part on the estimated frequency dependent surface wave property(ies), determining a frequency dependent data processing geometry for each location; and processing the seismic data based at least in part on the determined data processing geometries to derive a spatially continuous representation of a surface wave property across the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Claudio Luciano Strobbia, Anna Glushchenko
  • Publication number: 20130182538
    Abstract: Computing systems and methods to producing a reverse time migration model dip-guided image using processed vertical seismic profile data are provided. In one embodiment, vertical seismic profile data for a subsurface geological formation is obtained. One or more dip estimates corresponding to the subsurface geological formation are also obtained. One or more model dip-guided reverse time migration imaging conditions are determined and applied to the obtained vertical seismic profile data to produce the processed vertical seismic profile data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventor: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.