Patents Assigned to WesternGeco L.L.C.
  • Patent number: 9395459
    Abstract: A control device or “bird” for controlling the position of a marine seismic streamer is provided with an elongate, partly flexible body which is designed to be electrically and mechanically connected in series with a streamer. In its preferred form, the bird has two opposed wings which are independently controllable in order to control the streamer's lateral position as well as its depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Simon Hastings Bittleston
  • Patent number: 9366774
    Abstract: A technique includes obtaining data indicative of images of a marine seismic source event, which are acquired by underwater cameras and processing the data to determine an attribute (a seismic bubble volume or motion, as non-limiting examples) that is associated with the seismic source event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Welker, Ottar Kristiansen
  • Patent number: 9354338
    Abstract: A method for generating synthetic seismic traces. The method includes receiving a hybrid model that includes geological and seismic data, where the geological data corresponds to a zone of interest and the seismic data corresponds to the zone of interest and adjacent areas of the zone of interest. The method may determine a plurality of reflection properties along a path for a trace location using data from the hybrid model. The method may then generate a synthetic seismic trace for the trace location using the plurality of reflection properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventor: David E. Psaila
  • Patent number: 9354341
    Abstract: Propagation of wavefields are simulated along paths in a survey environment, where the simulated propagation includes an influence of a reflection at an interface that causes ghost data in measured survey data. Deghosting of the measured survey data is performed using the simulated wavefields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Craig J. Beasley, Richard T. Coates
  • Patent number: 9348041
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes simultaneous drive signals whose respective phase angle offset(s) varies over a portion or duration of the simultaneous sweeps. Other embodiments are discussed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Benjamin P. Jeffryes
  • Patent number: 9341728
    Abstract: A method of analysing seismic data from a geological volume is provided. The geological volume is divided into a plurality of voxels. For each voxel a respective neighbourhood is defined which includes that voxel and a predetermined arrangement of neighbouring voxels. For each voxel, the respective normal vectors of a seismic attribute vector field derived from the seismic data are calculated. For each voxel, a respective local structure tensor based on the normal vectors of the voxels of the respective neighbourhood is calculated. For each voxel, the value of an expression which includes one or more of the eigenvalues (?1, ?2, ?3) of the respective local structure tensor is calculated. The method can be used for seismic surveying, or to manage operation of or drilling of a subterranean well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: Aicha Bounaim, Oda Roaldsdotter Ravndal, Jarle Haukås
  • Patent number: 9341726
    Abstract: A method of processing seismic data acquired consequent to actuation of a seismic source is described. The method comprises taking the result of the following process into account when processing the seismic data where the process comprises estimating the effect of uncertainty in the position and/or orientation of the seismic source relative to the measuring receiver on processing the seismic data by estimating a source wavefield from data acquired by a near-field measuring receiver and from a first parameter set including at least one parameter indicative of the position and/or orientation of the seismic source relative to the measuring receiver, varying the value of at least one parameter of the first parameter set, estimating the source wavefield from the data acquired by the measuring receiver and from the varied first parameter set and obtaining information about the uncertainty in the estimate of the source wavefield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: Clement Kostov, Jon-Fredrik Hopperstad, Philip Kitchenside, Johan Olof Anders Robertsson, Karin Schalkwijk
  • Patent number: 9341724
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Timothy James Dean, Kambiz Iranpour, Pieter Leonard Vermeer, Claudio Bagaini
  • Patent number: 9329286
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to a seismic survey using an augmented reality device. In one implementation, a method may include determining current location data of an augmented reality (AR) device in a physical environment. The method may also include receiving placement instructions for a first seismic survey equipment in the physical environment based on the current location data. The method may further include displaying the placement instructions in combination with a view of the physical environment on the AR device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Robert Hughes Jones, Emmanuel Coste, Guillaume Daniel Tamboise, Dorin Rosu
  • Patent number: 9310502
    Abstract: There is provided a method of interpolating wave signals, particularly seismic signals acquired through a seismic survey, using the steps of obtaining time series of measured wave signals; and selecting iteratively basis functions to represent said measured signals with a basis function being fully defined by n parameters, wherein in each iteration one or more basis functions are combined with the selected basis functions such that the residual between the measured signals and a representation of the measured signal by the combined basis functions is minimized at the locations of the measurement at each iteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ahmet Kemal Ozdemir, Ali Ozbek
  • Patent number: 9310503
    Abstract: This invention discloses methods of processing data using a computer to separate out geophysical exploration response at receivers corresponding to one source among many sources by determining at least one spatio-temporal variant directional propagation attribute of the responses at receivers corresponding to the one source and by decomposition or filtering process using the determined attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: Susanne Rentsch, Wouter Gerrit Brouwer
  • Patent number: 9304220
    Abstract: A technique includes generating a data stream that contains data acquired by nodes of a subterranean survey data acquisition network and introducing data into the data stream, which describes an equipment failure that occurred in the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventor: Espen Gulbransen
  • Patent number: 9304221
    Abstract: Translational data acquired by at least one translational survey sensor is received, and rotation data is received. A representation of wavefield velocity based on the translational data and the rotation data is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Pascal Edme, Everhard Johan Muyzert
  • Patent number: 9304216
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an array of seismic sensor units that are adapted to acquire measurements in connection with a land surface-based seismic survey. Each seismic sensor unit includes a particle motion sensor and a rotation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventor: Everhard Johan Muijzert
  • Patent number: 9297923
    Abstract: A technique facilitates collection and use of data on subterranean formations. The technique comprises obtaining gravity measurements through the use of seismic streamers. At least one streamer is provided such that each streamer has multiple sensors, e.g. accelerometers. The at least one streamer is towed with a tow vessel, and gravity data are accumulated via the multiple sensors during towing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: Everhard Muyzert, Philip A. F. Christie, Nicolas Goujon, Julian Edward (Ed) Kragh, Johan O. A. Robertsson
  • Patent number: 9291731
    Abstract: An apparatus includes particle motion sensors and a streamer that contains the particle motion sensors. The streamer is to be towed in connection with a seismic survey, and the towing of the streamer produces a turbulent flow. The streamer includes an inner cable that contains the particle motion sensors and a fluid containing layer to surround the inner cable to reduce noise otherwise sensed by the particle motion sensors due to the turbulent flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO L.L.C
    Inventors: Patrick Perciot, Lars Borgen, Oeyvind Teigen, Nicolas Goujon
  • Patent number: 9279899
    Abstract: A technique includes estimating propagation parameters that are associated with a towed seismic survey based at least in part on seismic signal measurements and noise measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ahmet Kemal Ozdemir, Philippe Caprioli, Ali Ozbek, Johan Olof Anders Robertsson
  • Patent number: 9274238
    Abstract: A method for use in a land-based seismic survey includes: transmitting a plurality of source control commands to a plurality of seismic sources over a VHF/IP network; and managing congestion on the VHF/IP network while transmitting the source control commands. In other aspects, a program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform such a method and a computer programmed to perform such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Guillaume J. D. Tamboise, Christin Rendalen, Tristan Hollande
  • Patent number: 9274239
    Abstract: A technique includes receiving sensor acquired data, which includes pressure data representative of at least one pressure measurement of a wavefield and particle motion data representative of at least one particle motion measurement of the wavefield. The technique includes filtering the pressure data and the particle motion data with a plurality of directional filters to provide a plurality of filtered datasets. The filtered datasets are associated with different directional ranges. The technique includes estimating an angle of incidence for at least one of the directional ranges based at least in part on at least one of the filtered datasets; and processing the acquired data to determine at least one of an upgoing component of the wavefield and a downgoing component of the wavefield based at least in part on the at least one estimated angle of incidence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Massimiliano Vassallo, Dirk-Jan Van Manen, Susanne Rentsch-Smith, Philip A. F. Christie
  • Patent number: 9268049
    Abstract: An embodiment of the disclosed invention includes a method for attenuating noise during acquisition of marine seismic date. The method includes placing a seismic streamer in a body of water. The seismic streamer includes a streamer body having a length and a channel, a seismic sensor disposed within the channel, and a gel disposed within the channel. The gel has a complex viscosity of at least 50 Pascals and includes a concentration of a polymer between the range of about 5% and about 25% by weight. The method also includes placing a source in the body of water. The seismic streamer and the source are towed through the body of water and the source is fired while being towed through the body of water. Data is collected from the seismic streamer as it is towed through the body of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Gary John Tustin, Steven Antony Gahlings, Robert Hughes Jones