Abstract: The operation of a fossil-fueled thermal system is quantified by a method for determining correction factors to Choice Operating Parameters, including effluent CO2 and other parameters, such that combustion stoichiometric consistency and thermodynamic conservations are both achieved. Correcting Choice Operating Parameters is accomplished through multidimensional einimization techniques operating on certain System Effect Parameters. The corrected Choice Operating Parameters may then be supplied to Input/Loss methods as used to monitor and improve system heat rate.

Abstract: The total porosity of said formation, a fractional volume of the shale, and a resistivity of the shale are determined in a laminated reservoir including sands that may have dispersed shales therein. A tensor petrophysical model determines the laminar shale volume and laminar sand conductivity from vertical and horizontal conductivities derived from multi-component induction log data. The volume of dispersed shale and the total and effective porosities of the laminar sand fraction are determined using a Thomas-Stieber-Juhasz approach. Removal of laminar shale conductivity and porosity effects reduces the laminated shaly sand problem to a single dispersed shaly sand model to which the Waxman-Smits equation can be applied.

Abstract: Attributes of a seismic data set that are indicative of the quality of the seismic data are displayed in a quality control (QC) hypercube. The axes of the hypercube may be the source position, the source line, the receiver position and a processing step. In a pre-migration QC cube, two of the three axes of the cube are defined by the locations of seismic data. In a migrated QC cube, two of the three axes are defined by the migrated output bin position of processed seismic data. The third axis of the cube contains information about the quality of the data. The QC attributes may be simple amplitudes, or they may be attributes derived from the amplitudes of the seismic data, such as RMS values and/or spectral values. In a migrated QC cube, the attributes may include seismic velocity, seismic fold and distribution of source-receiver azimuths.

Abstract: The problem of detecting sedimentary formations having an abnormally high fluid pressure that are underneath a relatively impermeable formation having normal fluid pressures is addressed. At shallow depths, a formation with abnormally high fluid pressure has a shear velocity that is close to zero, and is thus significantly different from the shear velocity of overlying sediments. The high shear wave velocity contrast is detected by measuring a change in the amplitude of seismic waves reflected from the top of the abnormally pressured formation. This may be done by an amplitude versus offset (AVO) analysis of the reflected amplitudes of compressional or shear reflections. Measurements of the amplitude of reflected shear waves from a formation at some depth below the anomalous zone are may also be used to detect the presence of abnormally pressured intervals with low shear velocity and high shear wave attenuation.

Abstract: Methods, and models therefrom, to construct a 3-D polygonal model of a 3-D irregular volume within a GIS platform that include introducing data relating to the volume; estimating at least one 2-D polygon representing the volume's lateral boundary, estimating irregular surfaces representing the volume's top and bottom; clipping the estimated surfaces with the estimated 2-D polygon; constructing multipatches of a network of triangular panels or a grid of regularly spaced polylineZs; and joining the attributes to the model.

Abstract: A method and apparatus comprising an active control system for a towed seismic streamer array that enables any relative positional control of any number of towed seismic streamers. The streamer positions are controlled horizontally and vertically using active control units positioned within the seismic array. The three component (x, y, z) position of each streamer element, relative to the vessel and relative to each other is controlled, tracked and stored during a seismic data acquisition run. The present invention enables a seismic array to be maneuvered as the towing vessel maintains course, enables maintenance of specific array position and geometry in the presence of variable environmental factors and facilitates four-dimensional seismic data acquisition by sensing and storing the position of the array and each array element with respect to time.

Abstract: A method and system for performing a marine seismic survey is described, including towing at least one seismic streamer comprising a plurality of hydrophones distributed at average intervals of not more than 625 cm therealong in the water over the area to be surveyed; directing acoustic signals down through the water and into the earth beneath; receiving with the hydrophones seismic signals reflected from strata in the earth beneath the water; digitizing the output of each hydrophone separately; and filtering the output to reduce the noise present in the output and to generate a signal with a reduced noise content wherein the filtering process uses as further input the digitized output of at least one nearby hydrophone. The filtering is applied to single sensor recording prior to group-forming and thus able to detect and reduce coherent noise with a coherency length of 20 meters or less. It reduces noise such as streamer or bulge noise.

Abstract: Methods and tools are provided for real time velocity imaging of a borehole wall with sufficiently high resolution to identify vugs, worm holes, thin beds, dip angles, fractures and breakouts, for both open hole logging and logging while drilling in the presence of OBM's. A method is provided which includes transmitting an ultrasonic pulse through the borehole wall, receiving at first and second spaced-apart receivers an ultrasonic pulse refracted from the borehole wall, and producing a velocity image data value indicative of difference of arrival times at first and second spaced-apart receivers. This is repeated at a plurality of azimuths and depths to produce a velocity image data set. The method uses compressional pulses and/or pseudo-Raleigh pulses. A tool is provided for wireline use having an ultrasonic transmitter for transmitting ultrasonic pulses into the borehole wall, and a plurality of ultrasonic receivers.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for evaluating a characteristic or trait present at a geographic location in a plurality of non-georeferenced maps. In operation, the method comprises constructing a virtual bounding box around each inset of the maps, and then defining a virtual rectangular geographic grid system covering the total area covered by the maps. For each grid rectangle that intersects an inset bounding box, tracing the inset enclosed by the bounding box to determine if there is intersection of the grid rectangle and the inset. If there is intersection of a grid rectangle and an inset, adding the identity of the inset to a list associated with the grid rectangle, geocoding the location of the geographic location, and examining the insets contained in the list associated with the one grid rectangle containing the geocoded location, and performing the evaluation.

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.

Abstract: A method of generating a noise estimate during seismic surveying, including measuring noise energy having a plurality of frequencies in a second time interval. The second time interval having a second start time delayed from a first start time of a first time interval during which a first plurality of reflected seismic signals are present. The plurality of reflected seismic signals having the plurality of frequencies. The second time interval approximately concurrent with the first time interval to measure one of the plurality of frequencies of the noise energy different than one of the plurality of frequencies of the first plurality of reflected seismic signals that are present. A noise estimate is generated based on the noise energy measured.

Abstract: Method, apparatus and systems for drilling wells, such as for production of petroleum products and ensuring efficient well drilling and protection of well drilling systems during drilling operations. A closed-loop drilling control system, including a digital switching control regulator (SCR) module is provided for automated actuation of selected drilling rig controls responsive to downhole and surface measurements of drilling parameters. The closed-loop drilling control system is responsive to digital data from a measuring-while-drilling (MWD) tool for refining the drilling controls by automated correction of driller inputs to the drilling controls of the well drilling system during drilling operations. The downhole data, such as surface weight on bit, downhole weight on bit, pressure and flow rate of downhole drilling fluid hydraulics, etc.

Abstract: The invention is a method for direct updating, by dynamic production data, of a fine geologic model representative of the distribution, in a reservoir, of a physical quantity characteristic of the subsoil structure. The method couples inversion and upscaling techniques allowing optimization of petrophysical parameters of a rougher simulation model resulting from the fine geologic model. Direct parameterization of the fine geologic model is performed followed by upscaling only as a means of obtaining rapidly an approximation of simulation results and of derivatives thereof in relation to the parameterization of the fine geologic model. The model has applications for determination of a development scheme such as optimizing the production of a hydrocarbon reservoir.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of predicting rock properties of a subsurface formation using reflection seismic data and well log data. Synthetic seismic data is generated from the well log data and quantized into discrete synthetic data subcells based on rock property-predictive seismic attributes of the synthetic seismic data. The reflection seismic data is also quantized into discrete reflection data subcells based on the same seismic attributes used to quantize the synthetic seismic data. Each reflection data subcell is correlated with a corresponding synthetic data subcell based on the seismic attributes of the reflection and synthetic seismic data. A statistical distribution of well log properties associated with the synthetic seismic data subcells is then assigned to corresponding reflection data subcells, which can be viewed as 2D seismic lines, 3D seismic volumes, or single data point histograms.

Abstract: Methods for determining the best value for at least one slowness-related parameter that has been determined in a number of ways is disclosed. Sonic logging data input in the methods are processed to determine multiple values of at least one slowness-related parameter using slowness/time coherence (STC) processing methods. The error of each determined parameter is determined and the determined errors used in selecting a representative parameter value from the multiple determined slowness-related parameter values.

Abstract: A method relating to filtering coherent noise and interference from seismic data by constrained adaptive beamforming is described using a constraint design methodology which allows the imposition of an arbitrary predesigned quiescent response on the beamformer. The method also makes sure that the beamformer response in selected regions of the frequency-wavenumber space is entirely controlled by this quiescent response, hence ensuring signal preservation and robustness to perturbations. Built-in regularization brings an additional degree of robustness. Seismic signals with arbitrary spectral content in the frequency-wavenumber domain are preserved, while coherent noise and interference that is temporally and spatially nonstationary is adaptively filtered. The approach is applicable to attenuation of all types of coherent noise in seismic data including swell-noise, bulge-wave noise, ground-roll, air wave, seismic vessel and rig interference, etc. It is applicable to both linear or areal arrays.

Abstract: A method of processing first and second sets of data signals obtained through remotely sensing properties of the same subsurface area at different times comprising the steps of decomposing said first and second data sets into subvolumes of samples and generating subsidence estimates indicating the amount and direction the samples from said first data set need to be translated to obtain a new representation of said first data subvolume that maximally resembles said second subvolume. Preferably, the method further includes the step of derivating said subsidence estimates along the vertical direction in order to generate samples indicating the relative local compaction of the subsurface.

Abstract: A system and method for performing flood zone determinations using scanned, georeferenced, digital raster map images. The user, to determine the flood zone classification of a particular property, first enters the street address, or full legal address, into a data processing system. The system determines, from the address, which raster map includes that particular property. The system retrieves that map, and utilizes georeferencing information to locate the property on the raster map. The user can visually verify the location of the property as marked on the displayed raster map, and can at that point examine the flood zone indications on the raster map. Further, the system can compare the geographic coordinates of the property against a database of flood zone boundaries for an automated flood zone determination. The system can also generate, store, and produce flood zone certificates according to the flood zone determination.

Abstract: A conductive rope-like lead-in cable connects a seismic streamer to a towing vessel. The lead-in cable comprises a first electrical conductor at the center core of the cable for carrying a first polarity of power to the streamer for providing tensile strength to the load-in cable. A first layer of insulation surrounds the first electrical conductor. A second electrical conductor for a second polarity of power to the streamer surrounds the first layer of insulation. A second layer of insulation surrounds the second electrical conductor. A layer of seismic data conductors surrounds the second layer of insulation. A third layer of insulation surrounds the layer of seismic data conductors. A metallic protective layer surrounds the third layer of insulation. Steel is effectively and efficiently used both to provide tensile strength and for electrical power conduction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling the quality of seismic data that has been migrated using the generalized Radon transform, the method serving to pass between a seismic data space and a migrated image space, in which method a parameter table is calculated giving, for a seismic wave going from a point of the image to a source or a sensor, its path length, its travel time, and the angles of incidence of the wave at the beginning and at the end of the path, and in which correspondence is established between at least one zone of a first one of said two spaces and at least one zone of the second space, by using said parameter table to fill in a correspondence table QCimage.