Abstract: The present invention provides a system for, and method of determining an azimuth of a seismic energy source. In one embodiment, the system includes a directional assembly having a mount configured to be coupled to a seismic energy source, a rotatable mass assembly coupled to the mount, a compass rose coupled to one of the mount or the rotatable mass assembly and a direction reference coupled to the other of the mount or the rotatable mass assembly. The compass rose is registered with the direction reference to provide a direction orientation of the rotatable mass assembly with respect to the mount.

Abstract: A system for, and method of, orienting seismic energy sources and seismic energy receivers to yield discriminated horizontal and vertical shear modes. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) an initial matrix representing wave energy produced by a selected seismic energy source and received by a selected seismic energy receiver, (2) a first transforming matrix that cooperates with the initial matrix to orient the selected seismic energy source with respect to the selected seismic energy receiver and (3) a second transforming matrix that cooperates with the initial matrix to orient the selected seismic energy receiver with respect to the selected seismic energy source, the initial matrix thereby transformed into a successive matrix containing the discriminated horizontal and vertical shear modes.

Abstract: A system for, and method of, orienting seismic energy sources and seismic energy receivers to substantially separate a compressional wave from a vertical shear wave. The method includes reflecting a seismic energy from a subsurface interface to produce a reflected seismic energy wave that has a compressional energy and vertical shear energy associated therewith. A first seismic energy receiver is oriented such that it is aligned with an angle of emergence of the reflected seismic energy wave to thereby maximize the vertical shear energy received by a second seismic energy receiver.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for creating as shear ("S") wave for use in oil and gas exploration, where such S-wave is created by detonating an explosive packaging in a shot hole in a manner that produces directionally controlled S-wave force vectors at each source station across a 3-D survey grid.

Abstract: A method for predicting the formation pore-pressure ahead of the drill bit while drilling is disclosed. During the drilling process, the drill bit impacting the earth generates a seismic signal. The seismic signal propagate away from the drill bit in a radial fashion with some rays paths propagating directly towards the surface, while others propagating downward are reflected back towards the surface. The direct and reflected seismic signals are received by seismic sensors at one or more locations. The signals produced by the sensors are recorded for later processing. From the recorded signals an interval velocity for each formation behind the drill bit is determined much in the same way a vertical seismic profile is made. From the reflected seismic signals, an acoustic impedance for each formation ahead of the drill bit is determined.

Abstract: A method for detecting the presences of fractures in a subsurface formation being penetrated by a drill bit during drilling. Teeth on the drill bit act as individual seismic sources, generating both shear wave energy and compressional wave energy. As the drill bit passes through a formation, the shear wave energy generated by the bit propagates along the formation in a waveguide mode between the adjacent formations. As the shear wave signal passes through a fractured zone of the formation, two shear wave signals are generated, each polarized in relationship to the orientation of the fractures in the formation. As the polarized signals propagate along the formation, secondary shear wave signals are generated which return to the surface and are detected by appropriate sensors. The sensors have a plurality of detectors in order to detect the polarity or direction of particle motion cuased by the polarized wave, providing information that a fracture zone exists in the subsurface.