Patents by Inventor James Cecil Pickens

James Cecil Pickens has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Automated calibration of a stratigraphic forward modelling (SFM) tool using a neighborhood algorithm with explicit escape clauses
    Patent number: 10365403
    Abstract: A modified direct search Neighborhood Algorithm (NA), similar to genetic or evolutionary algorithms, is used for automatic calibration of Stratigraphic Forward Models (SFM) to data constraints. The modified NA comprises explicit escape clauses from local minima and admissible solutions, thereby preventing a natural tendency of conventional NAs to converge and oversample a single minimum. The density of models in parameter space is used to define local minima. Admissible solutions are defined by considering error thresholds taking into account that SFM may be imperfect and that calibration constraints may be uncertain. The modified NA algorithm obtains a plurality of geological scenarios that agree with the data, and which can be used for further analysis and prediction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Oriol Falivene Aldea, Stéphane Youri Richard Michael Joachim Gesbert, James Cecil Pickens
  • AUTOMATED CALIBRATION OF A STRATIGRAPHIC FORWARD MODELLING (SFM) TOOL USING A NEIGHBORHOOD ALGORITHM WITH EXPLICIT ESCAPE CLAUSES
    Publication number: 20150127261
    Abstract: A modified direct search Neighborhood Algorithm (NA), similar to genetic or evolutionary algorithms, is used for automatic calibration of Stratigraphic Forward Models (SFM) to data constraints. The modified NA comprises explicit escape clauses from local minima and admissible solutions, thereby preventing a natural tendency of conventional NAs to converge and oversample a single minimum. The density of models in parameter space is used to define local minima. Admissible solutions are defined by considering error thresholds taking into account that SFM may be imperfect and that calibration constraints may be uncertain. The modified NA algorithm obtains a plurality of geological scenarios that agree with the data, and which can be used for further analysis and prediction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Oriol Falivene Aldea, Stéphane Youri Richard Michael Joachim Gesbert, James Cecil Pickens