Patents by Inventor Joe Frank McNutt

Joe Frank McNutt 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).

  • Patent number: 8547784
    Abstract: A method of acquiring marine seismic data using an acoustic source to generate an acoustic signal, a portion of which is reflected at one or more subsurface formation interfaces as a seismic signal is described. The method includes sailing a surface vessel along a sail line which lies over a survey area while towing a seismic streamer, the sail line having a sinusoidal configuration defined by an amplitude and a wavelength. The streamer includes a plurality of hydrophones for receiving the reflected portion of the acoustic signal. The method is characterised in that the streamer follows the sinusoidal configuration of the sail line while seismic data is acquired, the streamer having a length at least equal to the distance travelled by the surface vessel as it sails along one full wavelength of the configuration as measured along the sinusoidal sail line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Woodside Energy Ltd.
    Inventors: Malcolm Donald MacNeill, Joe Frank McNutt
  • Patent number: 8462583
    Abstract: A method of acquiring marine seismic data using an acoustic source to generate an acoustic signal, a portion of which is reflected at one or more subsurface formation interfaces as a seismic signal, includes: a) sailing a surface vessel along a sinusoidal sail line which lies over an area to be surveyed while towing one or more seismic streamers, each streamer including a plurality of hydrophones to receive the reflected seismic signals, where the streamer follows the sinusoidal sail line while seismic data is acquired. In one embodiment, the method further comprises b) dividing the area to be surveyed using a grid to form a plurality of bins; c) collating the seismic signals using the plurality of bins; and, d) repeating step a) to populate each bin with seismic data, where a range of offsets associated with each event varies between adjacent cross-line and in-line bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Woodside Energy Ltd.
    Inventors: Malcolm David MacNeill, Joe Frank McNutt
  • Publication number: 20110261646
    Abstract: A method of acquiring marine seismic data using an acoustic source to generate an acoustic signal, a portion of which is reflected at one or more subsurface formation interfaces as a seismic signal is described. The method includes sailing a surface vessel along a sail line which lies over a survey area while towing a seismic streamer, the sail line having a sinusoidal configuration defined by an amplitude and a wavelength. The streamer includes a plurality of hydrophones for receiving the reflected portion of the acoustic signal. The method is characterised in that the streamer follows the sinusoidal configuration of the sail line while seismic data is acquired, the streamer having a length at least equal to the distance travelled by the surface vessel as it sails along one full wavelength of the configuration as measured along the sinusoidal sail line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: WOODSIDE ENERGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Malcolm Donald MacNeill, Joe Frank McNutt
  • Publication number: 20090296518
    Abstract: A method of acquiring marine seismic data using an acoustic source to generate an acoustic signal, a portion of which is reflected at one or more subsurface formation interfaces as a seismic signal, includes: a) sailing a surface vessel along a sinusoidal sail line which lies over an area to be surveyed while towing one or more seismic streamers, each streamer including a plurality of hydrophones to receive the reflected seismic signals, where the streamer follows the sinusoidal sail line while seismic data is acquired. In one embodiment, the method further comprises b) dividing the area to be surveyed using a grid to form a plurality of bins; c) collating the seismic signals using the plurality of bins; and, d) repeating step a) to populate each bin with seismic data, where a range of offsets associated with each event varies between adjacent cross-line and in-line bins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: WOODSIDE ENERGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Malcolm David MacNeill, Joe Frank McNutt