Patents by Inventor Kenneth E. Welker

Kenneth E. Welker 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: 8767505
    Abstract: A method for conducting seismic operations includes the steps of deploying a seismic streamer carrying an electrically powered device from a vessel into water having waves, providing an in-sea generator in electrical connection with the device, producing electricity from the in-sea generator by harvesting mechanical energy from the waves, and providing the produced electricity to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Welker
  • Publication number: 20140160886
    Abstract: Various technologies described herein are directed to a method that includes deploying a plurality of wave gliders in a seismic survey area, where the plurality of wave gliders has one or more seismic sensors coupled thereto for acquiring seismic data. The method may also include deploying at least one source vessel in the seismic survey area, where the at least one source vessel has one or more sources coupled thereto and a central communication unit disposed thereon. The method may then include positioning the plurality of wave gliders according to an initial navigation plan. The method may further include monitoring a relative position of a respective wave glider in the plurality of wave gliders with respect to other wave gliders in the plurality of wave gliders and with respect to the at least one source vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: EVERHARD MUYZERT, KENNETH E. WELKER
  • Patent number: 8724426
    Abstract: Methods for determining by acoustic ranging relative positions of marine seismic streamers in a network of streamers are described, as well as streamer configurations and systems which overcome weak or non-existent acoustic positioning signals. The acoustic network includes a plurality of acoustic transceiver pairs, and the methods include implementing a network solution-based reconfiguration of the acoustic transceiver pairs. When the network of streamers changes more than a critical amount, the network is reconfigured, the critical amount being when the network solution-based reconfiguration is no longer adequate to provide enough acoustic signals to give reasonable relative positions of the acoustic transceiver pairs in the network due to their spatial relation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Welker
  • Patent number: 8717844
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the use of a self-propelled underwater vehicle for seismic data acquisition. The self-propelled underwater vehicle is adapted to gather seismic data from the seafloor and transmit such data to a control vessel. The self-propelled underwater vehicle may be redeployed to several seafloor locations during a seismic survey. Methods for real-time modeling of a target zone and redeployment of the self-propelled underwater vehicle based on the modeling are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Welker, Julian Edward (Ed) Kragh
  • Publication number: 20140078865
    Abstract: A system includes a seismic acquisition system that includes a plurality of nodes and further includes an unmanned airborne vehicle. The unmanned airborne vehicle is to be used with the seismic acquisition system to conduct a seismic survey.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: EMMANUEL COSTE, KENNETH E. WELKER, GUILLAUME DANIEL TAMBOISE
  • Patent number: 8570830
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatic steering of marine seismic sources are described. One system comprises a marine seismic spread comprising a towing vessel and a seismic source, the seismic source comprising one or more source arrays each having a center of source array, each source array having one or more source strings; a seismic source deployment sub-system on the towing vessel, the sub-system controlled by a controller including a software module, the software module and the deployment sub-system adapted to control an inline distance between one of the centers of source array and a target coordinate. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract, allowing a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Eskild Storteig, Kenneth E. Welker, Martin N. Howlid, Rune Toennessen
  • Patent number: 8483008
    Abstract: The technique disclosed herein includes a method and apparatus for controlling streamer steering devices to maintain a coil streamer shape that gives coverage for a coil shooting plan. The technique uses solved positions and a target coil streamer shape identified in the shooting plan to determine steering instructions to the streamer steering devices along the streamer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Welker
  • Patent number: 8477560
    Abstract: To determine a position of an object in a positioning network associated with a marine survey arrangement, images of targets on the object in the positioning network are captured with a plurality of cameras. Based on known positions of the plurality of cameras and known separation between the targets, positions of the targets are computed by processing the images. A position of the object is derived based on the positions of the targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Welker
  • Patent number: 8473175
    Abstract: To perform control of movement of a marine vessel traveling through water during a seismic survey operation, input information relating to factors that affect a speed of the marine vessel is received. The speed of the marine vessel is adjusted in response to the received information relating to the factors that affect the speed of the marine vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Andreas Thiblin Holo, Kenneth E. Welker
  • Publication number: 20130028050
    Abstract: Measurement data acquired by at least one sensor in a cable structure towed through a body of water is received. A torsional vibration noise component in the measurement data is estimated. The torsional vibration noise component is used to estimate a rotation angle of the at least one survey sensor with respect to a reference coordinate system of the cable structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Ahmet Kemal OZDEMIR, Nicolas Goujon, Oeyvind Teigen, Kenneth E. Welker
  • Patent number: 8260555
    Abstract: To perform a marine survey, a streamer is deployed into a body of water, where the streamer has plural first sensors to perform a subterranean survey. Indications are received from second sensors in corresponding sections of the streamer, where the indications are regarding which sections are in the body of water. Information is updated regarding which sections of the streamer are in the body of water in response to the received indications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Welker
  • Publication number: 20120221182
    Abstract: To perform control of movement of a marine vessel traveling through water during a seismic survey operation, input information relating to factors that affect a speed of the marine vessel is received. The speed of the marine vessel is adjusted in response to the received information relating to the factors that affect the speed of the marine vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: ANDREAS HOLO, KENNETH E. WELKER
  • Patent number: 8175765
    Abstract: To perform control of movement of a marine vessel traveling through water during a seismic survey operation, input information relating to factors that affect a speed of the marine vessel is received. The speed of the marine vessel is adjusted in response to the received information relating to the factors that affect the speed of the marine vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Andreas Holo, Kenneth E. Welker
  • Publication number: 20120082001
    Abstract: A technique includes acquiring particle motion data from a plurality of particle motion sensors while in tow during a seismic survey. During the seismic survey, the particle motion data are processed without deghosting the particle motion data to determine whether at least some portion of the particle motion data is inadequate for an application that relies on the particle motion data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Welker, Ahmet Kemal Ozdemir, Espen Gulbransen
  • Publication number: 20120020184
    Abstract: A distributed optical acoustic sensor is provided along a structure in a body of water. The distributed optical acoustic sensor is used to detect acoustic waves generated by at least one acoustic source for positioning of at least one object in relation to the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Colin Wilson, Johan O. A. Robertsson, Julian Edward (Ed) Kragh, Everhard Muyzert, Kenneth E. Welker, Douglas Miller
  • Publication number: 20120020185
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention concerns a probe that couples to a seismic vessel via a tow cable. When deploying probes from a seismic vessel that is towing source arrays and streamers, the probe and its tow cable can tangle with elements of the towed seismic spread. However, a cable guide may be used to lessen the risk for such entanglement by guiding the tow cable into the water at a distance removed from the seismic spread. Also, the probe may be steerable to steer the probe and tow cable away from the seismic spread. Other embodiments are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Welker, Ulrich Hemmerle, Ottar Kristiansen, Morten Svendsen, Julian Edward (Ed) Kragh
  • Patent number: 8094513
    Abstract: To performing positioning of survey equipment, measurements of acoustic signals reflected from at least one boundary of a marine environment are received. The reflected acoustic signals are reflected from the at least one boundary in response to acoustic signaling originated by an acoustic source. A positioning model is updated based on the measurements of the acoustic signals, wherein the positioning model contains information relating to positions of components of a positioning system that includes the acoustic source and acoustic receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Henk Keers, Suriyakan Vongtragool, Kenneth E. Welker, Svein Arne Frivik, Halvor Groenaas
  • Patent number: 8085620
    Abstract: To determine a position of a survey receiver used to measure a response of a subterranean structure to a survey signal, positions of the survey receiver as the survey receiver descends in a body of water to a surface are received from an acoustic ranging system. Measurement information associated with movement of the survey receiver is received from at least one sensor. Based on the measurement information from the acoustic ranging system and the at least one sensor, the position of the survey receiver at the surface once the survey receiver has reached the surface is computed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Welker
  • Patent number: 8060314
    Abstract: To perform a marine survey, a streamer is deployed into a body of water, where the streamer has plural first sensors to perform a subterranean survey. Indications are received from second sensors in corresponding sections of the streamer, where the indications are regarding which sections are in the body of water. Information is updated regarding which sections of the streamer are in the body of water in response to the received indications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: WesternGeco L. L. C.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Welker
  • Publication number: 20110266086
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the use of a self-propelled underwater vehicle for seismic data acquisition. The self-propelled underwater vehicle is adapted to gather seismic data from the seafloor and transmit such data to a control vessel. The self-propelled underwater vehicle may be redeployed to several seafloor locations during a seismic survey. Methods for real-time modeling of a target zone and redeployment of the self-propelled underwater vehicle based on the modeling are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Welker, Julian Edward (Ed) Kragh