Patents by Inventor Michael Prange

Michael Prange 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: 11900658
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards systems and methods for automated stratigraphy interpretation from borehole images. Embodiments may include constructing, using at least one processor, a training set of synthetic images corresponding to a borehole, wherein the training set includes one or more of synthetic images, real images, and modified images. Embodiments may further include automatically classifying, using the at least one processor, the training set into one or more individual sedimentary geometries using one or machine learning techniques. Embodiments may also include automatically classifying, using the at least one processor, the training set into one or more priors for depositional environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marie LeFranc, Zikri Bayraktar, Morten Kristensen, Philippe Marza, Isabelle Le Nir, Michael Prange, Josselin Kherroubi
  • Publication number: 20220164594
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards systems and methods for automated stratigraphy interpretation from borehole images. Embodiments may include constructing, using at least one processor, a training set of synthetic images corresponding to a borehole, wherein the training set includes one or more of synthetic images, real images, and modified images. Embodiments may further include automatically classifying, using the at least one processor, the training set into one or more individual sedimentary geometries using one or machine learning techniques. Embodiments may also include automatically classifying, using the at least one processor, the training set into one or more priors for depositional environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Marie LeFranc, Zikri Bayraktar, Morten Kristensen, Philippe Marza, Isabelle Le Nir, Michael Prange, Josselin Kherroubi
  • Patent number: 9052409
    Abstract: Methods and related systems are described for extracting information about a system of nuclear spins including: performing a plurality of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) measurements on the system of nuclear spins; acquiring NMR data from each of the plurality of NMR measurements; performing data inversion using an random-sampler to generate an ensemble of spectra so as to extract information about the system of nuclear spins; and analyzing the performed random-sampler inversion results to extract information about the system of nuclear spins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Prange, Yi-Qiao Song
  • Patent number: 8527203
    Abstract: A method of determining a selection of well measurements and/or their respective control parameters is described based on a global target having predetermined sensitivities to a multitude of uncertainties associated with input variables to a model including the step of ranking measurements and control parameters in accordance with their capability to reduce the uncertainties of input variables identified as most sensitive input variables through simulations using the model or a reduced variant of the model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew John Carnegie, Benoit Couet, Michael Prange, William John Bailey, Ibrahim Pamir Bursin, Stephen Flew
  • Publication number: 20110310101
    Abstract: One or more computer-readable media include computer-executable instructions to instruct a computing system to access data that define a pillar grid where pillar nodes of the pillar grid define logical cells of a reservoir model, partition the pillar grid into subvolumes, build surfaces to define boundaries for each of the subvolumes where each of the surfaces includes polygons defined by surface nodes, generate a mesh of property nodes for each of the subvolumes where at least some of the property nodes include properties derived from properties of the reservoir model, and store data that define the subvolumes, the surfaces and the meshes. Other examples include a method of processing information for subsequent visual presentation with respect to a reservoir model and techniques for merging models. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Michael Prange, Thibaut Klein, Hugues A. Djikpesse
  • Patent number: 8073800
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of performing an oilfield operation of an oilfield having at least one well having a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation for extracting fluid from an underground reservoir therein. The method steps include analyzing the oilfield operation to generate a decision tree comprising a first decision and a second decision, wherein a first outcome of the first decision dictates acquiring information relevant to the second decision, formulating a figure of merit of the oilfield operation according to the decision tree based on the information and uncertainties associated with the oilfield, determining a value of the figure of merit by modeling the oilfield operation using statistical sampling, and performing the oilfield operation upon making the first decision based on the value of the figure of merit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Prange, William J. Bailey, Benoit Couet, Hugues Djikpesse, Michael A. Elliott
  • Patent number: 8005658
    Abstract: A hybrid evolutionary algorithm (“HEA”) technique is described for automatically calculating well and drainage locations in a field. The technique includes planning a set of wells on a static reservoir model using an automated well planner tool that designs realistic wells that satisfy drilling and construction constraints. A subset of these locations is then selected based on dynamic flow simulation using a cost function that maximizes recovery or economic benefit. In particular, a large population of candidate targets, drain holes and trajectories is initially created using fast calculation analysis tools of cost and value, and as the workflow proceeds, the population size is reduced in each successive operation, thereby facilitating use of increasingly sophisticated calculation analysis tools for economic valuation of the reservoir while reducing overall time required to obtain the result. In the final operation, only a small number of full reservoir simulations are required for the most promising FDPs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Gerhard Tilke, William J. Bailey, Benoit Couet, Michael Prange, Martin Crick
  • Patent number: 7716029
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for performing optimal gridding in reservoir simulation, the method comprising: establishing an optimal coarse grid proxy that can replace all or parts of a fine grid with a coarse grid while preserving an accuracy of a predefined simulation model output, the step of establishing an optimal coarse grid proxy including finding, by using an optimizer, a best fit of a coarse grid output to the output of a training set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Benoit Couet, Michael Prange, William Bailey, Hugues Djikpesse, Vladimir Druskin
  • Publication number: 20100010744
    Abstract: Methods and related systems are described for extracting information about a system of nuclear spins including: performing a plurality of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) measurements on the system of nuclear spins; acquiring NMR data from each of the plurality of NMR measurements; performing data inversion using an random-sampler to generate an ensemble of spectra so as to extract information about the system of nuclear spins; and analyzing the performed random-sampler inversion results to extract information about the system of nuclear spins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Prange, Yi-Qiao Song
  • Publication number: 20090299636
    Abstract: A method of determining a selection of well measurements and/or their respective control parameters is described based on a global target having predetermined sensitivities to a multitude of uncertainties associated with input variables to a model including the step of ranking measurements and control parameters in accordance with their capability to reduce the uncertainties of input variables identified as most sensitive input variables through simulations using the model or a reduced variant of the model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew John Carnegie, Benoit Couet, Michael Prange, William John Bailey, Ibrahim Pamir Bursin, Stephen Flew
  • Publication number: 20090271233
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of performing an oilfield operation of an oilfield having at least one well having a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation for extracting fluid from an underground reservoir therein. The method steps include analyzing the oilfield operation to generate a decision tree comprising a first decision and a second decision, wherein a first outcome of the first decision dictates acquiring information relevant to the second decision, formulating a figure of merit of the oilfield operation according to the decision tree based on the information and uncertainties associated with the oilfield, determining a value of the figure of merit by modeling the oilfield operation using statistical sampling, and performing the oilfield operation upon making the first decision based on the value of the figure of merit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Prange, William J. Bailey, Benoit Couet, Hugues Djikpesse, Michael A. Elliott
  • Publication number: 20080300793
    Abstract: A hybrid evolutionary algorithm (“HEA”) technique is described for automatically calculating well and drainage locations in a field. The technique includes planning a set of wells on a static reservoir model using an automated well planner tool that designs realistic wells that satisfy drilling and construction constraints. A subset of these locations is then selected based on dynamic flow simulation using a cost function that maximizes recovery or economic benefit. In particular, a large population of candidate targets, drain holes and trajectories is initially created using fast calculation analysis tools of cost and value, and as the workflow proceeds, the population size is reduced in each successive operation, thereby facilitating use of increasingly sophisticated calculation analysis tools for economic valuation of the reservoir while reducing overall time required to obtain the result. In the final operation, only a small number of full reservoir simulations are required for the most promising FDPs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Gerhard Tilke, William J. Bailey, Benoit Couet, Michael Prange, Martin Crick
  • Publication number: 20070265815
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for performing optimal gridding in reservoir simulation, the method comprising: establishing an optimal coarse grid proxy that can replace all or parts of a fine grid with a coarse grid while preserving an accuracy of a predefined simulation model output, the step of establishing an optimal coarse grid proxy including finding, by using an optimizer, a best fit of a coarse grid output to the output of a training set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Inventors: Benoit Couet, Michael Prange, William Bailey, Hugues Djikpesse, Vladimir Druskin
  • Publication number: 20060151214
    Abstract: A novel method is presented to automatically design a multi-well development plan given a set of previously interpreted subsurface targets. This method identifies the optimal plan by minimizing the total cost as a function of existing and required new platforms, the number of wells, and the drilling cost of each of the wells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, Incorporated in the State of Texas
    Inventors: Michael Prange, Peter Tilke, Clinton Chapman, Darren Aklestad
  • Patent number: 6549854
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture are provided that use measurement data to create a model of a subsurface area. The method includes creating an initial parameterized model having an initial estimate of model parameter uncertainties; considering measurement data from the subsurface area; updating the model and its associated uncertainty estimate; and repeating the considering and updating steps with additional measurement data. A computer-based apparatus and article of manufacture for implementing the method are also disclosed. The method, apparatus, and article of manufacture are particularly useful in assisting oil companies in making hydrocarbon reservoir data acquisition, drilling and field development decisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Alberto Malinverno, Michael Prange