Patents by Inventor Nestor Cuevas

Nestor Cuevas 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: 11150375
    Abstract: An electromagnetic (EM) data acquisition method for a geological formation may include operating EM measurement devices to determine phase and amplitude data from the geological formation. The EM measurement devices may include at least one first EM measurement device within a borehole in the geological formation, and at least one second EM measurement device at a surface of the geological formation. The method may further include processing the phase data independent from the amplitude data to generate a geological constituent map of the geological formation, and identifying different geological constituents in the geological constituent map based upon the measured amplitude data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ping Zhang, Nestor Cuevas, Michael Wilt, Jiuping Chen
  • Patent number: 10401528
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving one or more datasets including measured vertical electric and magnetic fields excited by one or more radial and azimuthal electric field antennas from a downtool into one or more processors, wherein each of the one or more datasets corresponds to a different position of the one or more radial azimuthal electric field antennas, simultaneously inverting the one or more datasets using the one or more processors, and as a result of the simultaneous inversion, generating by the one or more processors a three-dimensional (3D) image of a portion of the geological formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignees: SCHLUMBER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Nestor Cuevas, Michael Wilt, Ping Zhang, Jiuping Chen, Daniele Colombo, Gary Wayne McNeice
  • Patent number: 10209388
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses to generate a crosswell data set are described. In certain aspects, a method includes producing a first electromagnetic field at the earth's surface with a transmitter at a first location, detecting in a first borehole a first field signal induced by the first electromagnetic field, detecting in a second borehole a second field signal induced by the first electromagnetic field, and generating a crosswell data set from the first field signal and the second field signal. A formation model may be created from the crosswell data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Wilt, Ping Zhang, Nestor Cuevas, Jiuping Chen
  • Publication number: 20170146681
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving one or more datasets including measured vertical electric and magnetic fields excited by one or more radial and azimuthal electric field antennas from a downtool into one or more processors, wherein each of the one or more datasets corresponds to a different position of the one or more radial azimuthal electric field antennas, simultaneously inverting the one or more datasets using the one or more processors, and as a result of the simultaneous inversion, generating by the one or more processors a three-dimensional (3D) image of a portion of the geological formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Nestor Cuevas, Michael Wilt, Ping Zhang, Jiuping Chen
  • Patent number: 9625604
    Abstract: A method analyzes a subterranean formation. At least one property of a well casing in the subterranean formation is determined and a plurality of current source vectors at respective positions along a trajectory of the well casing are determined. The effect of the well casing is determined based upon the plurality of current source vectors and the at least one property of the well casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nestor Cuevas, David L. Alumbaugh, Edward Nichols
  • Publication number: 20160291192
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to a method of performing an electromagnetic survey operation. The method may include measuring an electric field of a subsurface area using sensors in a well disposed within the subsurface area. The method may include computing a first current density by multiplying the electric field with a measured electric resistivity in the well. The method may include creating a resistivity model of the subsurface area. The method may include running a simulation on the resistivity model to create a second current density. The method may include calculating a misfit by comparing the first current density to the second current density. The method may also include adjusting the resistivity model based on the misfit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Nestor CUEVAS, Michael WILT, Ping ZHANG, Jiuping CHEN
  • Patent number: 9395463
    Abstract: Electromagnetic (EM) survey processing comprising operating an electronic device to model expected EM field components to be measured by an EM apparatus associated with a subterranean formation, wherein the EM apparatus comprises at least one EM source and at least one EM receiver. The electronic device may be operated to determine one or more ratios of the modeled EM field components. The at least one EM source may be operated to emit an EM signal into the subterranean formation, and the at least one EM receiver may be operated to measure actual EM field components of the EM signal. The electronic device may then be operated to compare the one or more ratios of the modeled EM field components with one or more ratios of the actual EM field components. The one or more ratios of the modeled EM field components may then be updated based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nestor Cuevas, Ping Zhang
  • Publication number: 20150204997
    Abstract: Electromagnetic (EM) survey processing comprising operating an electronic device to model expected EM field components to be measured by an EM apparatus associated with a subterranean formation, wherein the EM apparatus comprises at least one EM source and at least one EM receiver. The electronic device may be operated to determine one or more ratios of the modeled EM field components. The at least one EM source may be operated to emit an EM signal into the subterranean formation, and the at least one EM receiver may be operated to measure actual EM field components of the EM signal. The electronic device may then be operated to compare the one or more ratios of the modeled EM field components with one or more ratios of the actual EM field components. The one or more ratios of the modeled EM field components may then be updated based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Nestor Cuevas, Ping Zhang
  • Publication number: 20150177413
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses to generate a crosswell data set are described. In certain aspects, a method includes producing a first electromagnetic field at the earth's surface with a transmitter at a first location, detecting in a first borehole a first field signal induced by the first electromagnetic field, detecting in a second borehole a second field signal induced by the first electromagnetic field, and generating a crosswell data set from the first field signal and the second field signal. A formation model may be created from the crosswell data set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Wilt, Ping Zhang, Nestor Cuevas, Jiuping Chen
  • Publication number: 20150083404
    Abstract: A method may include modeling a bulk electromagnetic (EM) characteristic of a composite material including a fracturing fluid, a proppant, and a sensing additive. The method may further include generating a modeled propped fracture pattern for a subterranean formation having the composite material injected therein, and generating a three dimensional (3D) arrangement of cells based upon the bulk EM characteristic and the modeled propped fracture pattern using an effective medium theory (EMT) model, with each cell having a modeled localized EM characteristic associated therewith. The method may also include injecting the composite material into the subterranean formation to cause an actual propped fracture pattern, collecting EM data based upon the sensing additive within the actual propped fracture pattern, and determining a respective actual EM characteristic for each cell based upon the modeled localized EM characteristics and the collected EM data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Wilt, Nestor Cuevas, Lindsey Heagy
  • Patent number: 8947093
    Abstract: Methods and related systems are described for measuring naturally occurring electromagnetic fields both at the earth's surface as well as downhole. These fields originate from currents in the ionosphere above the earth, and are the same fields as employed by known magnetotelluric geophysical methods based on surface measurements. Some embodiments are especially useful in horizontal wells that are uncased at depth, although some embodiments are also useful in normal vertical wells that are both uncased or cased with a conductive liner. The method includes receiving downhole electromagnetic survey data of the naturally occurring electromagnetic fields obtained using a downhole receiver deployed at a first location in a borehole. A second set of electromagnetic survey data of the naturally occurring electromagnetic fields is also received that has been obtained using a receiver deployed at a second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: David Alumbaugh, Edward Nichols, Nestor Cuevas
  • Publication number: 20140200808
    Abstract: An electromagnetic (EM) data acquisition method for a geological formation may include operating EM measurement devices to determine phase and amplitude data from the geological formation. The EM measurement devices may include at least one first EM measurement device within a borehole in the geological formation, and at least one second EM measurement device at a surface of the geological formation. The method may further include processing the phase data independent from the amplitude data to generate a geological constituent map of the geological formation, and identifying different geological constituents in the geological constituent map based upon the measured amplitude data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Ping Zhang, Nestor Cuevas, Michael Wilt, Jiuping Chen
  • Publication number: 20140132272
    Abstract: A method analyzes a subterranean formation. At least one property of a well casing in the subterranean formation is determined and a plurality of current source vectors at respective positions along a trajectory of the well casing are determined. The effect of the well casing is determined based upon the plurality of current source vectors and the at least one property of the well casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventors: Nestor Cuevas, David L. Alumbaugh, Edward Nichols
  • Patent number: 8378685
    Abstract: To perform a marine survey of a subterranean structure, a vertically oriented electromagnetic (EM) source is positioned in a body of water, where the EM source is coincident with an EM receiver. The EM source is activated to cause transmission of EM energy into the subterranean structure. After deactivation of the EM source, an EM field affected by the subterranean structure is measured by the EM receiver. In an alternative implementation, a survey system is provided that has a continuous wave EM source, a main EM receiver, and an auxiliary EM receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: H. Frank Morrison, David L. Alumbaugh, Nestor Cuevas
  • Patent number: 8289025
    Abstract: A survey module includes at least one sensing element to measure a first electromagnetic (EM) field along a first direction, and circuitry to derive a second EM field along a second, different direction based on the first EM field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Edward Nichols, Nestor Cuevas
  • Publication number: 20110227579
    Abstract: To perform a marine survey of a subterranean structure, a vertically oriented electromagnetic (EM) source is positioned in a body of water, where the EM source is coincident with an EM receiver. The EM source is activated to cause transmission of EM energy into the subterranean structure. After deactivation of the EM source, an EM field affected by the subterranean structure is measured by the EM receiver. In an alternative implementation, a survey system is provided that has a continuous wave EM source, a main EM receiver, and an auxiliary EM receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventors: H. Frank Morrison, David L. Alumbaugh, Nestor Cuevas
  • Patent number: 8008921
    Abstract: A system to perform a marine subterranean survey includes at least one vertical electromagnetic (EM) source and at least one EM receiver to measure a response of a subterranean structure that is responsive to EM signals produced by the vertical EM source. At least one tow cable is used to tow the EM source and EM receiver through a body of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: David L. Alumbaugh, Andrea Zerilli, H. Frank Morrison, Martin Howlid, James P. Brady, Leendert Combee, Edward Nichols, Nestor Cuevas
  • Publication number: 20110001482
    Abstract: Methods and related systems are described for measuring naturally occurring electromagnetic fields both at the earth's surface as well as downhole. These fields originate from currents in the ionosphere above the earth, and are the same fields as employed by known magnetotelluric geophysical methods based on surface measurements. Some embodiments are especially useful in horizontal wells that are uncased at depth, although some embodiments are also useful in normal vertical wells that are both uncased or cased with a conductive liner. The method includes receiving downhole electromagnetic survey data of the naturally occurring electromagnetic fields obtained using a downhole receiver deployed at a first location in a borehole. A second set of electromagnetic survey data of the naturally occurring electromagnetic fields is also received that has been obtained using a receiver deployed at a second location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventors: David Alumbaugh, Edward Nichols, Nestor Cuevas
  • Publication number: 20100321024
    Abstract: A survey module includes at least one sensing element to measure a first electromagnetic (EM) field along a first direction, and circuitry to derive a second EM field along a second, different direction based on the first EM field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: Edward Nichols, Nestor Cuevas
  • Patent number: 7800373
    Abstract: A method of determining an orientation of a data acquisition system deployed on a seafloor includes measuring horizontal magnetic fields using detectors on the data acquisition system while the data acquisition rotates and descends to the seafloor or rises from the seafloor. Resting horizontal magnetic fields are measured after the data acquisition system is on the seafloor. A heading of the data acquisition system on the seafloor may be determined based on maximum and minimum horizontal magnetic fields measured during the descent and the resting horizontal magnetic fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Nestor Cuevas, Edward Nichols