Patents by Inventor Richard A. Rosthal

Richard A. Rosthal 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: 9476857
    Abstract: The apparatus employs the remote field eddy-current (RFEC) inspection technique to electromagnetically measure physical parameters of a metallic pipe. RFEC devices inserted into and displaced along a cylindrical pipes may be used to measure the ratio of pipe thickness to electromagnetic skin-depth and thus allow for the non-invasive detection of flaws or metal loss. Typically these RFEC thickness measurements exhibit a so-called double-indication of flaws, an undesired artifact due to a double-peaked geometrical sensitivity function of the device. The method describes a means by which this double indication artifact may be removed by an appropriate processing of RFEC measurements performed by an apparatus specifically designed for this purpose. The invention is particularly well designed for applications in the oilfield industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventors: Emmanuel Legendre, Thilo M Brill, Richard A. Rosthal, Gerald N. Minerbo
  • Patent number: 9069097
    Abstract: Methods and related systems are described for making measurements of an electromagnetic field in a subterranean formation that has been induced by a current loop. The current loop uses one or more steel wellbore casings as electrodes. Receiver arrays are positioned either at surface/seafloor, in the same, or in nearby wells. In the most general case, the receivers are tri-axial. A section of metallic casing in one well can be used as a current source and the electromagnetic field at surface can be measured using an array of EM receivers placed at a range of distances from the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hong Zhang, Richard A. Rosthal
  • Patent number: 9035657
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for conducting an electromagnetic borehole-to-surface survey of a formation surrounding a borehole. Such methods include deploying a dipole transmitter into the borehole to a depth of investigation, deploying an array of electromagnetic receivers outside of the wellbore, and measuring a response of the formation at the array of electromagnetic receivers deployed outside of the wellbore, for example at the surface. From the response of the formation a property of the formation can be determined based on the response of the formation measured at the array of electromagnetic receivers. For the scenario of a cased well, a local reference receiver may be added at a location proximate the borehole to measure the effective magnetic moment of the transmitter inside the casing, and normalize the formation response in order for a more accurate determination of a formation characteristic, such as resistivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hong Zhang, Richard A. Rosthal
  • Publication number: 20150127274
    Abstract: The apparatus employs the remote field eddy-current (RFEC) inspection technique to electromagnetically measure physical parameters of a metallic pipe. RFEC devices inserted into and displaced along a cylindrical pipes may be used to measure the ratio of pipe thickness to electromagnetic skin-depth and thus allow for the non-invasive detection of flaws or metal loss. Typically these RFEC thickness measurements exhibit a so-called double-indication of flaws, an undesired artifact due to a double-peaked geometrical sensitivity function of the device. The method describes a means by which this double indication artifact may be removed by an appropriate processing of RFEC measurements performed by an apparatus specifically designed for this purpose. The invention is particularly well designed for applications in the oilfield industry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Emmanuel Legendre, Thilo M. Brill, Richard A. Rosthal, Gerald N. Minerbo
  • Patent number: 8958989
    Abstract: The apparatus employs the remote field eddy-current (RFEC) inspection technique to electromagnetically measure physical parameters of a metallic pipe. RFEC devices inserted into and displaced along a cylindrical pipes may be used to measure the ratio of pipe thickness to electromagnetic skin-depth and thus allow for the non-invasive detection of flaws or metal loss. Typically these RFEC thickness measurements exhibit a so-called double-indication of flaws, an undesired artifact due to a double-peaked geometrical sensitivity function of the device. The method describes a means by which this double indication artifact may be removed by an appropriate processing of RFEC measurements performed by an apparatus specifically designed for this purpose. The invention is particularly well designed for applications in the oilfield industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Emmanuel Legendre, Thilo M. Brill, Richard A. Rosthal, Gerald N. Minerbo
  • Patent number: 8704523
    Abstract: Methods and related systems are described for making an electromagnetic induction survey of a formation surrounding a cased section of a borehole. An electromagnetic transmitter and/or receiver are deployed into the cased section of the borehole. One or more additional devices are used to measure the properties of a conductive casing relating to conductivity, thickness and magnetic permeability. A casing coefficient is then calculated that can then be used for the processing of the deep-sensing induction measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Cyrille Levesque, David Alumbaugh, Richard Rosthal, Hong Zhang
  • Patent number: 8638103
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to determining a property, such as resistivity, of an earth formation. A transmitter is disposed in a wellbore penetrating the formation, and a plurality of receivers are distributed on or near the earth's surface. The transmitter sends electromagnetic energy into the formation and the resulting signal, after passing through the formation, is detected by the array of receivers. The received signal is used to determine the property of the formation. This is often achieved using an inversion or numerical model of the formation being measured. The inversion takes into account changes in the background formation model due to transmitting from various locations. The measurements made on the formation can be performed while drilling the wellbore or subsequent to the drilling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Rosthal, Edward Nichols, John Lovell, Christopher Bogath
  • Patent number: 8614578
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to determining the attenuation of an electromagnetic signal passing through a conductive material. An antenna is provided and placed in relatively close proximity to the conductive material. An alternating current is passed through the antenna and the impedance of the antenna is measured. The attenuation is determined using the measured impedance. A single frequency measurement may be made, or multiple measurements using different frequencies may be made. Grouped parameters based on properties of the material and the frequency of the current are used to relate the coil impedance to the attenuation. A current frequency for which the ratio of the antenna's resistive part of the impedance to the angular frequency of the current is substantially insensitive to at least one of the parameters is preferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Guozhong Gao, H. Frank Morrison, Hong Zhang, Richard A. Rosthal, David Alumbaugh, Cyrille Levesque
  • Patent number: 8362780
    Abstract: Methods and related systems are described for making an electromagnetic induction survey of a formation surrounding a cased section of a borehole. An electromagnetic transmitter and/or receiver is deployed into the cased section of the borehole. Electromagnetic survey measurements and impedance measurements relating to impedance of the transmitter and/or receiver are made while deployed in the section of the borehole. Compensation is made for the attenuation amplitude and/or phase in the electromagnetic survey measurements due to the conductive casing. The compensation is based on the impedance measurements and equivalent circuit parameters. The impedance measurements are correlated with numerical modeling results of a purely inductive electromagnetic transducer, and calculated equivalent circuit parameters are combined with the numerical modeling results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Richard A. Rosthal, Hong Zhang
  • Patent number: 8332191
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to determining attenuation factors relating to an electromagnetic signal passing through, a conductive material seen by a real sensor. A sensor is provided and disposed proximate to the material. An alternating current is passed through the sensor and the impedance of the sensor is measured. The impedance of an ideal coil is obtained from the measured impedance using electromagnetic modeling combined with a circuit analysis of the coil impedance, and the attenuation factors for the real coil in straight or feedback mode are determined by electromagnetic modeling of casing attenuation factors and impedance of an ideal coil combined with equivalent circuit modeling of the sensor transfer functions. The attenuation factors seen by the real sensor may be determined in real-time or post-survey. The material may be magnetic or non-magnetic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Richard A. Rosthal, Hong Zhang, Cyrille Levesque, Guozhong Gao, H. Frank Morrison, David Alumbaugh
  • Patent number: 8326539
    Abstract: Impedances of an electromagnetic (EM) coil positioned in a well lined with an electrically conductive liner are determined. The impedances correspond to plural frequencies of operation of the EM coil. Based on the impedances of the EM coil corresponding to the plural frequencies, an attenuation factor associated with the electrically conductive liner is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Morrison, Edward Nichols, Richard A. Rosthal, Hong Zhang, Luis E. DePavia
  • Patent number: 8310239
    Abstract: A current sensor measures an electrical current flowing in well casing or other magnetic structure. The current sensor can be installed in a tool for performing electromagnetic (EM) induction surveying in a wellbore lined with an electrically conductive casing. The tool includes an EM element to transmit or receive a magnetic field through the casing. The measured current using the current sensor can be used to relate the change of casing effect on the EM element (e.g., an induction receiver) placed inside the well casing for performing the EM induction survey.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hong Zhang, Richard A. Rosthal
  • Publication number: 20120095686
    Abstract: The apparatus employs the remote field eddy-current (RFEC) inspection technique to electromagnetically measure physical parameters of a metallic pipe. RFEC devices inserted into and displaced along a cylindrical pipes may be used to measure the ratio of pipe thickness to electromagnetic skin-depth and thus allow for the non-invasive detection of flaws or metal loss. Typically these RFEC thickness measurements exhibit a so-called double-indication of flaws, an undesired artifact due to a double-peaked geometrical sensitivity function of the device. The method describes a means by which this double indication artifact may be removed by an appropriate processing of RFEC measurements performed by an apparatus specifically designed for this purpose. The invention is particularly well designed for applications in the oilfield industry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Emmanuel Legendre, Thilo M. Brill, Richard A. Rosthal, Gerald N. Minerbo
  • Publication number: 20110308789
    Abstract: Methods and related systems are described for making measurements of an electromagnetic field in a subterranean formation that has been induced by a current loop. The current loop uses one or more steel wellbore casings as electrodes. Receiver arrays are positioned either at surface/seafloor, in the same, or in nearby wells. In the most general case, the receivers are tri-axial. A section of metallic casing in one well can be used as a current source and the electromagnetic field at surface can be measured using an array of EM receivers placed at a range of distances from the wellbore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Hong Zhang, Richard A. Rosthal
  • Publication number: 20110012620
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to determining attenuation factors relating to an electromagnetic signal passing through, a conductive material seen by a real sensor. A sensor is provided and disposed proximate to the material. An alternating current is passed through the sensor and the impedance of the sensor is measured. The impedance of an ideal coil is obtained from the measured impedance using electromagnetic modeling combined with a circuit analysis of the coil impedance, and the attenuation factors for the real coil in straight or feedback mode are determined by electromagnetic modeling of casing attenuation factors and impedance of an ideal coil combined with equivalent circuit modeling of the sensor transfer functions. The attenuation factors seen by the real sensor may be determined in real-time or post-survey. The material may be magnetic or non-magnetic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Richard A. Rosthal, Hong Zhang, Cyrille Levesque, Guozhong Gao, H. Frank Morrison, David Alumbaugh
  • Publication number: 20100321023
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to determining the attenuation of an electromagnetic signal passing through a conductive material. An antenna is provided and placed in relatively close proximity to the conductive material. An alternating current is passed through the antenna and the impedance of the antenna is measured. The attenuation is determined using the measured impedance. A single frequency measurement may be made, or multiple measurements using different frequencies may be made. Grouped parameters based on properties of the material and the frequency of the current are used to relate the coil impedance to the attenuation. A current frequency for which the ratio of the antenna's resistive part of the impedance to the angular frequency of the current is substantially insensitive to at least one of the parameters is preferred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: Guozhong Gao, H. Frank Morrison, Hong Zhang, Richard A. Rosthal, David Alumbaugh, Cyrille Levesque
  • Publication number: 20100308832
    Abstract: To determine effect on a magnetic field caused by a lining structure in a wellbore, an array may be deployed into the wellbore lined with the lining structure. The array comprises a plurality of sensors including sensor A configured to operate as a transmitter, sensor B configured to operate as either a transmitter or a receiver, and sensor C configured to operate as a receiver. The array measures magnetic fields using sensor B as a receiver and sensor C in response to activation of sensor B as a transmitter and sensor A. A plurality of lining structure correction factors can be calculated based on the measured magnetic fields, based on the reciprocity of the sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Brian Clark, Frank Morrison, Edward Nichols, Hong Zhang, Richard A. Rosthal
  • Publication number: 20100259267
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to determining a property, such as resistivity, of an earth formation. A transmitter is disposed in a wellbore penetrating the formation, and a plurality of receivers are distributed on or near the earth's surface. The transmitter sends electromagnetic energy into the formation and the resulting signal, after passing through the formation, is detected by the array of receivers. The received signal is used to determine the property of the formation. This is often achieved using an inversion or numerical model of the formation being measured. The inversion takes into account changes in the background formation model due to transmitting from various locations. The measurements made on the formation can be performed while drilling the wellbore or subsequent to the drilling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Richard Rosthal, Edward Nichols, John Lovell, Christopher Bogath
  • Publication number: 20100259268
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for conducting an electromagnetic borehole-to-surface survey of a formation surrounding a borehole. Such methods include deploying a dipole transmitter into the borehole to a depth of investigation, deploying an array of electromagnetic receivers outside of the wellbore, and measuring a response of the formation at the array of electromagnetic receivers deployed outside of the wellbore, for example at the surface. From the response of the formation a property of the formation can be determined based on the response of the formation measured at the array of electromagnetic receivers. For the scenario of a cased well, a local reference receiver may be added at a location proximate the borehole to measure the effective magnetic moment of the transmitter inside the casing, and normalize the formation response in order for a more accurate determination of a formation characteristic, such as resistivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: HONG ZHANG, Richard A. Rosthal
  • Publication number: 20100231221
    Abstract: Methods and related systems are described for making an electromagnetic induction survey of a formation surrounding a cased section of a borehole. An electromagnetic transmitter and/or receiver is deployed into the cased section of the borehole. Electromagnetic survey measurements and impedance measurements relating to impedance of the transmitter and/or receiver are made while deployed in the section of the borehole. Compensation is made for the attenuation amplitude and/or phase in the electromagnetic survey measurements due to the conductive casing. The compensation is based on the impedance measurements and equivalent circuit parameters. The impedance measurements are correlated with numerical modeling results of a purely inductive electromagnetic transducer, and calculated equivalent circuit parameters are combined with the numerical modeling results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Richard A. Rosthal, Hong Zhang