Patents by Inventor Stewart A. Levin

Stewart A. Levin 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: 8233351
    Abstract: A system and method for locating subsurface diffractors. The method operates on two-dimensional (2-D) seismic data that includes one or more 2-D seismic lines. The 2-D seismic data may be preprocessed to enhance diffracted energy. For each hypothetical diffractor location in a set of hypothetical diffractor locations, the method involves analyzing at least a subset of the seismic traces of the one or more 2-D seismic lines, in order to compute a value indicating an extent to which those seismic traces contain diffraction arrivals consistent with the hypothetical diffractor location. The method may further involve generating, storing and displaying an image (or map) based on the computed values. The image may illustrate areas of high, intermediate and low diffraction, and may be used to assess the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation
    Inventor: Stewart A. Levin
  • Publication number: 20120055669
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a parameter of a subterranean formation using swellable materials is disclosed. The system may include a sensor device configured to detect a parameter of a subterranean formation. The system may also include a swellable material configured to position the sensor device toward a surface of the subterranean formation by swelling of the swellable material. The system may further include a telescoping section coupled to the sensor device and emplaced in the swellable material. The telescoping section may be configured to extend with the positioning of the sensor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Stewart A. Levin, Ron G. Dusterhoft, Jim Longbottom, Norman R. Warpinski, James D. Vick, JR.
  • Publication number: 20110313667
    Abstract: A system and method for locating subsurface diffractors. The method operates on two-dimensional (2-D) seismic data that includes one or more 2-D seismic lines. The 2-D seismic data may be preprocessed to enhance diffracted energy. For each hypothetical diffractor location in a set of hypothetical diffractor locations, the method involves analyzing at least a subset of the seismic traces of the one or more 2-D seismic lines, in order to compute a value indicating an extent to which those seismic traces contain diffraction arrivals consistent with the hypothetical diffractor location. The method may further involve generating, storing and displaying an image (or map) based on the computed values. The image may illustrate areas of high, intermediate and low diffraction, and may be used to assess the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventor: Stewart A. Levin
  • Publication number: 20110277996
    Abstract: Some aspects of the present disclosure include monitoring fluid flow in a subterranean reservoir. In some implementations, a sealant mixture is injected into a subterranean reservoir to form a flow barrier in the subterranean reservoir. The sealant mixture includes a sealant material and a tracer. The tracer may be stored in the flow barrier, and the tracer may be displaced from the flow barrier, for example, by fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir. The displaced tracer may be detected, for example, in fluid produced into a well bore in the subterranean reservoir. Fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir may be analyzed based on detection of the tracer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Alvin S. Cullick, Leldon M. Farabee, Norm R. Warpinski, Robert F. Shelley, Stewart A. Levin
  • Patent number: 8045417
    Abstract: A system and method for locating subsurface diffractors. The method operates on two-dimensional (2-D) seismic data that includes one or more 2-D seismic lines. The 2-D seismic data may be preprocessed to enhance diffracted energy. For each hypothetical diffractor location in a set of hypothetical diffractor locations, the method involves analyzing at least a subset of the seismic traces of the one or more 2-D seismic lines, in order to compute a value indicating an extent to which those seismic traces contain diffraction arrivals consistent with the hypothetical diffractor location. The method may further involve generating, storing and displaying an image (or map) based on the computed values. The image may illustrate areas of high, intermediate and low diffraction, and may be used to assess the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation
    Inventor: Stewart A. Levin
  • Patent number: 7843766
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring time-dependant subsurface changes from imperfectly repeated data measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation
    Inventor: Stewart A. Levin
  • Patent number: 7702463
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing the resolution of a seismic data image displayed on a face of a sampling probe. The enhanced image represents a maximum resolution of at least a portion of the seismic data image. The seismic data image is enhanced by extracting seismic data that are perpendicular to a reflection surface that is closest to a center of the sampling probe and positioning the extracted seismic data in a visible planar face of the sampling probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation, a Halliburton Company
    Inventor: Stewart A. Levin
  • Publication number: 20090238041
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring time-dependant subsurface changes from imperfectly repeated data measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: Landmark Graphics Corporation, a Halliburton Company
    Inventor: Stewart A. Levin
  • Publication number: 20090228255
    Abstract: A system and method for locating subsurface diffractors. The method operates on two-dimensional (2-D) seismic data that includes one or more 2-D seismic lines. The 2-D seismic data may be preprocessed to enhance diffracted energy. For each hypothetical diffractor location in a set of hypothetical diffractor locations, the method involves analyzing at least a subset of the seismic traces of the one or more 2-D seismic lines, in order to compute a value indicating an extent to which those seismic traces contain diffraction arrivals consistent with the hypothetical diffractor location. The method may further involve generating, storing and displaying an image (or map) based on the computed values. The image may illustrate areas of high, intermediate and low diffraction, and may be used to assess the formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventor: Stewart A. Levin
  • Publication number: 20090157322
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing the resolution of a seismic data image displayed on a face of a sampling probe. The enhanced image represents a maximum resolution of at least a portion of the seismic data image. The seismic data image is enhanced by extracting seismic data that are perpendicular to a reflection surface that is closest to a center of the sampling probe and positioning the extracted seismic data in a visible planar face of the sampling probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Landmark Graphics Corporation, a Halliburton Company
    Inventor: Stewart A. Levin
  • Patent number: 7450468
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media are provided for interactively determining optimum deghosting parameter values for suppressing ghost reflections. Seismic data are obtained from various hydrophone/geophone receiver locations. Energy traces are generated which include measures of the deghosting parameter values from the seismic data obtained from each of the hydrophone/geophone receiver locations. The energy traces are displayed. A set of seed values is provided by the user. In response to receiving the user seed values, deghosting parameter values are picked based on the energy traces. The picked deghosting parameter values are displayed. A user then interactively edits and/or smooths the picks to obtain optimum deghosting parameter values. The optimum deghosting parameter values are utilized for suppressing ghost reflections in the seismic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel J. Grygier, David Earle Johnston, Stewart A. Levin
  • Publication number: 20060083107
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media are provided for interactively determining optimum deghosting parameter values for suppressing ghost reflections. Seismic data are obtained from various hydrophone/geophone receiver locations. Energy traces are generated which include measures of the deghosting parameter values from the seismic data obtained from each of the hydrophone/geophone receiver locations. The energy traces are displayed. A set of seed values is provided by the user. In response to receiving the user seed values, deghosting parameter values are picked based on the energy traces. The picked deghosting parameter values are displayed. A user then interactively edits and/or smooths the picks to obtain optimum deghosting parameter values. The optimum deghosting parameter values are utilized for suppressing ghost reflections in the seismic data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Inventors: Daniel Grygier, David Johntson, Stewart Levin
  • Patent number: 6735527
    Abstract: System and method for analyzing seismic data from a formation. Stacked seismic data are provided, including a plurality of stack traces, e.g., by collecting seismic data from source and receiver locations and stacking the collected seismic data to produce the stacked seismic data. 3-dimensional (3-D) prestack traces are generated from the plurality of stack traces, e.g., by performing inverse moveout of stack traces, e.g., in a specified neighborhood, at common-depth-points, e.g., by inverse normal moveout, ray tracing, spike synthesis, etc. The inverse moveout corrected traces are convolved to compute predicted multiples which are useable in analyzing the formation. The multiples may be adaptively subtracted from the stacked seismic data, or optionally, from prestack data, to generate processed seismic data useable in analyzing the formation, e.g., for petroleum production potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation
    Inventor: Stewart A. Levin
  • Patent number: 5051960
    Abstract: A method of removing multiple reflection events from seismic records is described. A shallow primary reflection event is used as a model for a deeper primary, and is distorted responsive to the predicted static correction to yield a model for the multiple. The method is applied to common depth point (CDP) records, in which the common-midpoint contribution of the multiple to each CDP record can be assumed to be equal. Preferably, a total least squares correlation step is used to design a convolutional filter applied to the data records to remove the multiples therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventor: Stewart A. Levin