Patents by Inventor Walter Sollner

Walter Sollner 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: 11914090
    Abstract: Processes and systems described herein are directed to performing marine surveys with marine vibrators that emit orthogonal coded pseudo-random sweeps. In one aspect, coded pseudo-random signals are generated based on coded pseudo-random sequences. The coded pseudo-random sequences are used to activate the marine vibrators in a body of water above a subterranean formation. The activated marine vibrators generate orthogonal coded pseudo-random sweeps. A wavefield emitted from the subterranean formation in response to the orthogonal coded pseudo-random sweeps is detected at receivers located in a body of water. Seismic signals generated by the receivers may be cross-correlated with a signature of one of the orthogonal coded pseudo-random sweeps to obtain seismic data with incoherent residual noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Okwudili Orji, Endrias G. Asgedom, Walter Söllner
  • Patent number: 11709288
    Abstract: Processes and systems described herein are directed to imaging a subterranean formation from seismic data recorded in a marine survey with moving marine vibrators. The marine vibrators generate random sweeps with random sweep signatures. Processes and systems generate an up-going pressure wavefield from measured pressure and vertical velocity wavefield data recorded in the marine survey and obtain a downgoing vertical acceleration wavefield that records source wavefields, directivity, source ghosts, and random signatures of the random sweeps. The downgoing vertical acceleration wavefield data is deconvolved from the up-going pressure wavefield to obtain a subsurface reflectivity wavefield that is used to generate an image of the subterranean formation with reduced contamination from source wavefields, directivity, source ghosts, and random signatures of the random sweeps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Endrias G. Asgedom, Okwudili Orji, Walter Söllner
  • Patent number: 11467306
    Abstract: Processes and systems for generating images of a subterranean formation from recorded seismic data obtained in a marine survey are described. Processes and systems compute reverse-time receiver-motion-corrected upgoing and downgoing pressure wavefields at different locations of corresponding upgoing and downgoing observation levels based on the recorded seismic data. The reverse-time receiver-motion-corrected upgoing and downgoing pressure wavefields are time forwarded and extrapolated to obtain a corresponding receiver-motion-corrected upgoing and downgoing pressure wavefields at locations of a static observation level. An image of the subterranean formation is generated based at least in part on the receiver-motion-corrected upgoing pressure wavefield and the receiver-motion-corrected downgoing pressure wavefield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS
    Inventors: Walter Söllner, Elsa Cecconello
  • Patent number: 11327195
    Abstract: Processes and systems are described for generating an image of a subterranean formation from seismic data recorded during a marine survey that employed a moving vibrational source. Processes and systems compute an up-going pressure wavefield from pressure data and vertical velocity data recorded in the marine survey. A direct incident downgoing vertical velocity wavefield that includes Doppler effects created by the moving vibrational source and characterizes a source wavefield and source ghost of the moving vibrational source is computed and deconvolved from the upgoing pressure wavefield to generate a subsurface reflectivity wavefield. The subsurface reflectivity wavefield is effectively free of contamination from the source wavefield, the source ghost, and the Doppler related effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS
    Inventors: Walter Söllner, Endrias G. Asgedom, Mickael Bastard, Okwudili Orji
  • Patent number: 11143772
    Abstract: Processes and systems for deblending blended seismic data with attenuated source signatures and source ghost are described. Processes and systems compute blended upgoing pressure wavefield based on blended pressure wavefield and blended vertical velocity wavefield recorded in a marine survey of a subterranean formation. Downgoing vertical velocity wavefield is computed based on near-field pressure wavefields generated by source elements of sources activated in the marine survey. Deblended wavefield is computed based on the blended upgoing pressure wavefield and the downgoing vertical velocity source wavefield. The deblended wavefield may be used to generate an image of the subterranean formation with the source signatures and source ghosts contained in the blended pressure wavefield and blended vertical velocity wavefield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Endrias Asgedom, Walter Söllner
  • Publication number: 20210270984
    Abstract: A proposed geometrical distribution for a first non-impulsive source and a second non-impulsive source of a source array can be received. A near-field-to-notional computation can be performed for the proposed geometrical distribution to yield a respective computed notional output of the first and second non-impulsive sources. Whether the computed notional output of the first non-impulsive source has a first amount of residue greater than a threshold amount of residue can be determined. Whether the computed notional output of the second non-impulsive source has a second amount of residue greater than the threshold amount of residue can be determined. An indication whether either of the first or second amounts of residue is less than or equal to the threshold amount of residue can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Okwudili Orji, Walter Sollner, Endrias Asgedom
  • Patent number: 11105945
    Abstract: Processes and systems for deblending blended seismic data with attenuated source signatures and free-surface effects are described. The blended seismic data may have been recorded in a marine survey in which multiple sources are activated in the body of water above a subterranean formation. Receivers record overlapping pressure and vertical velocity wavefield responses from the subterranean formation as corresponding blended pressure wavefield and blended vertical velocity wavefield. Processes and systems compute an upgoing pressure wavefield and a downgoing vertical velocity wavefield based on the blended pressure wavefield and blended vertical velocity wavefield. Deblended primary pressure wavefields are computed based on the upgoing pressure and downgoing vertical velocity. The deblended primary pressure wavefields may be used to generate images of the subterranean formation that are substantially free of source signatures and free-surface effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Elsa Cecconello, Endrias Asgedom, Walter Söllner
  • Patent number: 10983234
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to processes and systems that generate enhanced-resolution seismic images by interpolating sparsely recorded seismic data. Structured dictionary learning is employed to train a set of basis vectors, called “atoms,” and corresponding sparse coefficients on patches of the recorded seismic data. The atoms are constrained to represent the geometric structure of reflection events in the recorded seismic data gather. Linear combinations of the atoms are used to compute interpolated patches over a finer receiver-coordinate grid. The interpolated patches replace the original patches in the recorded seismic data to obtain interpolated seismic data that can be used to generate an image of the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Pierre Turquais, Endrias Asgedom, Walter Söllner
  • Publication number: 20210063593
    Abstract: Processes and systems described herein are directed to imaging a subterranean formation from seismic data recorded in a marine survey with moving marine vibrators. The marine vibrators generate random sweeps with random sweep signatures. Processes and systems generate an up-going pressure wavefield from measured pressure and vertical velocity wavefield data recorded in the marine survey and obtain a downgoing vertical acceleration wavefield that records source wavefields, directivity, source ghosts, and random signatures of the random sweeps. The downgoing vertical acceleration wavefield data is deconvolved from the up-going pressure wavefield to obtain a subsurface reflectivity wavefield that is used to generate an image of the subterranean formation with reduced contamination from source wavefields. directivity, source ghosts, and random signatures of the random sweeps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS
    Inventors: Endrias G. Asgedom, Okwudili Orji, Walter Söllner
  • Publication number: 20210063597
    Abstract: Processes and systems described herein are directed to performing marine surveys with marine vibrators that emit orthogonal coded pseudo-random sweeps. In one aspect, coded pseudo-random signals are generated based on coded pseudo-random sequences. The coded pseudo-random sequences are used to activate the marine vibrators in a body of water above a subterranean formation. The activated marine vibrators generate orthogonal coded pseudo-random sweeps. A wavefield emitted from the subterranean formation in response to the orthogonal coded pseudo-random sweeps is detected at receivers located in a body of water. Seismic signals generated by the receivers may be cross-correlated with a signature of one of the orthogonal coded pseudo-random sweeps to obtain seismic data with incoherent residual noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Okwudili Orji, Endrias G. Asgedom, Walter Söllner
  • Publication number: 20200124755
    Abstract: Processes and systems are described for generating an image of a subterranean formation from seismic data recorded during a marine survey that employed a moving vibrational source. Processes and systems compute an up-going pressure wavefield from pressure data and vertical velocity data recorded in the marine survey. A direct incident downgoing vertical velocity wavefield that includes Doppler effects created by the moving vibrational source and characterizes a source wavefield and source ghost of the moving vibrational source is computed and deconvolved from the upgoing pressure wavefield to generate a subsurface reflectivity wavefield. The subsurface reflectivity wavefield is effectively free of contamination from the source wavefield, the source ghost, and the Doppler related effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Walter Söllner, Endrias G. Asgedom, Mickael Bastard, Okwudili Orji
  • Patent number: 10578756
    Abstract: The current disclosure is directed to methods and systems to determine properties of a subterranean formation located below a body of water. The methods and systems compute synthetic pressure and velocity vector wavefields that represent acoustic energy interactions within a model environment that comprises a model body of water located above a model subterranean formation. The model environment is separated into a stationary region and a time-varying region. The methods and systems include determining properties of the subterranean formation by iteratively adjusting the model environment to approximate the actual subterranean formation. The model environment is iteratively adjusted until a minimum difference between the synthetic pressure and velocity vector wavefields computed for each change to the model environment and actual pressure and velocity wave fields obtained from a marine seismic survey of the subterranean formation is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Endrias G. Asgedom, Elsa Cecconello, Okwudili Orji, Walter Söllner
  • Patent number: 10459097
    Abstract: Methods and Systems for extrapolating wavefields while avoiding disruptions due to spatial aliasing are disclosed. Pressure wavefields measured with pressure sensors and vertical and horizontal velocity wavefields measured with three-axial motions sensors may be spatially aliased in at least one horizontal direction. The pressure wavefield and/or the vertical velocity wavefield are decomposed into one of an up-going wavefield and a down-going wavefield. The up-going or down-going wavefield is extrapolated using an extrapolator that depends on components of a slowness vector. In order to avoid disruptions in the extrapolated wavefield due to spatial aliasing, the components of the slowness vector are calculated from the measured pressure wavefield and the two horizontal velocity wavefields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventor: Walter Sollner
  • Patent number: 10444386
    Abstract: Methods and systems that compute an approximate vertical-velocity wavefield based on a measured pressure wavefield and knowledge of the free-surface shape when the pressure wavefield was measured are described. The measured pressure wavefield is used to compute an approximate frozen free-surface profile of the free surface. The approximate frozen free-surface profile and the measured pressure wavefield are then used to compute an approximate vertical-velocity wavefield that does not include low-frequency streamer vibrational noise. The approximate vertical-velocity wavefield and measured pressure wavefield may be used to separate the pressure wavefield into up-going and down-going pressure wavefields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Okwudili Chuks Orji, Endrias Getachew Asgedom, Walter Söllner
  • Publication number: 20190257965
    Abstract: Processes and systems for deblending blended seismic data with attenuated source signatures and source ghost are described. Processes and systems compute blended upgoing pressure wavefield based on blended pressure wavefield and blended vertical velocity wavefield recorded in a marine survey of a subterranean formation. Downgoing vertical velocity wavefield is computed based on near-field pressure wavefields generated by source elements of sources activated in the marine survey. Deblended wavefield is computed based on the blended upgoing pressure wavefield and the downgoing vertical velocity source wavefield. The deblended wavefield may be used to generate an image of the subterranean formation with the source signatures and source ghosts contained in the blended pressure wavefield and blended vertical velocity wavefield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Endrias Asgedom, Walter Söllner
  • Publication number: 20190257966
    Abstract: Processes and systems for deblending blended seismic data with attenuated source signatures and free-surface effects are described. The blended seismic data may have been recorded in a marine survey in which multiple sources are activated in the body of water above a subterranean formation. Receivers record overlapping pressure and vertical velocity wavefield responses from the subterranean formation as corresponding blended pressure wavefield and blended vertical velocity wavefield. Processes and systems compute an upgoing pressure wavefield and a downgoing vertical velocity wavefield based on the blended pressure wavefield and blended vertical velocity wavefield. Deblended primary pressure wavefields are computed based on the upgoing pressure and downgoing vertical velocity. The deblended primary pressure wavefields may be used to generate images of the subterranean formation that are substantially free of source signatures and free-surface effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Elsa Cecconello, Endrias Asgedom, Walter Söllner
  • Publication number: 20190137643
    Abstract: Processes and systems for generating images of a subterranean formation from recorded seismic data obtained in a marine survey are described. Processes and systems compute reverse-time receiver-motion-corrected upgoing and downgoing pressure wavefields at different locations of corresponding upgoing and downgoing observation levels based on the recorded seismic data. The reverse-time receiver-motion-corrected upgoing and downgoing pressure wavefields are time forwarded and extrapolated to obtain a corresponding receiver-motion-corrected upgoing and downgoing pressure wavefields at locations of a static observation level. An image of the subterranean formation is generated based at least in part on the receiver-motion-corrected upgoing pressure wavefield and the receiver-motion-corrected downgoing pressure wavefield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Walter Söllner, Elsa Cecconello
  • Publication number: 20190120987
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to positioning signal sources in a tuned source array for use in seismic surveying. In various embodiments, a survey vessel deploys a plurality of signal sources distributed in a source array. In some embodiments, the plurality of signal sources includes a first signal source positioned at a first depth in a body of water, and a second signal source positioned at a second, shallower depth in the body of water. Various embodiments include controlling the first and second depths such that the first signal source and the second signal source are positioned at substantially the same distance from a target subsurface location in a geological formation. Further, in various embodiments, the first and second signal sources are activated to generate first and second seismic signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Walter Söllner, Okwudili Orji
  • Publication number: 20190120982
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to tuned seismic signal source arrays for use in seismic surveying. In various embodiments, a survey vessel deploys a plurality of signal sources, including a first signal source and a second signal source, where the first signal source is positioned at a first distance from a subsurface location in a geological formation and the second signal source is positioned at a second distance from the subsurface location that is less than the first distance. Further, various embodiments include performing a first activation of the first signal source at a first time to generate a first seismic signal, and performing a second activation of the second signal source at a second time to generate a second seismic signal, where a particular activation characteristic of the first and second activations differs based on a differences between the first distance and the second distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Walter Söllner, Okwudili Orji
  • Patent number: 10156651
    Abstract: Methods and systems to remove source wavefield and source ghost effects from marine seismic data are described. The methods and systems may be used to substantially remove source wavefield and source ghost effects from marine seismic data collected in rough weather conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventor: Walter Söllner