3-d Patents (Class 367/72)
  • Patent number: 12175599
    Abstract: A method for three-dimensional (3D) imaging of an underground goaf includes: obtaining a video image and point cloud data of an underground goaf; determining a posture transformation matrix, and aligning the video image and the point cloud data; identifying a material texture based on the video image to obtain material texture information; dividing the point cloud data into triangular meshes to form an initial 3D model of the underground goaf; mapping the material texture information onto the 3D model to form a target 3D model with a material texture attribute; calculating a bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of the target 3D model based on the material texture attribute; simulating global illumination, and constructing a rendering equation; and making a setting to emit ray from a viewpoint, and performing ray tracing based on the rendering equation to obtain a high-brightness real scene image of the underground goaf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignees: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF GEOSCIENCES (WUHAN), Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Yule Hu, Yuyong Jiao, Xuefeng Yan, Zengqiang Han, Yiteng Wang, Luyi Shen, Junpeng Zou, Fei Zheng, Peng Zhang
  • Patent number: 12061303
    Abstract: A method of analysing seismic data from a geological structure. The method includes determining a set of tiles from a data cube of seismic data and determining which tiles of the set of tiles can be grouped into one or more patches of tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: EQUINOR ENERGY AS
    Inventor: Øyvind Skjæveland
  • Patent number: 12007518
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable media for identifying type curve regions as a function of position in a region of interest are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may include: obtaining a spatial clustering model from the non-transitory storage medium; obtaining well data from the non-transitory storage medium; obtaining production parameter data from the non-transitory storage medium; and delineating each of the type curve regions in the region of interest by applying the spatial clustering model to the well data and the production parameter data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
    Inventors: Shane James Prochnow, Benjamin Rodolphe Cormier, Vahid Tohidi, Michelle Wan
  • Patent number: 11972581
    Abstract: This disclosure presents a process to determine an alignment parameter for geosteering a wellbore undergoing drilling operations. The process can receive one or more azimuthal image log data sets, one or more geology logs, and other input parameters. The image log data sets can be transformed to better approximate the geology logs, such as transforming a 3D representation to a 2D representation and flattening out curves represented in the original image log data. The geology logs or transformed image log data can then be moved to create an approximate alignment between the other log data. The movement, which can be a sliding movement, a linear movement, a tilting movement, an angling movement, or a rotating movement, can be used to determine the determined alignment parameter or final alignment parameter. The alignment parameter can be used as input into a geosteering system for the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy James Combs, William David Bethancourt, Renata Da Gama Saintive, Clinton Keith Bates, Robert Grant Gillson, III
  • Patent number: 11531130
    Abstract: There is disclosed in the present disclosure a seismic full horizon tracking method, a computer device and a computer-readable storage medium. The method includes: acquiring three-dimensional seismic data; extracting horizon extreme points from the three-dimensional seismic data to construct a sample space; equally dividing the sample space into a plurality of sub-spaces with overlapping portions, and performing a clustering process on the horizon extreme points in each sub-space to obtain horizon fragments corresponding to each horizon of the three-dimensional seismic data; establishing a topological consistency between the horizon fragments; and fusing the horizon fragments corresponding to each horizon of the three-dimensional seismic data based on the topological consistency, to obtain a full horizon tracking result of the three-dimensional seismic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: PETROCHINA COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Mingjun Su, Zhong Hong, Qingyun Han, Tao Deng, Xiangli Cui, Feng Qian, Guangmin Hu, Yunze Xu
  • Patent number: 11454734
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a horizon patch extraction process and in particular, to receiving seismic trace data of a plurality of seismic events of a subterranean volume, selecting a first seismic trace based on the seismic trace data of the plurality of seismic events, the first seismic trace including a plurality of seismic onsets, determining a depth, an amplitude, and a first thickness of a first seismic onset of the first seismic trace, determining a second thickness between the first seismic onset and a second seismic onset, determining a third thickness between the first seismic onset and a third seismic onset, and generating a horizon patch based on the depth, the amplitude, and the first thickness of the first seismic onset, the second thickness between the first seismic onset and the second seismic onset, and the third thickness between the first seismic onset and the third seismic onset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Xuan Nam Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11353622
    Abstract: System and method of developing a hydrocarbon reservoir that includes the following: determining, for each of the layers, a reservoir model defining layers representing a portion of a hydrocarbon reservoir; determining points of intersection; generating, for each of the layers, a two-dimensional (2D) unstructured mesh layer including a triangulated mesh; generating, for each pair of adjacent 2D unstructured mesh layers of the reservoir model, a three-dimensional (3D) tetrahedral mesh; generating, for the 3D tetrahedral mesh, a 3D triangulated tetrahedral mesh; generating, for the 3D triangulated tetrahedral mesh, a 3D vertically-refined triangulated tetrahedral mesh; generating, for the 3D vertically-refined triangulated tetrahedral mesh, a 3D dual mesh; and generating, using the 3D dual mesh, a simulation of the hydrocarbon reservoir represented by the layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Shahid Manzoor
  • Patent number: 10992375
    Abstract: A physical voxel, a volumetric testbed, and method for physically simulating a photonic device are described herein. The volumetric testbed comprises a simulation stage and a controller. The simulation stage includes a three-dimensional array of physical voxels configurable to represent the photonic device operating in response to electromagnetic radiation. The physical voxels includes a field detector to measure a local field response and an impedance adjuster to adjust an impedance to the electromagnetic radiation. The controller is coupled to memory, which stores instructions that when executed by one or more processors included in the controller causes the volumetric testbed to perform operations including determining a global field response of the photonic device and adjusting the impedance of the physical voxels to refine a design of the photonic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Brian Adolf
  • Patent number: 10822922
    Abstract: A method for identifying a resource in a field using historic well data including vertical well logs for the resource and historic horizontal well production data for the resource, the method including extracting a plurality of features from the vertical well logs, performing a spatial interpolation of the plurality of features extracted from the vertical well logs onto coordinates of the horizontal well production data to determine a plurality of interpolated features, and building a model predicting production of the resource in the field by regressing the horizontal well production data onto the interpolated features, wherein the model is displayed as a visualization of the resource production predicted in the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Matthias Kormaksson, Marcos Rodrigues Vieira, Bianca Zadrozny
  • Patent number: 10822923
    Abstract: A method for identifying a resource in a field using historic well data including vertical well logs for the resource and historic horizontal well production data for the resource, the method including extracting a plurality of features from the vertical well logs, performing a spatial interpolation of the plurality of features extracted from the vertical well logs onto coordinates of the horizontal well production data to determine a plurality of interpolated features, and building a model predicting production of the resource in the field by regressing the horizontal well production data onto the interpolated features, wherein the model is displayed as a visualization of the resource production predicted in the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Matthias Kormaksson, Marcos Rodrigues Vieira, Bianca Zadrozny
  • Patent number: 10422926
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of determining front propagation within a subsurface volume such as a reservoir. The subsurface comprises a plurality of cells and at least one geological fault (210). The method comprises performing a fast marching algorithm so as to determine said front propagation in terms of the time of arrival of the front at a particular cell from one or more neighboring cells which make up the neighborhood of said particular cell. For each faulted cell (C) that is adjacent a geological fault, the neighborhood of the faulted cell is defined as comprising only its geometric neighbors (NS, NG cells and NG cells) where the geometric neighbors are those cells that are in contact with the faulted cell in a geometric sense, regardless of stratification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Total S.A.
    Inventors: Stéphane Vignau, Florent Lallier, Michael Montouchet
  • Patent number: 10393899
    Abstract: Method for locating fault lines or surfaces in 2-D or 3-D seismic data based on the fact that fault discontinuities in the space domain span a wide range in a local slowness (slope) domain, whereas other dipping events in the space domain data, such as noise, tend to be coherent, and hence will appear focused in the slowness dimension. Therefore, the method comprises decomposing the seismic data (102) by a transformation to the local slowness domain, preferably using Gaussian slowness period packets as the local slowness or slope decomposition technique, thereby avoiding problems with the data stationary assumption. In the local slowness domain, faults may be identified (104) using the principle mentioned above, i.e. that faults are represented as a truncation in the space domain data, hence they will appear broadband in the slowness dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: William Curry, Ethan Nowak, Fuxian Song
  • Patent number: 10061060
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a simulation grid for a reservoir model based on a geological model comprising horizons, constraints and multiple geological grid cells. A pre-image is generated corresponding to the geological grid cells, the pre-image comprising a surface and the modeling constraints being mapped onto the surface. A constrained two-dimensional grid is generated on the pre-image, the two-dimensional grid comprising multiple grid cells. Simulation layer boundaries are selected from the geological model and the constrained two-dimensional grid is projected onto the simulation layer boundaries. Prismatic cells are then generated to form the three-dimensional simulation grid. The method of generating a grid as herein described may be incorporated in existing reservoir simulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Larisa V. Branets, Elena Kartasheva, Igor V. Krasnogorov, Valeriy Kubyak, Xiaohui Wu
  • Patent number: 10042511
    Abstract: A user control is provided for use with a multidimensional dataset that allows a user to graphically set the bounds for one or more of the dimensions of data selected from the dataset. The graphical user control includes a wireframe cube representing the extent of data in the dataset and a selector box within the data cube. A user can indicate a selected perspective and orientation of the data by selecting a portion of an edge of the selector box, and a visual indication of the selected perspective and orientation is provided. The user further can select a desired portion of the data by changing a size and/or a position of the selector box within the data cube. The graphical user control further includes a visual indicator representing the fourth dimension of the dataset and one or more navigation buttons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Marvin W Roe, Geary J Layne
  • Patent number: 10036820
    Abstract: A method includes retrieving a seismic data set, receiving training data that includes one or more seed points of an identified geobody, determining a geobody trajectory of the identified geobody, based on the one or more seed points of the identified geobody, displaying the geobody trajectory, receiving inputs expanding the geobody trajectory, shrinking the geobody trajectory, confirming the geobody trajectory, or a combination thereof, training a classification algorithm using the geobody trajectory, running the classification algorithm on the seismic data set, receiving an output of one or more sets of voxels from the classification algorithm, skeletonizing the one or more sets of voxels to present the one or more sets of voxels as a set of possible geobody trajectories, and retraining the classification algorithm based on feedback received from a reviewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignees: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, EXXONMOBIL UPSTREAM RESEARCH COMPANY
    Inventors: Ali Can, Erhan Bas, Dongrui Wu, Jie Yu, Leslie Wahrmund
  • Patent number: 9689998
    Abstract: A system and method may, based on a 3D seismic data set seed point, execute a seed picking algorithm, using the first point for picking a set of second points from the data set, setting each of the points in the set of second points as the first point and repeating the algorithm. An iteration number or other attribute may be assigned to the points, the iteration number corresponding to the number of times the algorithm repeated to process the point. The attribute or a number of attributes may be displayed as a visual characteristic for each point. An iterative process may be applied to a set of seismic data points, starting at a seed data point and finding a set of next iteration seed points from among the set of points neighboring the seed point, continuing only with next iteration seed points, and recording for each of a set of data points the number of points that are found by the process when the point is used as a seed data point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: PARADIGM SCIENCES LTD.
    Inventor: Huw James
  • Patent number: 9557433
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of methods and systems for providing a graphical skeletonization representation of fractures and faults in a subsurface of the earth. According to some embodiments, as fracturing fluid is pumped into a target geologic formation through a well bore, and as the formation fractures or faults in response to the fracturing fluid being pumped under high pressure therein, seismic wavefronts are generated at points of fracture related to movement of a fluid pressure wave induced by fracturing or other fluids moving through the formation, or the extraction of fluids such as gas and/or oil from the formation, which are detected by surface and/or downhole sensors. Data corresponding to signals generated by the surface and/or downhole sensors are recorded and subsequently analyzed to determine in near real-time the locations of the fractures or faults using skeletonization data processing techniques and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Seismic Global Ambient, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Anderson Geiser, Jan Meredith Vermilye
  • Patent number: 9390555
    Abstract: Assessing the impact of existing fractures and faults for reservoir management, in one aspect, may comprise employing a numerical mesh to generate a geomechanical model, the numerical mesh representing a geological reservoir and its surrounding regions, the numerical mesh comprising delimitation associated with regions and layering of geology without constraining the numerical mesh to explicitly represent a fault or fracture, initializing the geomechanical model to define initial stress-strain compatible with measured stress in well locations associated with the geological reservoir, generating a fluid-flow model employing the numerical mesh, solving for a coupled solution of the fluid-flow model and the geomechanical model, and employing the solved fluid-flow model and the geomechanical model to assess the impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Repsol, S.A.
    Inventors: Mohamed Ahmed Hegazy, Mookanahallipatna Ramasesha Lakshmikantha, Jose Maria Segura Serra, Leopoldo Luis Cabo Penna Franca, Ulisses T. Mello, Eduardo Rocha Rodrigues
  • Patent number: 9341727
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and software can be used to analyze microseismic data from a fracture treatment. In some aspects, fracture planes are identified based on microseismic event data from a fracture treatment of a subterranean zone. Each fracture plane is associated with a subset of the microseismic event data. Confidence level groups are identified from the fracture planes. Each confidence level group includes fracture planes that have an accuracy confidence value within a respective range. A graphical representation of the fracture planes is generated. The graphical representation includes a distinct plot for each confidence level group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Jianfu Ma, Avi Lin, Harold Grayson Walters
  • Patent number: 9261615
    Abstract: Method for identifying geologic features from seismic data (11) using seismic anomaly detection by a double-windowed statistical analysis. Subtle features that may be obscured using a single window on the data are made identifiable using two moving windows of user-selected size and shape: a pattern window located within a sampling window larger than the pattern window (12). If Gaussian statistics are assumed, the statistical analysis may be performed by computing mean and covariance matrices for the data within the pattern window in its various positions within the sampling window (13). Then a specific measure of degree of anomaly for each voxel such as a residue value may be computed for each sampling window using its own mean and covariance matrix (14), and finally the resulting residue volume may be analyzed, with or without thresholding, for physical features indicative of hydrocarbon potential (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Krishnan Kumaran
  • Patent number: 9262713
    Abstract: Methods and systems for optimizing wellbore completion and, in particular, methods and systems for optimizing hydraulic fracturing parameters are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of optimizing wellbore completion includes gathering wellbore data, screening and processing the gathered wellbore data, utilizing the screened and processed wellbore data to define an optimized model, and utilizing the optimized model to evaluate combinations of available wellbore completion parameters. In some instances, the optimized model is defined using artificial neural networks, genetic algorithms, and/or boosted regression trees. Further, in some embodiments the combinations of available wellbore completion parameters include hydraulic fracturing parameters, such as number of fractures, fracturing fluid type, proppant type, fracturing volume, and/or other parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: CARBO Ceramics Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Shelley, Nijat Guliyev, Amir Nejad
  • Patent number: 9239398
    Abstract: There is provided a system and method for creating model of a subsurface region based on multiple depth values. The method includes selecting seeds that represent a starting location within a desired horizon surfaces and generating a plurality of candidate horizons from the selected seeds. A number of depth values from the candidate horizons may be combined into a representative depth value and an uncertainty may be computed based on discrepancies among the depth values. A model of the subsurface region may be created using the depth values and the uncertainty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Chul-Sung Kim, Mark W. Dobin
  • Patent number: 9229122
    Abstract: A method for increasing similarity between a base seismic survey and a monitor seismic survey of a same surveyed subsurface during a 4-dimensional (4D) project. The method includes receiving first seismic data associated with the base seismic survey; receiving second seismic data associated with the monitor seismic survey, wherein the monitor seismic survey is performed later in time than the base seismic survey; migrating the first and second seismic data to an image-domain; and calculating, with a processor, a set of decimating weights based on the migrated first and second seismic data in the image-domain, to maximize a similarity between the first seismic data and the second seismic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: CGGVERITAS SERVICES SA
    Inventor: Ross Haacke
  • Patent number: 9223905
    Abstract: A system and method for predicting airflow within a data center using a potential flow technique is provided. In one aspect, a method includes automatically generating an unstructured grid, the unstructured grid comprising a plurality of unstructured grid cells, each unstructured grid cell having a size, dividing a representation of the data center into the plurality of unstructured grid cells, determining airflow velocity values for each of the plurality of unstructured grid cells using airflow velocity potentials, determining a temperature value for each one of the plurality of the unstructured grid cells using the airflow velocity values, determining a concentration value for each of the plurality of the unstructured grid cells using the airflow velocity values, and calculating a comparison result indicating whether the concentration values, the airflow velocity values and the temperature values for the plurality of the unstructured grid cells satisfy convergence criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mikkel Dalgas, James W. VanGilder, Christopher Healey, Martin Johansen
  • Patent number: 9134444
    Abstract: Strength parameters of the contents of subsurface caverns are deduced through seismic information. Known properties of formations surrounding the caverns, and ratios of seismic amplitudes between the caverns and the surrounding formations are leveraged to deduce the strength parameters within the caverns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Paul Stefani
  • Patent number: 8792301
    Abstract: A system and method may, based on a 3D seismic data set seed point, execute a seed picking algorithm, using the first point for picking a set of second points from the data set, setting each of the points in the set of second points as the first point and repeating the algorithm. An iteration number or other attribute may be assigned to the points, the iteration number corresponding to the number of times the algorithm repeated to process the point. The attribute or a number of attributes may be displayed as a visual characteristic for each point. An iterative process may be applied to a set of seismic data points, starting at a seed data point and finding a set of next iteration seed points from among the set of points neighboring the seed point, continuing only with next iteration seed points, and recording for each of a set of data points the number of points that are found by the process when the point is used as a seed data point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Paradigm Sciences Ltd.
    Inventor: Huw James
  • Publication number: 20130170317
    Abstract: A seismic exploration system includes a survey area defined by a perimeter and including a first plurality of sub-areas and a second plurality of sub-areas adjacent the first plurality of sub-areas; two or more seismic energy sources installed within the perimeter of the seismic survey area; a first plurality of groups of seismic energy receivers installed in the first plurality of sub-areas, each of the groups of seismic energy receivers in the first plurality of groups including two or more seismic energy receivers per wavelength of seismic energy generated by the two or more seismic energy sources; and a second plurality of groups of seismic energy receivers installed in the second plurality of sub-areas, each of the groups of seismic energy receivers in the second plurality of groups including less than two seismic energy receivers per wavelength of seismic energy generated by the two or more seismic energy sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: LANDMARK GRAPHICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Christof Stork
  • Patent number: 8478531
    Abstract: A best fitting trace in seismic data is determined for a desired trace to be reconstructed. A dip-based correction is calculated per trace and per sample for differences in azimuth, common midpoint coordinates, and offset between the best fitting trace and the desired trace. The dip-based correction is applied to the best fitting trace to reconstruct the desired trace for 3D surface-related multiple prediction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Peter A. Aaron, Roald G. van Borselen, Robertus F. Hegge, Simon R. Barnes
  • Patent number: 8427904
    Abstract: Embodiments of various technologies for a method for processing seismic data are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first portion of a record of pre-stack seismic data may be displayed in a three-dimensional XYZ (3-D XYZ) space. A selection may be received of a second portion of the record of the pre-stack seismic data within the first portion. One or more attributes may be determined that define the second portion. One or more regions may be identified within the record of the pre-stack seismic data having the attributes that define the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Matthew C. Miller, Richard Tachon, Alan G. Teague, Debra M. Dishberger, Yann Cudennec, Kamran Nadim, Stephen David Hall
  • Patent number: 8355872
    Abstract: A system for and method of automatically evaluating similarity between a target geological region of interest and a plurality of known geological regions of interest includes selecting a plurality of quantitative parameters describing reservoir characteristics of the target geological region of interest and defining a graphical target line based on values of the selected parameters. Comparison lines are graphically constructed for at least some of the plurality of known geological regions of interest, respective comparison lines representing respective values of the quantitative parameters describing corresponding characteristics of respective regions among the known geological regions of interest. A similarity factor between each of the comparison lines and the target line is calculated based on the plotted target and comparison lines. The comparison lines are ranked based on the calculated similarity factors, and similarity factor versus similarity rank are graphically displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Dana E. Rowan
  • Patent number: 8345509
    Abstract: In some aspects of the disclosure, a method for creating three-dimensional images of non-linear properties and the compressional to shear velocity ratio in a region remote from a borehole using a conveyed logging tool is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignees: Chevron U.S.A., Inc., Los Alamos National Security
    Inventors: Cung Vu, Kurt T. Nihei, Denis P. Schmitt, Christopher Skelt, Paul A. Johnson, Robert Guyer, James A. TenCate, Pierre-Yves Le Bas
  • 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: 20120120765
    Abstract: A method of interrogating a formation includes generating a conical acoustic signal, at a first frequency—a second conical acoustic signal at a second frequency each in the between approximately 500 Hz and 500 kHz such that the signals intersect in a desired intersection volume outside the borehole. The method further includes receiving, a difference signal returning to the borehole resulting from a non-linear mixing of the signals in a mixing zone within the intersection volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicants: Los Alamos National Security, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Cung Khac VU, Christopher Skelt, Kurt Nihei, Paul A. Johnson, Robert Guyer, James A. Ten Cate, Pierre-Yves Le Bas, Carène S. Larmat
  • Patent number: 8174926
    Abstract: A first weighted integral operator is applied to dual-sensor data to extrapolate the dual-sensor data to a first position above an acquisition surface, generating extrapolated data. A second weighted integral operator is applied to the extrapolated data to extrapolate the extrapolated data to a second position, generating wavefield separated data. One of the integral operators is applied to a scaled combination of the dual sensor data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventor: Tilman Klüver
  • Publication number: 20120106295
    Abstract: Embodiments of various technologies for a method for processing seismic data are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first portion of a record of pre-stack seismic data may be displayed in a three-dimensional XYZ (3-D XYZ) space. A selection may be received of a second portion of the record of the pre-stack seismic data within the first portion. One or more attributes may be determined that define the second portion. One or more regions may be identified within the record of the pre-stack seismic data having the attributes that define the second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: MATTHEW C. MILLER, RICHARD TACHON, ALAN G. TEAGUE, DEBRA M. DISHBERGER, YANN CUDENNEC, KAMRAN NADIM, STEPHEN DAVID HALL
  • Patent number: 8154950
    Abstract: A method for displaying geologic stress includes determining magnitudes and directions of principal stresses at at least one a selected location. An analog symbol is generated for each magnitude and direction of the principal stresses. The analog symbols include a magnitude descriptor and a direction descriptor. The analog symbols are stored or displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Denis Heliot, Yan Gongrui, Jean Desroches
  • Patent number: 8120991
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for converting coordinate systems for representing image data such as for example seismic data, including accepting a first set of seismic data, mapping the first set of seismic data to a second set of seismic data, where the dimensionality of the second set of seismic data is less than the dimensionality of the first set of seismic data, and generating image data by processing the second set of seismic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Paradigm Geophysical (Luxembourg) S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Zvi Koren, Igor Ravve
  • Publication number: 20120014218
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for performing time-lapse monitor surveys with sparsely sampled monitor data sets (11). An accurate 3D representation (e.g., image) of a target area (e.g., a hydrocarbon bearing subsurface reservoir) is constructed using the sparsely sampled monitor data set (e.g., seismic data set). The sparsely sampled monitor data set may be so limited that it alone is insufficient to generate an accurate 3D representation of the target area, but accuracy is achieved through use of certain external information (14). The external information may include predetermined base survey data from a first time that is used (12) to interpolate data that is not recorded in the sparsely sampled monitor data set to derive a fully sampled monitor data set that can be processed (e.g., using conventional processing techniques) for determining an accurate representation of the target area at a second time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Richard T. Houck, Ramesh Neelamani
  • Publication number: 20120014217
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for performing time-lapse monitor surveys with sparsely sampled monitor data sets. An accurate 3D representation (e.g., image) of a target area (e.g., a hydrocarbon bearing subsurface reservoir) is constructed (12) using the sparsely sampled monitor data set (11). The sparsely sampled monitor data set may be so limited that it alone is insufficient to generate an accurate 3D representation of the target area, but accuracy is enabled through use of certain external information (14). The external information may be one or more alternative predicted models (25) that are representative of different predictions regarding how the target area may change over a lapse of time. The alternative models may, for example, reflect differences in permeability of at least a portion of the target area. The sparsely sampled monitor data set may then be processed to determine (23) which of the alternative models is representative of the target area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Richard T. Houck, Grant A. Gist, Dachang Li
  • Patent number: 8094515
    Abstract: Implementations of various technologies for a method for processing seismic data. A first portion of a record of pre-stack seismic data may be displayed in a three-dimensional XYZ (3-D XYZ) space. A selection may be received of a second portion of the record of the pre-stack seismic data within the first portion. One or more attributes may be determined that define the second portion. One or more regions may be identified within the record of the pre-stack seismic data having the attributes that define the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Matthew C. Miller, Richard Tachon, Kamran Nadim, Stephen David Hall
  • Patent number: 8086408
    Abstract: A method for positioning a wire having nodes and streamers is provided herein. The wire can be secured to tow lines secured to a floating vessel for detecting near surface geology formations. The method can use in-water sensors deployed proximate to the wire near the tow lines, and a processor with data storage in communication with the in-water sensors. The method can use a data array, a library of data formats, a library of wires, a library of preset limits, and a network. The method can include receiving sensor information, filtering sensor information, verifying filtered signals, constructing and modifying a mathematical model, obtaining a list of coordinates, constructing a real-time display of the wire, identifying a location of at least one streamer, transmitting alarms, creating a trend analysis over time and event-by-event, and creating a log file using the industry standard data formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: NCS Subsea, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Majzlik, Alfred L. Hise, Brian Hardy
  • Patent number: 8059486
    Abstract: Sonar imaging data is reduced by assigning partially reflective and/or opaque two dimensional areas for each data point to a series of planes. The reflectivity and/or transmission of light from the areas is calculated and used to construct an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Coda Octopus Group
    Inventor: Martyn Sloss
  • Patent number: 8055449
    Abstract: To determine fault transmissivity in a subterranean reservoir, fault structures in the subterranean reservoir are identified, and elastic impedance data is computed from well log data and seismic data. Normalization parameters that have a predetermined orientation with respect to the identified fault structures are computed, and elastic impedance flux values are normalized with respect to the normalization parameters, where the normalized elastic impedance flux values are indicative of transmissivities of fault structures in the subterranean structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Robert Godfrey, Jean-Michel Gehenn, Thibaut Cheret, Richard Dolman, Michael Nickel, Lars Sonneland
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20110235464
    Abstract: Marine seismic data are acquired, using a seismic vessel. The acquired marine seismic data are transferred in near-real time to a programmable computer. The programmable computer is used to perform the following. An acoustic 3-D full-waveform inversion is applied to the transferred marine seismic data, generating a high-resolution 3-D velocity field in near-real time. The velocity field is used to apply migration to the transferred marine seismic data, generating an image of the earth's subsurface in near-real time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: John Brittan, Stephen David Bishop, Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl
  • Publication number: 20110199860
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for performing time-lapse seismic monitor surveys with sparsely sampled monitor data sets. A more accurate 3D representation (e.g., image) of a target area (e.g., a hydrocarbon bearing subsurface reservoir) is constructed using the sparsely sampled monitor data set (11). The sparsely sampled monitor data set may be so limited that it alone is insufficient to generate an accurate 3D representation of the target area, but accuracy is achieved through use of certain external information (14). The external information may include information accurately identifying a shape of the seismic reflector(s) present in the target area. The shape may be predetermined from a fully sampled base survey, and used to enable an accurate 3D representation (12) of the target area to be later generated for a monitor survey using a sparsely sampled monitor data set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Inventors: Richard T. Houck, Graham A. Winbow
  • Patent number: 7925483
    Abstract: A method for displaying a formation model while drilling a wellbore in the formation includes operating a well logging instrument at a measurement point in the formation along a wellbore while the wellbore is being drilled. Measurement data regarding the formation are obtained from the well logging instrument. An actual orientation of a geological structure is determined from the measurement data. A trajectory of the wellbore is displayed in three dimensions as it is being drilled through the formation. While drilling the wellbore, the geological structure is displayed along the trajectory of the wellbore according to the determined actual orientation of the geological structure. The actual orientation reflects an azimuth angle of planes corresponding to the geological structure. The trajectory of the wellbore is changed in response to displaying the determined actual orientation of the geological structure relative to the trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Peiwen Xia, Jan W. Smits, Lawrence Chou, Qiming Li, Dzevat Omeragic, James F. Bristow, Paul A. Wand, Jean-Michel Denichou
  • Patent number: 7925482
    Abstract: A method and system for generating an unstructured automatic mesh and executing computational algorithms using a finite element numerical approach is disclosed. The method is to model a hydrocarbon reservoir, wells, and completions as a single system, accounting for static information and transient behavior of wells, hydraulic fractures and reservoirs in a single model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Object Reservoir, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Kennon, Scott A. Canann, Steven B. Ward, Frank Joseph Eaton
  • Patent number: 7859943
    Abstract: A technique includes accessing seismic data that is associated with seismic measurements taken from a reservoir and a surrounding rock mass at a given time. Based on a velocity model developed from a predicted change in the reservoir and surrounding rock mass occurring from a prior to the given time, processing the seismic data to generate a survey of the reservoir and surrounding rock mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jorg V. Herwanger
  • Patent number: 7796469
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fracture plane reconstruction in a three-dimensional set (20) of values, comprising the steps of providing a computer with the three-dimensional set, display by the computer of a succession of plane sections (10) of the three-dimensional set, selection by the user of points of the fracture plane over some of these sections during their display; and reconstruction by the computer of the fracture plane from the selected points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Total S.A.
    Inventors: Naamen Keskes, Marc Donias, Yannick Barthoumieu, Sébastien Guillon