Well Logging Or Borehole Study Patents (Class 702/6)
  • Patent number: 6459992
    Abstract: A method of determining the displacements of a logging tool during a measurement interval of the logging tool in a borehole includes obtaining a set of accelerometer signals corresponding to accelerations of the logging tool along each of three orthogonal axes of the logging tool during the measurement interval. The method further includes calculating a lower bound for the displacements of the logging tool during the measurement interval when the initial velocity and the gravitational acceleration are unknown. The lower bound on the displacements of the logging tool is used to flag the validity of the measurements made by the logging tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Freedman, Luis E. DePavia, Abdurrahman Sezginer
  • Patent number: 6453239
    Abstract: The invention is, in its various aspects, a method and apparatus useful for strapdown inertial navigation and surveying in a borehole. The method comprises maneuvering a probe including three vibrating mass, Coriolis effect gyroscopes in a borehole and initializing the probe's attitude in the borehole within the probe's frame of reference. Three orthogonal, incremental rotation angles and three orthogonal, incremental velocities are determined for the probe within the probe's frame of reference. The incremental rotation angles are determined from the gyroscopes. The method then translates the three incremental velocities from the probe's frame of reference into the inertial frame of reference using the three incremental rotation angles. Next, a velocity vector in a local-vertical, wander-azimuth frame of reference is determined from the translated incremental velocities. A velocity error observation is then obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Shirasaka, Kirby G. Schrader, Jean-Michel Hache
  • Patent number: 6449560
    Abstract: A method of determining acoustic properties of borehole earth formations, comprising: (a) transmitting acoustic energy from a transmitter location and receiving acoustic energy (a portion of which traveled through the formations) at a plurality of receiver locations in the borehole; (b) deriving data signals from the received acoustic energy; (c) selecting model values of the acoustic properties; (d) producing an intermediate matrix; (e) performing a singular value decomposition on the intermediate matrix to obtain a basis matrix of eigenvectors; (f) deriving a propagator matrix as a function of the model values; (g) producing a reduced propagator matrix from the propagator and basis matrices; (h) producing a test statistic using the data signals and the reduced propagator matrix; and (i) repeating steps (c)-(h) for different combinations of model values, and selecting, as output acoustic property values, the combination of model values resulting in a maximized test statistic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher V. Kimball
  • Publication number: 20020120401
    Abstract: The present invention provides a drilling system that utilizes a neural network for predictive control of drilling operations. A downhole processor controls the operation of the various devices in a bottom hole assembly to effect changes to drilling parameters and drilling direction to autonomously optimize the drilling effectiveness. The neural network iteratively updates a prediction model of the drilling operations and provides recommendations for drilling corrections to a drilling operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Inventors: Robert P. Macdonald, Volker Krueger, Vladimir Dubinsky, J. D. Macpherson
  • Patent number: 6442487
    Abstract: A method for assessing reliability of a prediction model constructed from N training data attribute vectors and N associated observed values of a specified parameter. Each training data attribute vector includes seismic attributes obtained from seismic data traces located at or near a well and each associated observed value is obtained from well log or core data from the well. A predicted value of the specified parameter is determined for each of the N training data attribute vectors, from the training data attribute vectors and the prediction model. A residual is determined for each of the N training data attribute vectors, as the difference between the associated observed value and the predicted value of the specified parameter for the training data attribute vector. An attribute vector for the designated location is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Chul-Sung Kim
  • Publication number: 20020116128
    Abstract: A method for determining a radial profile of sonic shear velocity of formations surrounding a fluid-containing borehole, including: suspending a logging device in the borehole; transmitting sonic energy from the logging device to establish flexural waves in the formation; receiving sonic energy from the flexural waves and producing, from the received sonic energy, measurement signals at a number of frequencies; determining, at each frequency, the flexural wave velocity in the formation; deriving sonic compressional and shear velocities of the substantially undisturbed formation; deriving sonic compressional velocity of the borehole fluid; and determining the radial profile of sonic shear velocity from the derived compressional and shear velocities of the substantially undisturbed formation, the derived compressional velocity of the borehole fluid, and the flexural wave velocities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Inventors: Bikash K. Sinha, Robert Burridge, Michael R. Kane
  • Patent number: 6430509
    Abstract: A 2D inversion of true formation resistivity from dual laterolog tool measurements is accomplished using a pre-calculated look-up table. An initial earth model is derived and divided into intervals. A 2D tool response is calculated in each interval using the earth model. Matching is checked between the calculated 2D tool response and the tool measurements. The following steps are iterated until the match is satisfactory. A 1D radial tool response is derived in each interval using the pre-calculated look-up table. Shoulder bed effects are approximated in each interval by subtracting the 1D radial tool response from the 2D tool response. A non-linear least square optimization is applied at boundaries of the intervals and local maximum and minimum values in the intervals to update the earth model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Hezhu Yin, Hanming Wang
  • Patent number: 6430508
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of obtaining and processing seismic data to obtain enhanced geophysical maps from pre-existing 3D seismic data. A first set of data is obtained from a vertical seismic profile (VSP) survey and a second set from reverse seismic profile survey by reversing the locations of the sources and receivers of the VSP survey. The two sets of data are combined to determine a transfer function or model, which is then applied to a set of 3D seismic data to obtain a seismic map of the area surveyed for the 3D data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Core Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Vasudhaven Sudhakar, Emil Blias
  • Patent number: 6430507
    Abstract: A method for determining formation pore pressure uses seismic data to derive an initial density model. Potential fields data are then used to derive the lower boundary of anomalous density zones (e.g., salt, shale diapirs, igneous or magmatic formations) by an inversion process. The model data are integrated vertically in two or three dimensions to determine an overburden stress for the subsurface that includes a proper treatment of the anomalous density zone. The velocity measurements determined from the seismic data are used to determine the effective stress based on appropriate relationships between effective stress and velocity. The fluid pressure is then obtained as the difference between the overburden stress and the effective stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Conoco Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Joseph Jorgensen, Jerry Lee Kisabeth, Alan Royce Huffman
  • Patent number: 6424918
    Abstract: A method for modeling geological structures beneath anomalous density zones includes receiving seismic data and using this data to derive the top of a geologic model. Non-seismic data, such as gravity or magnetic data are used to derive the lower boundary of the geologic model in an inversion process. In one embodiment, the predicted parameters are combined with seismic data to obtain a depth image and to derive a velocity model in delineating formations of interest. In another embodiment, the processed seismic data is used to further constrain the inversion of the non-seismic data. Another novel aspect of the invention is the filtering of the non-seismic data during the inversion process in a manner that is consistent with Laplace's equation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Conoco Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Joseph Jorgensen, Jerry Lee Kisabeth, Alan Royce Huffman, John B. Sinton, David W. Bell
  • Patent number: 6424919
    Abstract: A method for selecting a design parameter for a drill bit is disclosed. The method includes entering a value of at least one property of an earth formation to be drilled into a trained neural network. The neural network is trained by selecting data from drilled wellbores. The data comprise values of the formation property for formations through which the drilled wellbores have penetrated. Corresponding to the values of formation property are values of at least one drilling operating parameter, the drill bit design parameter, and values of a rate of penetration and a rate of wear of a drill bit used on each of the formations. Data from the wellbores are entered into the neural network to train it, and the design parameter is then selected based on output of the trained neural network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Moran, James A. Robertson
  • Publication number: 20020091489
    Abstract: A method for ordering electrofacies to assist in identification of mineral deposits is disclosed. Automated ordering of electrofacies allows geologists to draw inferences about the geological settings in which sediment deposit occurred without directly examining core samples or outcrops. The electrofacies order is determined by (a) training a one-dimensional linear self-organizing map to form an initial neural network that includes a plurality of neurons. The number of neurons is small in comparison to the number of electrofacies kernels (i.e., not greater than one-third the number of electrofacies kernels). (b1) A neuron is selected from the initial neural network. In the next step (b2), the processor determines if more than one electrofacies kernel is attached to the neuron. (b3) If more than one electrofacies kernel is attached to the neuron, then the neuron is split into the number of electrofacies kernels attached to the neuron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Inventors: Shin-Ju Ye, Philippe J.Y.M. Rabiller
  • Publication number: 20020060952
    Abstract: Seismic waves are recorded twice by a reference sensor (8) above ground and by a sensor (18) located in the drill hole (1). Measurements are synchronized by a clock system, the clock associated with sensor (18) being designed specifically for providing such synchronization in spite of operating conditions prevailing at the bottom of a drill hole (vibrations, shocks, temperature).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Applicant: GEOSERVICES
    Inventors: Fabio Cecconi, Louis Soulier
  • Patent number: 6393363
    Abstract: Provided are a method, a computer program product and a system, to measure characteristics of a geologic formation, such as hydrocarbon reservoirs, that employs modeling data to remove unwanted information from a signal carrying information concerning the geologic formation. This allows obtaining accurate information concerning the resistivity of geologic formations in which a borehole has been formed and encased with a conductive liner, such as a steel casing. Specifically, it was recognized that a magnetic field produced within a borehole that has been cased is substantially similar to magnetic field produced from a borehole that was not cased, i.e., the spatial distribution and orientation to the two aforementioned magnetic fields are the same, differing only by a constant related to the casing attenuation factor. The magnetic field outside of the cased borehole is reduced in amplitude by an attenuation factor associated with the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Wilt, Edward Nichols
  • Patent number: 6388577
    Abstract: A system and method in accordance with the invention communicator remotely with remotely controllable down hole tools in a well bore at a drilling installation. At the surface, high energy pressure impulses directed into the tubing or the annulus, or both, being at a level to propagate through an interface between very different impedances zones, such as an upper level gas zone and a lower level of mobile fluid media extending down into the desired downhole location. The pressure impulses, provided by directionally gating along the longitudinal confining path a pressure impulse initially having sharp leading and trailing edges, reach the downhole location as physical perturbations forming a discernible pattern that can be detected by one or more energy responsive transducers. With combinations of these signals, one of a number of separate control devices can be remotely actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Carstensen
  • Patent number: 6378363
    Abstract: The present invention presents a method that effectively restores the real-time advantage of annular pressure while drilling (APWD) measurements taken during certain drilling operations that require the mud circulation pumps to be turned off (a “pumps-off” condition). APWD data, such as pressure measurements, is obtained from instruments and related electronics within the BHA. APWD data can be measured, stored and even processed in the BHA during a pumps-off condition for subsequent processing or communication of a reduced amount of data to the driller at the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Hache, Iain Rezmer-Cooper, Kais Gzara
  • Patent number: 6374913
    Abstract: A system based on a series of data accumulation hubs, connected together by high speed communication backbone for routing a limited number of data and power cables is suggested. Each hub is connected to arrays of sensor pods which contain the actual sensor elements and minimal, if any, interface electronics. Preferably, as many as 20 sensor pods can be connected to each single hub element wherein a system including five hub elements with 20 sensor pods each would comprise a 100 element array. The data from the individual sensors are accumulated in the hubs, buffered, and conditioned for transmission to the surface data acquisition system through the high speed metal backbone comprising multiple paths of transmission for redundancy in the event of failure. Provisions are made within each of the hubs so that if a hydrostatic leak were to occur, the fault can be isolated and the remainder of the system will function as designed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl A. Robbins, Bill Schaecher, Patrick D. Chesnutt
  • Patent number: 6374185
    Abstract: The invention in a first embodiment comprises a system for generating an estimate of lithological characteristics of a region of the earth's subsurface. A correlation is generated between attributes of synthetic seismic data calculated from log data from at least one wellbore penetrating said region and lithological information from said at least one wellbore. The correlation is then applied to recorded seismic data from the region of the earth's subsurface to generate the estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: RDSP I, L.P.
    Inventors: M. Turhan Taner, Naum M. Derzhi, Joel D. Walls
  • Patent number: 6370491
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for modeling of faulting and fracturing uses “small scale rules” to produce large-scale results. One part of the method is a user interface for inputting deformations, preexisting faults and fractures, and material rock properties. The second part of the software is the code that solves the motion of each point or node in the subsurface volume defined by the user interface. The model may be defined in one of three modes: an aerial mode, in which the model is 2-dimensional with the material and a substrate on a horizontal plane; a cross-sectional mode similar to the aerial mode except that the nodes are in a vertical cross section and gravity is included in the model; and a 3-D model that is an extension into a third dimension of the 2-D model and deformation may be applied to the bottom and four sides of the material region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Conoco, Inc.
    Inventors: Anders Malthe-Sorenssen, Thomas Walmann, Torstein Jossang, Jens Feder, Humphrey H. Hardy
  • Publication number: 20020032529
    Abstract: A borehole probe and related method and apparatus that enables information related to the depth of the probe to be determined and utilized by the probe to perform tasks. The probe, comparing its sense of depth and other sensed physical and temporal information to pre-defined procedural and conditional constraints, causes a physical action to be performed, or signals another device, or signals the surface. Generally, the probe uses sensed benchmarks within the borehole that have an associated depth as a depth framework. Within the distances between the benchmarks, the probe uses inertial or other distance measuring devices to measure distance from the benchmarks. With accurate and constant knowledge of its own depth, the probe can perform tasks autonomously and at the correct depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventor: Gerard J. Duhon
  • Patent number: 6351991
    Abstract: A method for determining unknown stress parameters in earth formation measures velocities in four sonic transmissions modes (compression, fast shear, slow shear and Stoneley) at a series of depths. Relationships between measured velocities and other measured values, two independent linear constants, and three nonlinear constants associated with equations of motion for pre-stressed isotropic materials are expressed in a set of four or five velocity difference equations derived from non-linear continuum mechanics. The velocity difference equations are solved using inversion for useful stress parameters, including maximum horizontal stress, minimum horizontal stress, pore pressure, and change in pore pressure over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Bikash K. Sinha
  • Patent number: 6347282
    Abstract: This invention provides a measurement-while-drilling (MWD) downhole assembly for use in drilling boreholes which utilizes gyroscopes, magnetometers and accelerometers for determining the borehole inclination and azimuth during the drilling of the borehole. The downhole assembly includes at least one gyroscope that is rotatably mounted in a tool housing to provide signals relating to the earth's rotation. A device in the tool can rotate the gyroscope and other sensors on the tool at any desired degree. A processor in the tool combines measurements from the sensors taken at a plurality of positions at the same depth to determine the systematic bias in the sensors before further processing. Accelerometers in the MWD tool provide gravity measurements from which the toolface and inclination are determined. The unbiased gyroscopic measurements are used in conjunction with the tool face and inclination measurements to determine the azimuth and tool face with respect to true north.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert A. Estes, Koen Antonie Noy, Jon B. Kahn
  • Patent number: 6347283
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for combining well test analysis with wavelet analysis wherein the use of wavelet analysis with conventionally acquired well data provides verification of the well data. The methods include the steps of acquiring downhole data, converting the data to a first electronic signal, performing wavelet analysis of the first electronic signal to produce a second electronic signal, and using the second electronic signal to aid in the interpretation of the first electronic signal and/or to instigate corrective steps to ensure that the desired parameters of the well environment are accurately represented by the first electronic signal. Some or all of the steps may be performed in real-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohamed Soliman, Stanley V. Stephenson
  • Publication number: 20020010547
    Abstract: A guidance system for a drill tool (1) comprising a primary guidance package and a magnetic solenoid transmitter (9). The primary guidance package contains signal generator. The signal generator produces a signal indicative of the location of the drill tool 1. The magnetic solenoid transmitter both transmits the primary guidance data to a signal processor and emits an electromagnetic field. Using a locator (35), an operator can periodically determine the actual drill tool position by detecting the electromagnetic field. The actual position of the drill tool as determined by the electromagnetic field is used to correct for an integration error that is introduced into the drill tool position by the guidance technique used by the primary guidance package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventor: Nelson Hall
  • Patent number: 6324477
    Abstract: In a preferred embodiment the invention comprises a method of processing well log data which includes evaluating the said well log data to identify variations in the well log data which are indicative of thin beds of a selected thickness, and reducing the magnitude in the well log data of the identified variations by a magnitude related to the selected thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Apache Corporation
    Inventor: Jonathan Bork
  • Publication number: 20010044698
    Abstract: A method for assessing reliability of a prediction model constructed from N training data attribute vectors and N associated observed values of a specified parameter. Each training data attribute vector includes seismic attributes obtained from seismic data traces located at or near a well and each associated observed value is obtained from well log or core data from the well. A predicted value of the specified parameter is determined for each of the N training data attribute vectors, from the training data attribute vectors and the prediction model. A residual is determined for each of the N training data attribute vectors, as the difference between the associated observed value and the predicted value of the specified parameter for the training data attribute vector. An attribute vector for the designated location is determined. The predicted value of the specified parameter at the designated location is determined, from the attribute vector for the designated location and the prediction model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventor: Chul-Sung Kim
  • Publication number: 20010041963
    Abstract: This invention provides a measurement-while-drilling (MWD) downhole assembly for use in drilling boreholes which utilizes gyroscopes, magnetometers and accelerometers for determining the borehole inclination and azimuth during the drilling of the borehole. The downhole assembly includes at least one gyroscope that is rotatably mounted in a tool housing to provide signals relating to the earth's rotation. A device in the tool can rotate the gyroscope and other sensors on the tool at any desired degree. A processor in the tool combines measurements from the sensors taken at a plurality of positions at the same depth to determine the systematic bias in the sensors before further processing. Accelerometers in the MWD tool provide gravity measurements from which the toolface and inclination are determined. The unbiased gyroscopic measurements are used in conjunction with the tool face and inclination measurements to determine the azimuth and tool face with respect to true north.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 1998
    Publication date: November 15, 2001
    Inventors: ROBERT ALAN ESTES, KOEN A. NOY, JON B. KAHN
  • Publication number: 20010039477
    Abstract: In highly deviated wells or when the relative dip angle between formation layering and wellbore axis is large, array induction measurements exhibit erratic spikes, misleading curve separations, and inaccurate resistivity values, preventing log analysts from accurately evaluating invasion and formation resistivities. To address these problems, various correction methods and inversion techniques have been developed. The correction methods, however, only yield satisfactory results when the relative dip angle is low to moderate, and inversion techniques are typically very time consuming. Conventionally, dipping bed effects are considered in terms of a charge effect and a volumetric effect. As even more complex earth models are considered, we find that formation anisotropy also exaggerates the dipping effect, manifested by misleading curve separations in the array instrument readings. Our newly developed deviated-well software focusing (DSF) method simultaneously accounts for all these dipping effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventors: Jaiqi Xiao, Ingo M. Geldmacher
  • Patent number: 6310559
    Abstract: A method for use with equipment located downhole in a subterranean well includes providing a model describing behavior of the equipment and measuring a state of the equipment downhole. An indication is received of the state at a surface of the well, and the model is modified based on the indication. The system includes a communication link, a circuit and a machine. The communication link is adapted to furnish an indication of a state of the equipment to the surface of the well. The circuit is located downhole and is adapted to detect the state and produce the indication. The machine is adapted to provide a model describing behavior of the equipment and modify the model based on the indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Guy Vachon Laborde, Anthony F. Veneruso, Gerald W. Robertson, Stephane Hiron, Bernard G. Juchereau
  • Patent number: 6307496
    Abstract: An analog multiplexer is provided to time divisionally process a reference signal Sa obtained from a reference voltage generating circuit, a temperature signal St obtained from a temperature detecting bridge circuit, and a sensor signal Sd obtained from a pressure detecting bridge circuit. These signals Sa, St and Sd are converted into digital data through a common differential amplification circuit and a common A/D conversion circuit. A correction circuit calculates an applied pressure value based on the digital data produced from the A/D conversion circuit, as a value corrected with reference to the temperature signal St and the reference signal Sa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Ikuta, Noboru Endo, Takamoto Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6285955
    Abstract: The down hole and above ground data loggers according to the present invention can be used with any sensors or probes. The switching associated with different sensors is accomplished on a circuit board in the data logger using an external device. The data loggers can send data to the external device via hard wire or radio frequency. Sending the data via radio frequency eliminates the need for a user to go out to the field. Thus, the user can obtain real time and historical data without having to go out to the field. In one embodiment, a down hole data logger is disclosed that is capable of being installed or deployed in small openings. In another embodiment, an above ground data logger is disclosed. In both embodiments, the data loggers can record analog sensor data or discrete data. The data loggers of the present invention are easy to use, reliable, accurate, cost efficient, and feature rich.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Mountain Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Jack M. Goldwasser
  • Patent number: 6278948
    Abstract: A method for modeling geological zones having anomalous density includes determining the top of the anomalous zone from non-potential fields data. Potential fields data is then used to derive the lower boundary of the geologic anomalous zone. A lower boundary to a anomalous zone is formulated by predicting parameters representing the lower boundary within predetermined limits. This is done by using an inversion process on the potential fields data, such as measurements of gravity data, magnetic data. These may be in both vector and tensor form. The potential fields data is compared to the predicted fields from the results of the inversion process to obtain a difference between the two. If the difference exceeds a predetermined value, the parameters representing the anomalous zone are adjusted to improve the fit. When the lower boundary limits are reached or the difference between the model and the data is less than the predetermined value or convergence is attained, the anomalous zone has been determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Conoco Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Joseph Jorgensen, Jerry Lee Kisabeth
  • Patent number: 6272444
    Abstract: A method for evaluating the coherence of environmental measurements of a given geological medium or field using well logging data is disclosed. A series of N geological parameters are each measured at a series of reference points found in reference wells within this medium. Each reference point is at a different depth and has known lithological characteristics, and the N measurements form a reference observation (Xi) corresponding to that point. The same N parameters are measured at application points found in one or more application wells, at depths identical to those of the reference points, forming an application observation (x) for each application point. A neighboring domain (Di) and acceptance class are defined for each reference observation (Xi). Each application observation (x) is then compared with all of reference observations (Xi) using a nearest-neighbor algorithm to determine the degree of membership of the application observation in each reference observation's acceptance class.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Elf Exploration Production
    Inventors: Hugues Thevoux-Chabuel, Philippe Rabiller
  • Patent number: 6263283
    Abstract: A method of creating a seismic wave in a subterranean environment wherein solid propellant material is positioned in a subterranean well and ignited thereby generating a seismic wave. The seismic wave is recorded at distance from where the propellant material is ignited by means of geophones or similar recording devices. The propellant material is geometrically configured with the assistance of computer modeling. The pressure generated by the ignition is recorded in the well and used to validate the computer model for configuring subsequent propellant material employed as a seismic source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventors: Philip M. Snider, Charles A. Meeder, Robert W. Wiley, John F. Schatz, Joseph P. Haney, David S. Wesson
  • Patent number: 6262941
    Abstract: This invention is a method of conducting seismic prospecting operations using a drilling tool (1) acting at the bottom of a well (2), which creates very powerful seismic vibrations, transmitting reference signals representing the vibrations of the tool in real time or later, and correlating the seismic signals picked up by a receiving assembly (12) with the reference signals. The reference signals are furnished by sensors (7) in contact with the drill string and at a distance from the down-hole assembly constituted by tool (1) and associated drill collars (4). In order for these reference signals to be truly representative, a damping means (8, 19) and at least one filtering element (20) designed to attenuate to a great degree the multiple reflections in a frequency range useful for seismic prospecting are interposed into the drill string. The invention has application to the making of seismic recordings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Institute Francais du Petrole
    Inventor: Charles Naville
  • Patent number: 6256603
    Abstract: A method, computer system, and computer program for analyzing geological data sampled from a subsurface region and an analysis of the geological data stored in a geoscience model on a magnetic media, including building a simulation input model from the geoscience model. Data is acquired and interpreted to produce a geoscience model. A boundary is constructed for dividing the region into a first sub-region and a second sub-region; storing on the magnetic media the shape of the boundary as a parametric function whose parameter density can vary. A subsurface region divided into sub-regions, in each of which a material property varies without discontinuities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: George William Celniker
  • Patent number: 6256587
    Abstract: A method for correcting data measured by a well logging instrument for effects of cable yo-yo. The data are first preprocessed to reduce magnitude of spatial frequency components in the data occurring within a bandwidth of axial acceleration of the logging instrument which corresponds to the cable. Then eigenvalues of a matrix are shifted, over depth intervals where the smallest absolute value one of the eigenvalues changes sign, by an amount such that the smallest absolute value eigenvalue does not change sign. The matrix forms part of a system of linear equations by which the measurements made by the instrument are converted to values of a property of interest of earth formations. Artifacts which may remain in the data after the step of preprocessing are substantially removed by the eigenvalue shifting. In one embodiment, the step of preprocessing includes low pass filtering using a cutoff at the axial resolution limit of a sensor on the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, Inc.
    Inventors: Zeljko Jericevic, Antonio Fabirs
  • Publication number: 20010005812
    Abstract: An automated, computer-controlled landfill gas recovery system includes a number of equipment vaults, with each vault being associated with one or more wells in the landfill. The wells are in fluid communication with a piping system located in the associated vault, with the piping system including a main pneumatic control valve that can be adjusted to establish gas flow rate through the well or wells. Also, each vault includes a shielded enclosure that holds sensors and a local vault controller for generating signals representative of flow rate, vacuum, and oxygen/methane/carbon dioxide content of the gas being extracted from the well. These signals are sent to a remote computer. Based on the signals generated by the sensors, the computer communicates with each vault controller to control the pneumatic control valve of each vault to establish a gas flow rate from the associated well as appropriate to accord with one of several user-selected process control regimes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Applicant: Landfill Gas & Environmental Products Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald L. Brookshire, Donald Brookshire, Travis Brookshire, Seyed Mohammed Reza Kalantar-Nejad, James Joseph Beach
  • Patent number: 6246962
    Abstract: Adaptive neural networks can be used to effectively enhance signal detection in the inherently noisy environment of an oil well. The neural network can be either non-recurrent or recurrent in nature. The system is implemented with a computer that accepts input from at least one sensor mounted to the wellhead or near the wellhead. The detected contaminated signal is a combination of the event signal and the noise from the environment. The event signal can be, for example, the detonation of a perforation gun. The noise can be either random or periodic. The use of adaptive filtering allows the noise to be more precisely predicted and then subtracted from the contaminated signal to produce a cleaner representation of the event signal. Once the predicted noise is subtracted, the remaining event signal can be analyzed using voice or sound recognition systems to produce an output describing what event occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger L. Schultz, John D. Burleson
  • Patent number: 6227310
    Abstract: A magnetic observatory device is deployed at a fixed location such as the sea bed to provide data measuring variations in the local earth magnetic field. This data is used to correct information from magnetic direction sensors, for example in a measurement-while-drilling system of a drill string. Also described is a reference apparatus for initial calibration of the device or for marine magnetic mapping purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Tech-21 Limited
    Inventor: Angus Lamberton Jamieson
  • Patent number: 6212477
    Abstract: Method and systems are provided for processing c-wave data resulting in less sensitivity to errors in p-wave velocity analysis. Therefore, according to one aspect of the invention, a process is provided for processing c-wave data, the process comprising: providing zero-offset gather without a hyperbolic movement correction; performing migration on the zero-offset gather; performing velocity analysis on the migrated zero-offset gather; and performing NMO on the migrated data using the velocity from the velocity analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: PGS Tensor, Inc.
    Inventors: Xianhuai Zhu, Suat Altan, Matthew A. Brzostowski, Weizhug Wang
  • Patent number: 6195092
    Abstract: A log graphics presentation editor software utility method and system for creating and editing multi-well log computer graphics presentations. This method and system comprises a presentation editor software utility with a spreadsheet-like graphical user interface. The presentation editor displays multiple oil-well log object-oriented programming graphical objects simultaneously. The user can create, edit and archive attribute values of the graphical objects; change the attributes of individual graphical objects displayed in the log graphics presentation; selectively update the attributes of associated graphical objects; automatically apply the changed attribute values to all the selected graphical objects within the presentation editor display; and archive the graphical objects and their attributes to create new log graphic presentations or to add to other log graphic presentations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Umesh R. Dhond, Carl J. LaSala, Jeffrey D. Rubenstein
  • Patent number: 6192316
    Abstract: A computer system (30) and method of operating the same to analyze well log data so as to distinguish fractures from drilling artifacts, such as caves, washouts, and breakouts, is disclosed. According to the disclosed system and method, a Stoneley wave well log obtained at a plurality of depths is analyzed at a low and a high frequency, to generate a low frequency reflection coefficient trace over depth and a high frequency reflection coefficient trace over depth. Comparison of these reflection coefficient traces with one another will indicate whether a reflecting feature includes a fracture (as indicated by good low frequency response) or a cave, washout, or other artifact (as indicated by good high frequency response), or both. The particular methods disclosed include the generation of the reflection coefficient traces through back-projection stacking of deconvolved impulse traces at both frequencies, and applying and evaluating an envelope function to the stacked traces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company
    Inventor: Brian E. Hornby
  • Patent number: 6188961
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining fast and slow shear wave velocities and orientations in an anisotropic earth formation that reduces the error and ambiguity in calculating these parameters and eliminates the need for dipole receivers and multiple dipole sources. The apparatus generally includes a single dipole source capable of generating an acoustic signal within a borehole. The acoustic logging tool contains multiple levels of receivers. At each level, four receivers, which may be conventional pressure transducers, receive shear/flexural wave signals which propagate along the borehole earth formation. These receivers measure the pressure fields from the wave signals. A processing device, preferably a UNIX™ based computer, interpolates the measured pressure fields between any two adjacent receivers. The processing device performs cross-component decomposition on the pressure field to determine shear wave orientation and velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Hilliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Batakrishna Mandal
  • Patent number: 6179067
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for determining magnetometer errors during wellbore survey operations. It is capable of determining errors on up to three axes, with or without the use of an external reference measurement of the local magnetic field, and is capable of providing an accurate result using data from a minimum number of surveys. A model is used to correct the observed data and the corrected data are transformed from the tool coordinate system to a different coordinate system referenced to the earth. The difference between the corrected transformed data and reference data in the earth coordinate system is minimized to determine the model parameters. The present invention also provides a method for determining residual uncertainty in the measurements and for quality control of the measurements. By making the observations over a period of time, any deterioration of the sensors may be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Andrew G. Brooks
  • Patent number: 6182012
    Abstract: The invention is a method and device for permanent seismic monitoring of an underground formation by means of one or more seismic emission-reception sets comprising a source (S) such as a vibrator and elastic wave receivers (R1, R2, . . . , Rn) such as geophones and/or hydrophones. A well (W) is drilled into the ground. Seismic receivers (R1 to Rn) are lowered therein and coupled with the surrounding formation. The section of the well is widened in the upper part thereof so as to form a cavity (P) against whose walls the seismic source (S) is pressed. Receivers (R) and source (S) are connected to an outside signal control and acquisition station (ST). The wells (W) can be exploration wells that are drilled for example around wells intended for production of reservoirs containing fluids, or mixed exploration and production wells. Each source can also be coupled with a cavity next to the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignees: Institut Francais du Petrole, Gaz de France Service National
    Inventors: Jean Laurent, Fr{acute over (e)}d{acute over (e)}ric Huguet
  • Patent number: 6169967
    Abstract: A method and system for engineering a drilling bit program linked to rock removal at a cutting element/formation interface and specific to drilling of one or more wells in a given geographic area is disclosed. The system includes a first arrangement for planning the drilling of a particular well based upon a cascaded planning input and providing an engineered output which is a function of the cascaded planning input, wherein a level of the engineered output being dependent upon a level of the cascaded planning input. A second arrangement is provided for implementing the engineered output in the drilling of the particular well is also provided. Lastly, a third arrangement is provided for evaluating the implementation of the engineered output for the drilling of the particular well and providing an evaluation output. The evaluation output can be used by the planning arrangement as additional planning input for planning the drilling of a subsequent well in the geographic area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: James Steven Dahlem, Paul Ronald Riederer, Bruno Cuillier
  • Patent number: 6154704
    Abstract: A method for correcting data measured by a well logging instrument for effects of cable yo-yo. The data are first preprocessed to reduce magnitude of spatial frequency components in the data occurring within a bandwidth of axial acceleration of the logging instrument which corresponds to the cable. Then eigenvalue, of a matrix are shifted, over depth intervals where the smallest absolute value one of the eigenvalues changes sign, by an amount such that the smallest absolute value eigenvalue does not change sign. The matrix forms part of a system of linear equations by which the measurements made by the instrument are converted to values of a property of interest of earth formations. Artifacts which may remain in the data after the step of preprocessing are substantially removed by the eigenvalue shifting. In one embodiment, the step of preprocessing includes low pass filtering using a cutoff at the axial resolution limit of a sensor on the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Zeljko Jericevic, Antonio Fabris
  • Patent number: 6151553
    Abstract: This invention provides a measurement-while-drilling (MWD) downhole assembly for use in drilling boreholes which utilizes gyroscopes, magnetometers and accelerometers for determining the borehole inclination and azimuth during the drilling of the borehole. The downhole assembly includes at least one gyroscope that is rotatably mounted in a tool housing to provide signals relating to the earth's rotation. A device in the tool can rotate the gyroscope and other sensors on the tool at any desired degree. A processor in the tool combines measurements from the sensors taken at a plurality of positions at the same depth to determine the systematic bias in the sensors before further processing. Accelerometers in the MWD tool provide gravity measurements from which the toolface and inclination are determined. The unbiased gyroscopic measurements are used in conjunction with the tool face and inclination measurements to determine the azimuth and tool face with respect to true north.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert A. Estes, Koen Antonie Noy, Jon B. Kahn
  • Patent number: 6148263
    Abstract: A safety system for use with an apparatus lowered into a well includes a power supply and a controller that monitors at least a predefined condition of the apparatus. A switch blocks power from the apparatus until the predefined condition is present. A test system includes a test device that generates a signal having a predetermined characteristic (a certain frequency, for example). A controller detects the signal and enables performance of a test operation when the signal of the predetermined frequency is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Brooks, Nolan C. Lerche, Gerald W. Robertson, Michael L. Timmons