Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
367027000 | Time interval measurement | 25 |
20080239871 | Method of processing geological data - There is provided a method of processing geological data during drilling of a borehole for improving accuracy of the geological data. The method includes a first step of determining from instrumentation ( | 10-02-2008 |
20080247269 | Analysis of Uncertainty of Hypocenter Location Using the Combination of a VSP and a Subsurface Array - Acoustic signals resulting from microseismic events in the subsurface are received in a first array of detectors deployed in a borehole and in a second array of detectors at or near the surface of the earth. The signals are converted to give the locations of the microseismic events. | 10-09-2008 |
20080291780 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING ACOUSTIC WAVEFORM DATA - Methods and systems for taking acoustic measurements related to subterranean formations. The methods and systems provide extracting a portion of the acoustic measurements based on predetermined parameters for selecting reflected arrival waves in the acoustic measurements; generating time projection of the extracted acoustic measurements versus borehole depth; and generating an indication or imaging of acoustic reflectors in the formation based on the time projected acoustic measurements. | 11-27-2008 |
20080298174 | Method for determining seismic anisotropy - The method disclosed is useful for estimating anisotropic properties of an earth formation. The method includes extracting travel time values of components of the acoustic wave induced from a downhole tool and reflected from a boundary bed formation. The method further includes obtaining a travel time ratio of the wave components and using the travel time ratio to estimate the anisotropic properties of the formation. | 12-04-2008 |
20090201764 | DOWN HOLE MUD SOUND SPEED MEASUREMENT BY USING ACOUSTIC SENSORS WITH DIFFERENTIATED STANDOFF - A method for determining a velocity of sound traveling in a fluid in a borehole, the method including: placing a logging instrument in the borehole, the instrument including a first acoustic transducer and a second acoustic transducer that are offset from each other in distance to a wall of the borehole, the first transducer adapted to emit a first acoustic wave that is reflected by the wall and the second acoustic transducer adapted to emit a second acoustic wave that is reflected by the wall; determining a difference between a travel time of the first acoustic wave and a travel time of the second acoustic wave; and calculating the velocity using the difference and the offset. | 08-13-2009 |
20090238037 | RADIAL PROFILING OF SLOWNESS: METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR NEAR-WELLBORE ALTERATION ESTIMATION - A method facilitating radial profiling of acoustic slowness of a formation traversed by a borehole is disclosed. According to some aspects of the invention, a 3D image of near, far, and intermediate formation slowness is provided. | 09-24-2009 |
20090323471 | Vector 3-Component 3-Dimensional Kirchhoff Prestack Migration - An apparatus and a method for migration of three components, 3-Dimensions seismic (3-C, 3-D) data acquired by down-hole receivers and surface seismic sources. This method utilizes full 3 components reflection wave field. It uses a dynamic, vector energy mapping method to image a reflection position and maps each time sample only to its reflected image point. Therefore, this method reduces unwanted data smearing and false mirror images. This method overcomes the weakness of using only a single component trace or pre-rotated three-component traces in the 1-C or 3-C 3-D VSP migration and produces better 3-D image. | 12-31-2009 |
20100290312 | Time-Variable Gain for Correction of Fluid Attenuation in Downhole Acoustic Tools - An apparatus for use in a wellbore is provided that in one embodiment may include at least one transmitter configured to generate acoustic signals in the wellbore, at least one receiver configured to receive acoustic signals from a formation surrounding the wellbore in response to the transmitted acoustic signal and also configured to provide electrical signals representative of the received acoustic signals, a circuit configured to apply a time-variable gain to the electrical signals to amplify the electrical signals, and a processor configured to process the amplified electrical signals and provide a property of interest. | 11-18-2010 |
20100315900 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HIGH RESOLUTION SOUND SPEED MEASUREMENTS - An apparatus for estimating an influx of a formation fluid into a borehole fluid, the apparatus having: a carrier; an acoustic transducer disposed at the carrier; a first reflector disposed a first distance from the acoustic transducer and defining a first round trip distance; a second reflector disposed a second distance from the acoustic transducer and defining a second round trip distance; and a processor in communication with the acoustic transducer and configured to measure a difference between a first travel time for the acoustic signal traveling the first round trip distance and a second travel time for the acoustic signal traveling the second round trip distance to estimate the influx of the formation fluid; wherein the acoustic transducer, the first reflector, and the second reflector are disposed in the borehole fluid that is in the borehole. | 12-16-2010 |
20100322030 | Seismic Measurements While Drilling - A downhole tool starts recording seismic energy. During the recording time, a surface seismic source is activated a specified number of times with a nominally defined separation between successive. The downhole sensor receives seismic waves resulting from the activation, but the time of the shooting sequence is not known downhole. The recorded data stream is processed and converted in real-time into seismic traces. A predefined number of traces are stacked and the quality of this sliding stack is used to detect time of the shooting sequence. The method could be used to detect one or several shooting sequences during a measurement window. | 12-23-2010 |
20110188344 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DISTRIBUTED INTERFEROMETRIC ACOUSTIC MONITORING - This disclosure relates in general to a method and system for acoustic monitoring using a fibre optic cable. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, embodiments of the present invention provide for using an optical fiber as a distributed interferometer that may be used to monitor a conduit, wellbore or reservoir. In certain aspects, the distributed interferometric monitoring provides for accurate detection of acoustic occurrences along the fibre optic cable and these acoustic occurrences may include fluid flow in a pipeline or wellbore, processes taking place in a wellbore or pipeline, fracturing, gravel packing, production logging and/or the like. | 08-04-2011 |
20120106292 | RESERVOIR MAPPING WITH FRACTURE PULSE SIGNAL - A method and system includes determining a subsurface fluid seismic attribute comprising recording a signal at a wellhead related to pumping fracture stimulation fluid to obtain a pressure pulse pump signal. A deconvolution operator is determined from the obtained pressure pulse pump signal. Seismic data are acquired from a plurality of sensors. Travel time differences are computed for the seismic data between the plurality of sensor locations and the subsurface position. Seismic data are deconvolved with the deconvolution operator to obtain a plurality of deconvolution coefficients associated with the subsurface position. The computed travel time differences are used to sum the plurality of deconvolution coefficients associated with the subsurface position to obtain a subsurface fluid seismic attribute at the subsurface position. | 05-03-2012 |
20120120763 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INVESTIGATING SUB-SURFACE FEATURES OF A ROCK FORMATION WITH ACOUSTIC SOURCES GENERATING CODED SIGNALS - A system and a method for investigating rock formations includes generating, by a first acoustic source, a first acoustic signal comprising a first plurality of pulses, each pulse including a first modulated signal at a central frequency; and generating, by a second acoustic source, a second acoustic signal comprising a second plurality of pulses. A receiver arranged within the borehole receives a detected signal including a signal being generated by a non-linear mixing process from the first-and-second acoustic signal in a non-linear mixing zone within the intersection volume. The method also includes-processing the received signal to extract the signal generated by the non-linear mixing process over noise or over signals generated by a linear interaction process, or both. | 05-17-2012 |
20120120764 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INVESTIGATING SUB-SURFACE FEATURES AND 3D IMAGING OF NON-LINEAR PROPERTY, COMPRESSIONAL VELOCITY VP, SHEAR VELOCITY VS AND VELOCITY RATIO VP/VS OF A ROCK FORMATION - A system and a method for generating a three-dimensional image of a rock formation, compressional velocity VP, shear velocity VS and velocity ratio VP/VS of a rock formation are provided. A first acoustic signal includes a first plurality of pulses. A second acoustic signal from a second source includes a second plurality of pulses. A detected signal returning to the borehole includes a signal generated by a non-linear mixing process from the first and second acoustic signals in a non-linear mixing zone within an intersection volume. The received signal is processed to extract the signal over noise and/or signals resulting from linear interaction and the three dimensional image of is generated. | 05-17-2012 |
20120120765 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INVESTIGATING SUB-SURFACE FEATURES OF A ROCK FORMATION WITH ACOUSTIC SOURCES GENERATING CONICAL BROADCAST SIGNALS - 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. | 05-17-2012 |
20120170405 | METHOD FOR A MUD CAKE THICKNESS DETERMINATION - The method of a mud cake thickness determination provides sending short high-frequency signals into a formation from at least two positions located at different distances from the mud cake and recording arrival times of reflected echo signals. The mud cake thickness is determined based on the time measured. | 07-05-2012 |
20120307592 | Methods and Apparatus to Calculate A Distance from A Borehole to A Boundary of An Anisotropic Subterranean Rock Layer - A disclosed example method includes providing, in a borehole, a transmitter (Tx) and receivers (Rxs) spaced linearly from Tx at known distances, measuring linear propagation times (LPts) for a signal to propagate from Tx to each of Rxs, determining an inline velocity (V | 12-06-2012 |
20130128693 | Using a Drill Bit as a Seismic Source for SET Velocity Analysis - Disclosed are various embodiments of methods for determining the velocity of seismic energy in geologic layers using Seismic Emission Tomography (SET) imaging of drill bit noise, by recording microseismic data during a drilling operation, recording the time and the position of a drill bit in a well bore during the drilling operation, processing the microseismic data using SET software to image microseismic events proximate a known time and position of the drill bit using an estimated velocity model, computing the difference between the known time and position of the drill bit and the time and position of the microseismic event determined from the SET data, varying the estimated velocity model to minimize the difference between the known time and position of the drill bit and the time and time and position of the microseismic event determined from the SET data. | 05-23-2013 |
20130128694 | Tomographic Imaging of Fracture-Fault Permeability Zones During Drilling Operations - Disclosed are various embodiments of methods for identifying faults and fractures, and other permeable features, within geologic layers during a drilling operation comprising; recording microseismic data during a drilling operation; recording times and positions of a drill bit in a well bore during the drilling operation; processing microseismic data at a plurality of selected times and locations to image microseismic events and identifying faults and fractures, and other permeable features, from corresponding images of microseismic events. In other embodiments, the integrity of a cementing operation may be verified by recording microseismic data during a cementing operation; recording times and positions of a cementing operation in a well bore during the cementing operation; processing microseismic data at a plurality of selected times and locations to image microseismic events and identifying faults and fractures, and other permeable features, within the cemented zone from corresponding images of microseismic events. | 05-23-2013 |
20140029382 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MAKING OPTIMIZED BOREHOLE ACOUSTIC MEASUREMENTS - A system and method for measuring a formation property in a wellbore is disclosed. In the method, an acoustic measurement tool is introduced into a wellbore. The acoustic measurement tool may include a transmitter and a plurality of sensors. At least one of the plurality of sensors may be positioned in a non-uniform spacing configuration. The transmitter may transmit energy into the formation. The plurality of sensors may measure energy received from the formation. Additionally, a time semblance of the formation may be determined using at least one time semblance algorithm generalized for non-uniform sensor spacing. | 01-30-2014 |
20140071790 | ULTRASONIC IMAGING IN WELLS OR TUBULARS - An ultrasonic imaging method is provided. A wideband acoustic pulse is fired at a wall. A wideband response signal is received. The wideband response signal is processed to select an impedance measurement frequency. A wavelet having a characteristic frequency approximately equal to the impedance measurement frequency is fired. A wavelet response signal is received. A reflection coefficient is determined from the wavelet response signal. An impedance measurement is calculated from the reflection coefficient. Related tools and systems are also disclosed. | 03-13-2014 |
20140334260 | Neural Network Signal Processing of Microseismic Events - Systems, apparatuses and methods for neural network signal processing of microseismic events. A series of sensors are disposable in at least one first well positioned about a second well disposed in a subterranean formation. The series of sensors obtain a data signal measurement including noise events and microseismic acoustic emission events. A processor includes a first neural network. The processor may remove the noise events from the data signal measurement and determine with the first neural network an arrival time for each microseismic acoustic emission event. An interface can output the arrival time for each microseismic acoustic emission event. | 11-13-2014 |
20160091625 | System and Methodology for Identifying Time Differences between Clocks during Seismic Exploration - A technique facilitates seismic exploration by identifying time differences between clocks employed during the seismic exploration. According to an embodiment, a seismic signal is output from a source and has an incident wave and a reflected wave. The seismic signal is received by at least one receiver which outputs data to a control system. The control system is employed to compare a symmetry of the propagation of the incident wave and the reflected wave. The symmetry data is then used to determine a temporal change of the time base of the at least one receiver. | 03-31-2016 |
20160123132 | HIGH FREQUENCY INSPECTION OF DOWNHOLE ENVIRONMENT - Among other things, there are disclosed embodiments of a well-logging tool that inspects features of the down-hole environment using ultrasonic signals with a frequency in the range of 3-5 MHz. The ultrasonic signals are encoded, and their time-of-flight and amplitude provide information on features of interior surface of the casing on the order of 1 mm, and on the quality of the cement bond behind the casing. | 05-05-2016 |
20160130938 | SEISMIC WHILE DRILLING SYSTEM AND METHODS - A bottom hole assembly is configured with a drill bit section connected to a pulse generation section. The pulse generation section includes a relatively long external housing, the particular housing length being selected for the particular drilling location. The long external housing is positioned closely adjacent to the borehole sidewalls to thereby create a high speed flow course between the external walls of the housing and the borehole sidewalls. The long external housing includes a valve cartridge assembly and optionally a shock sub decoupler. While in operation, the valve cartridge assembly continuously cycles and uses downhole pressure to thereby generate seismic signal pulses that propagate to geophones or other similar sensors on the surface. The amount of bypass allowed through the valve assembly is selectable in combination with the long external housing length and width to achieve the desired pulse characteristics. The bottom hole assembly optionally includes an acoustic baffle to attenuate wave propagation going up the drill string. | 05-12-2016 |