Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090238647 | METHOD FOR COUPLING SEISMOMETERS AND SEISMIC SOURCES TO THE OCEAN FLOOR - The present invention is directed to methods for coupling seismometers and seismic sources to the ocean floor that results in improved seismic data quality and repeatability for reservoir management and seismic monitoring activities. Piles are configured with a coupling device and permanently installed on the ocean floor. The seismometers or seismic sources are acoustically coupled to the piles on the ocean floor via the coupling device. The pile, seismometer and seismic source may be surface treated with a material that releases divalent cations to enhance both the acoustic coupling and the load holding capacity of the pile. The pile is permanently imbedded into the seabed while the expensive and high-maintenance seismometers and seismic sources are redeployed on the piles as needed. | 09-24-2009 |
20100002540 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A BEAM OF ACOUSTIC ENERGY FROM ABOREHOLE, AND APPLICATION THEREOF - In some aspects of the invention, a device, positioned within a well bore, configured to generate and direct an acoustic beam into a rock formation around a borehole is disclosed. The device comprises a source configured to generate a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency; a transducer configured to receive the generated first and the second signals and produce acoustic waves at the first frequency and the second frequency; and a non-linear material, coupled to the transducer, configured to generate a collimated beam with a frequency equal to the difference between the first frequency and the second frequency by a non-linear mixing process, wherein the non-linear material includes one or more of a mixture of liquids, a solid, a granular material, embedded microspheres, or an emulsion. | 01-07-2010 |
20100322029 | SYSTEM FOR GENERATING A BEAM OF ACOUSTIC ENERGY FROM A BOREHOLE, AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF - In some aspects of the invention, a device, positioned within a well bore, configured to generate and direct an acoustic beam into a rock formation around a borehole is disclosed. The device comprises a source configured to generate a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency; a transducer configured to receive the generated first and the second signals and produce acoustic waves at the first frequency and the second frequency; and a non-linear material, coupled to the transducer, configured to generate a collimated beam with a frequency equal to the difference between the first frequency and the second frequency by a non-linear mixing process, wherein the non-linear material includes one or more of a mixture of liquids, a solid, a granular material, embedded microspheres, or an emulsion. | 12-23-2010 |
20100322031 | SYSTEM FOR GENERATING A BEAM OF ACOUSTIC ENERGY FROM A BOREHOLE, AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF - In some aspects of the invention, a device, positioned within a well bore, configured to generate and direct an acoustic beam into a rock formation around a borehole is disclosed. The device comprises a source configured to generate a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency; a transducer configured to receive the generated first and the second signals and produce acoustic waves at the first frequency and the second frequency; and a non-linear material, coupled to the transducer, configured to generate a collimated beam with a frequency equal to the difference between the first frequency and the second frequency by a non-linear mixing process, wherein the non-linear material includes one or more of a mixture of liquids, a solid, a granular material, embedded microspheres, or an emulsion. | 12-23-2010 |
20110080803 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A BEAM OF ACOUSTIC ENERGY FROM A BOREHOLE, AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF - In some aspects of the invention, a method of generating a beam of acoustic energy in a borehole is disclosed. The method includes generating a first acoustic wave at a first frequency; generating a second acoustic wave at a second frequency different than the first frequency, wherein the first acoustic wave and second acoustic wave are generated by at least one transducer carried by a tool located within the borehole; transmitting the first and the second acoustic waves into an acoustically non-linear medium, wherein the composition of the non-linear medium produces a collimated beam by a non-linear mixing of the first and second acoustic waves, wherein the collimated beam has a frequency based upon a difference between the first frequency range and the second frequency, and wherein the non-linear medium has a velocity of sound between 100 m/s and 800 m/s. | 04-07-2011 |
20110080804 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A BEAM OF ACOUSTIC ENERGY FROM A BOREHOLE, AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF - In some aspects of the invention, a method of generating a beam of acoustic energy in a borehole is disclosed. The method includes generating a first acoustic wave at a first frequency; generating a second acoustic wave at a second frequency different than the first frequency, wherein the first acoustic wave and second acoustic wave are generated by at least one transducer carried by a tool located within the borehole; transmitting the first and the second acoustic waves into an acoustically non-linear medium, wherein the composition of the non-linear medium produces a collimated beam by a non-linear mixing of the first and second acoustic waves, wherein the collimated beam has a frequency based upon a difference between the first frequency and the second frequency; and transmitting the collimated beam through a diverging acoustic lens to compensate for a refractive effect caused by the curvature of the borehole. | 04-07-2011 |
20110080805 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A BEAM OF ACOUSTIC ENERGY FROM A BOREHOLE, AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF - In some aspects of the invention, a method of generating a beam of acoustic energy in a borehole is disclosed. The method includes generating a first broad-band acoustic pulse at a first broad-band frequency range having a first central frequency and a first bandwidth spread; generating a second broad-band acoustic pulse at a second broad-band frequency range different than the first frequency range having a second central frequency and a second bandwidth spread, wherein the first acoustic pulse and second acoustic pulse are generated by at least one transducer arranged on a tool located within the borehole; and transmitting the first and the second broad-band acoustic pulses into an acoustically non-linear medium, wherein the composition of the non-linear medium produces a collimated pulse by a non-linear mixing of the first and second acoustic pulses, wherein the collimated pulse has a frequency equal to the difference in frequencies between the first central frequency and the second central frequency and a bandwidth spread equal to the sum of the first bandwidth spread and the second bandwidth spread. | 04-07-2011 |
20120075951 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR IMAGING OF NON-LINEAR AND LINEAR PROPERTIES OF FORMATIONS SURROUNDING A BOREHOLE - In some aspects of the disclosure, a method and an apparatus is disclosed for investigating material surrounding the borehole. The method includes generating a first low frequency acoustic wave within the borehole, wherein the first low frequency acoustic wave induces a linear and a nonlinear response in one or more features in the material that are substantially perpendicular to a radius of the borehole; directing a first sequence of high frequency pulses in a direction perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the borehole into the material contemporaneously with the first acoustic wave; and receiving one or more second high frequency pulses at one or more receivers positionable in the borehole produced by an interaction between the first sequence of high frequency pulses and the one or more features undergoing linear and nonlinear elastic distortion due to the first low frequency acoustic wave to investigate the material surrounding the borehole | 03-29-2012 |
20120075952 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR IMAGING OF NON-LINEAR AND LINEAR PROPERTIES OF FORMATIONS SURROUNDING A BOREHOLE - In some aspects of the disclosure, a method and an apparatus is disclosed for investigating material surrounding the borehole. The method includes generating within a borehole an intermittent low frequency vibration that propagates as a tube wave longitudinally to the borehole and induces a nonlinear response in one or more features in the material that are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the borehole; generating within the borehole a sequence of high frequency pulses directed such that they travel longitudinally to the borehole within the surrounding material; and receiving, at one or more receivers positionable in the borehole, a signal that includes components from the low frequency vibration and the sequence of high frequency pulses during intermittent generation of the low frequency vibration, to investigate the material surrounding the borehole. | 03-29-2012 |
20120120761 | INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR INVESTIGATING SUB-SURFACE FEATURES OF A ROCK FORMATION - A system for investigating non-linear properties of a rock formation around a borehole is provided. The system includes a first sub-system configured to perform data acquisition, control and recording of data; a second subsystem in communication with the first sub-system and configured to perform non-linearity and velocity preliminary imaging; a third subsystem in communication with the first subsystem and configured to emit controlled acoustic broadcasts and receive acoustic energy; a fourth subsystem in communication with the first subsystem and the third subsystem and configured to generate a source signal directed towards the rock formation; and a fifth subsystem in communication with the third subsystem and the fourth subsystem and configured to perform detection of signals representative of the non-linear properties of the rock formation. | 05-17-2012 |
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 |
20120120766 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INVESTIGATING SUB-SURFACE FEATURES OF A ROCK FORMATION USING COMPRESSIONAL ACOUSTIC SOURCES - A system and method for investigating rock formations outside a borehole are provided. The method includes generating a first compressional acoustic wave at a first frequency by a first acoustic source; and generating a second compressional acoustic wave at a second frequency by a second acoustic source. The first and the second acoustic sources are arranged within a localized area of the borehole. The first and the second acoustic waves intersect in an intersection volume outside the borehole. The method further includes receiving a third shear acoustic wave at a third frequency, the third shear acoustic wave returning to the borehole due to a non-linear mixing process in a non-linear mixing zone within the intersection volume at a receiver arranged in the borehole. The third frequency is equal to a difference between the first frequency and the second frequency. | 05-17-2012 |
20120120767 | DATA ACQUISITION AND PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INVESTIGATING SUB-SURFACE FEATURES OF A ROCK FORMATION - A system and a method includes generating a first signal at a first frequency; and a second signal at a second frequency. Respective sources are positioned within the borehole and controllable such that the signals intersect in an intersection volume outside the borehole. A receiver detects a difference signal returning to the borehole generated by a non-linear mixing process within the intersection volume, and records the detected signal and stores the detected signal in a storage device and records measurement parameters including a position of the first acoustic source, a position of the second acoustic source, a position of the receiver, elevation angle and azimuth angle of the first acoustic signal and elevation angle and azimuth angle of the second acoustic signal. | 05-17-2012 |
20120123684 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING MICRO-SEISMIC EVENTS AND CHARACTERIZING PROPERTIES OF A MEDIUM WITH NON-LINEAR ACOUSTIC INTERACTIONS - A method and system includes generating a first coded acoustic signal including pulses each having a modulated signal at a central frequency; and a second coded acoustic signal each pulse of which includes a modulated signal a central frequency of which is a fraction d of the central frequency of the modulated signal for the corresponding pulse in the first plurality of pulses. A receiver detects a third signal generated by a non-linear mixing process in the mixing zone and the signal is processed to extract the third signal to obtain an emulated micro-seismic event signal occurring at the mixing zone; and to characterize properties of the medium or creating a 3D image of the properties of the medium, or both, based on the emulated micro-seismic event signal. | 05-17-2012 |
20120195165 | EXPLOITATION OF SELF-CONSISTENCY AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VOLUME IMAGES AND INTERPRETED SPATIAL/VOLUMETRIC CONTEXT - Self-consistency and/or differences between volume images and interpreted spatial/volumetric context may be exploited for improving seismic imaging and estimation of attributes of geobodies, in accordance with one or more embodiments. Exemplary embodiments allow exploitation of positional and/or shape discrepancies and/or similarities of geobodies in image volumes associated with a geologic model of a geologic volume of interest to improve the accuracy of the geologic model and/or the image volumes. Constraints associated with the geologic volume of interest may be determined and/or utilized to confirm and/or specify dependencies between attributes that are potentially associated with individual geobodies. | 08-02-2012 |
20120197530 | EXTRACTING GEOLOGIC INFORMATION FROM MULTIPLE OFFSET STACKS AND/OR ANGLE STACKS - Geologic information may be extracted from multiple offset stacks and/or angle stacks. Offset stacks and/or angle stacks may be received that represent energy that has propagated through a geologic volume of interest from energy sources to energy receivers. Attribute volumes associated with individual source-receiver offsets and/or source-receiver angles may be determined based on corresponding offset stacks and/or angle stacks. For individual offset stacks or angle stacks, corresponding sets of geologic features represented in the attribute volumes may be identified. The sets of geologic features corresponding to the different offset stacks and/or angle stacks to may be compared to determine discrepancies and/or similarities between the sets of geologic features corresponding to the different offset stacks and/or angle stacks. Stratigraphic interpretations, stratigraphic predictions, and/or other interpretations and/or predictions may be determined based on causes of the discrepancies and/or similarities. | 08-02-2012 |
20120197531 | EXTRACTING GEOLOGIC INFORMATION FROM MULTIPLE OFFSET STACKS AND/OR ANGLE STACKS - Geologic information may be extracted from multiple offset stacks and/or angle stacks. Offset stacks and/or angle stacks may be received that represent energy that has propagated through a geologic volume of interest from energy sources to energy receivers. Attribute volumes associated with individual source-receiver offsets and/or source-receiver angles may be determined based on corresponding offset stacks and/or angle stacks. For individual offset stacks or angle stacks, corresponding sets of geologic features represented in the attribute volumes may be identified. The sets of geologic features corresponding to the different offset stacks and/or angle stacks to may be compared to determine discrepancies and/or similarities between the sets of geologic features corresponding to the different offset stacks and/or angle stacks. Stratigraphic interpretations, stratigraphic predictions, and/or other interpretations and/or predictions may be determined based on causes of the discrepancies and/or similarities. | 08-02-2012 |
20120197532 | EXTRACTING GEOLOGIC INFORMATION FROM MULTIPLE OFFSET STACKS AND/OR ANGLE STACKS - Geologic information may be extracted from multiple offset stacks and/or angle stacks. Offset stacks and/or angle stacks may be received that represent energy that has propagated through a geologic volume of interest from energy sources to energy receivers. Attribute volumes associated with individual source-receiver offsets and/or source-receiver angles may be determined based on corresponding offset stacks and/or angle stacks. For individual offset stacks or angle stacks, corresponding sets of geologic features represented in the attribute volumes may be identified. The sets of geologic features corresponding to the different offset stacks and/or angle stacks to may be compared to determine discrepancies and/or similarities between the sets of geologic features corresponding to the different offset stacks and/or angle stacks. Stratigraphic interpretations, stratigraphic predictions, and/or other interpretations and/or predictions may be determined based on causes of the discrepancies and/or similarities. | 08-02-2012 |
20120197613 | EXPLOITATION OF SELF-CONSISTENCY AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VOLUME IMAGES AND INTERPRETED SPATIAL/VOLUMETRIC CONTEXT - Self-consistency and/or differences between volume images and interpreted spatial/volumetric context may be exploited for improving seismic imaging and estimation of attributes of geobodies, in accordance with one or more embodiments. Exemplary embodiments allow exploitation of positional and/or shape discrepancies and/or similarities of geobodies in image volumes associated with a geologic model of a geologic volume of interest to improve the accuracy of the geologic model and/or the image volumes. Constraints associated with the geologic volume of interest may be determined and/or utilized to confirm and/or specify dependencies between attributes that are potentially associated with individual geobodies. | 08-02-2012 |
20120197614 | EXPLOITATION OF SELF-CONSISTENCY AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VOLUME IMAGES AND INTERPRETED SPATIAL/VOLUMETRIC CONTEXT - Self-consistency and/or differences between volume images and interpreted spatial/volumetric context may be exploited for improving seismic imaging and estimation of attributes of geobodies, in accordance with one or more embodiments. Exemplary embodiments allow exploitation of positional and/or shape discrepancies and/or similarities of geobodies in image volumes associated with a geologic model of a geologic volume of interest to improve the accuracy of the geologic model and/or the image volumes. Constraints associated with the geologic volume of interest may be determined and/or utilized to confirm and/or specify dependencies between attributes that are potentially associated with individual geobodies. | 08-02-2012 |
20130054201 | HYBRID DETERMINISTIC-GEOSTATISTICAL EARTH MODEL - Embodiments of the present technology integrate seismic data and geologic concepts into earth model building. More specifically, exemplary embodiments provide new ways to build an earth model based on information in the seismic data and geologic concepts to use as a context to interpret the seismic data and/or to add to the earth model in regions where the seismic data is missing (e.g., either no data or no data resolvability). In some embodiments, a deterministic framework is generated for an earth models through deterministic identification of discrete geobodies. A hybrid deterministic-geostatistical earth model is generated by filling stratigraphic gaps in a deterministic framework using geostatistical information and/or seismic inversion, in accordance with some embodiments. | 02-28-2013 |
20140056101 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SONIC WAVE MEASUREMENTS USING AN ACOUSTIC BEAM SOURCE - A method and system for investigating structure near a borehole are described herein. The method includes generating an acoustic beam by an acoustic source; directing at one or more azimuthal angles the acoustic beam towards a selected location in a vicinity of a borehole; receiving at one or more receivers an acoustic signal, the acoustic signal originating from a reflection or a refraction of the acoustic wave by a material at the selected location; and analyzing the received acoustic signal to characterize features of the material around the borehole. | 02-27-2014 |
20140056110 | ACOUSTIC SOURCE FOR GENERATING AN ACOUSTIC BEAM - An acoustic source for generating an acoustic beam includes a housing; a plurality of spaced apart piezo-electric layers disposed within the housing; and a non-linear medium filling between the plurality of layers. Each of the plurality of piezoelectric layers is configured to generate an acoustic wave. The non-linear medium and the plurality of piezo-electric material layers have a matching impedance so as to enhance a transmission of the acoustic wave generated by each of plurality of layers through the remaining plurality of layers. | 02-27-2014 |
20140056111 | ACOUSTIC DETECTOR - An acoustic detector includes a cylindrical support member and a plurality of receiver elements that are disposed on a surface of the cylindrical support member. The plurality of receiver elements are configured to detect acoustic waves in a plurality of azimuthal angular directions. | 02-27-2014 |
20140160882 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING 3D IMAGES OF NON-LINEAR PROPERTIES OF ROCK FORMATION USING SURFACE SEISMIC OR SURFACE TO BOREHOLE SEISMIC OR BOTH - A system and method of characterizing properties of a medium from a non-linear interaction are include generating, by first and second acoustic sources disposed on a surface of the medium on a first line, first and second acoustic waves. The first and second acoustic sources are controllable such that trajectories of the first and second acoustic waves intersect in a mixing zone within the medium. The method further includes receiving, by a receiver positioned in a plane containing the first and second acoustic sources, a third acoustic wave generated by a non-linear mixing process from the first and second acoustic waves in the mixing zone; and creating a first two-dimensional image of non-linear properties or a first ratio of compressional velocity and shear velocity, or both, of the medium in a first plane generally perpendicular to the surface and containing the first line, based on the received third acoustic wave. | 06-12-2014 |