Patent classifications
G01V1/40
Distributed Seismic Source Array for Use in Marine Environments
An acoustic sound source designed to impart vibratory energy into its surrounding environment by linearly displacing transducer face plate(s) that are coupled to a rotary motor via crankshaft/connecting rod(s) or camshaft(s). The frequency of the vibrational energy is proportional to the speed of the rotary motor and the amplitude of the vibrational energy is proportional to the linear displacement of the transducer faceplates. The motor can be manually or automatically controlled to operate at a fixed speed and/or a variety of time varying speeds such as frequency sweeps or ramps. The linear displacement or amplitude of the transducer faceplates can also be manually or automatically controlled to operate at a fixed displacement or to have the displacement vary with time and/or frequency.
System and method for remaining resource mapping
A method for mapping remaining hydrocarbon resources in a subsurface reservoir, includes obtaining a map of seismic amplitude difference over a time period based on a survey of the subsurface reservoir, generating an expected trend dataset for the reservoir based on one or more non-water saturation effects detected over the time period by one or more wellbore surveillance techniques at one or more locations in the reservoir, correcting the map of seismic amplitude difference, at least in part, on the expected trend dataset to generate a corrected seismic amplitude map, and using the corrected seismic amplitude difference map to generate a map representative of remaining hydrocarbon resources in the reservoir. Embodiments include a system for performing the method and a medium containing computer executable software instructions for performing the method.
System and method for defining permissible borehole curvature
A method for defining a permissible borehole curvature includes determining curvature characteristics of at least one of a borehole and a downhole assembly in the borehole and calculating an envelope of permissible borehole curvatures from a predetermined location in the borehole based on the curvature characteristics, a direction of the borehole at the predetermined location in the borehole, and a turning angle of the borehole relative to the direction of the borehole at the predetermined location.
Active damping control of a wellbore logging tool
Systems and methods for actively controlling the damping of a wellbore logging tool are disclosed herein. A wellbore logging tool system comprises a processor, a memory, a wellbore logging tool comprising an acoustic transmitter, and a logging tool control module. The logging tool control module is operable to receive sensor signals from one or more sensors coupled to the wellbore logging tool after an actuation control signal has been transmitted to the acoustic transmitter and determine, using the received sensor signals, one or more current dynamic states of the acoustic transmitter. The logging tool control module is also operable to determine a damping control signal based on the one or more current dynamic states of the acoustic transmitter and transmit the damping control signal to the acoustic transmitter of the wellbore logging tool.
Active damping control of a wellbore logging tool
Systems and methods for actively controlling the damping of a wellbore logging tool are disclosed herein. A wellbore logging tool system comprises a processor, a memory, a wellbore logging tool comprising an acoustic transmitter, and a logging tool control module. The logging tool control module is operable to receive sensor signals from one or more sensors coupled to the wellbore logging tool after an actuation control signal has been transmitted to the acoustic transmitter and determine, using the received sensor signals, one or more current dynamic states of the acoustic transmitter. The logging tool control module is also operable to determine a damping control signal based on the one or more current dynamic states of the acoustic transmitter and transmit the damping control signal to the acoustic transmitter of the wellbore logging tool.
Distributed clamps for a downhole seismic source
The present disclosure relates to increasing the output power of a clamped seismic or acoustic source disposed in a wellbore without damaging the borehole/casing/cement. One or more sources are provided and carried on a conveyance mechanism. The conveyance mechanism may be a wireline, a coiled tubing, or a drill pipe. The one or more sources are run into and/or out of the wellbore and temporarily disposed at various locations within the wellbore. The one or more sources are temporarily clamped to the wellbore at the various locations using distributed clamping, and a source signal is generated by the distributed clamped source. The distributed clamping device may have multiple clamping mechanisms along an increased length of the source or a continuous clamping mechanism along an increased length of the source.
Distributed clamps for a downhole seismic source
The present disclosure relates to increasing the output power of a clamped seismic or acoustic source disposed in a wellbore without damaging the borehole/casing/cement. One or more sources are provided and carried on a conveyance mechanism. The conveyance mechanism may be a wireline, a coiled tubing, or a drill pipe. The one or more sources are run into and/or out of the wellbore and temporarily disposed at various locations within the wellbore. The one or more sources are temporarily clamped to the wellbore at the various locations using distributed clamping, and a source signal is generated by the distributed clamped source. The distributed clamping device may have multiple clamping mechanisms along an increased length of the source or a continuous clamping mechanism along an increased length of the source.
Microseismic monitoring with fiber-optic noise mapping
The combination of one or more 3-component microseismic sensors deployed into a wellbore adjacent a microseismic event and a linear array of distributed fiber optic acoustic sensors deployed uphole thereof provides two sets of data for establishing noise-free signals for locating the microseismic event in the formation about the wellbore. The distributed fiber optic signals monitor noise transmitted along coiled tubing used to pump a completion operation or as a result of the fluid flowing through the casing or coiled tubing, or along wireline used to deploy the microseismic sensors. The noise is mapped and extrapolated for estimating noise at the 3-component sensors. The estimated noise is removed from the 3-component sensor data for producing clean signals representing the location of the microseismic events.
Microseismic monitoring with fiber-optic noise mapping
The combination of one or more 3-component microseismic sensors deployed into a wellbore adjacent a microseismic event and a linear array of distributed fiber optic acoustic sensors deployed uphole thereof provides two sets of data for establishing noise-free signals for locating the microseismic event in the formation about the wellbore. The distributed fiber optic signals monitor noise transmitted along coiled tubing used to pump a completion operation or as a result of the fluid flowing through the casing or coiled tubing, or along wireline used to deploy the microseismic sensors. The noise is mapped and extrapolated for estimating noise at the 3-component sensors. The estimated noise is removed from the 3-component sensor data for producing clean signals representing the location of the microseismic events.
Electromagnetic communications system and method for a drilling operation
A wireless communications system for a downhole drilling operation comprises surface communications equipment and a downhole telemetry tool. The surface communications equipment comprises a surface EM communications module with an EM downlink transmitter configured to transmit an EM downlink transmission at a frequency between 0.01 Hz and 0.1 Hz. The downhole telemetry tool is mountable to a drill string and has a downhole electromagnetic (EM) communications unit with an EM downlink receiver configured to receive the EM downlink transmission. The downhole EM communications unit can further comprise an EM uplink transmitter configured to transmit an EM uplink transmission at a frequency greater than 0.5 Hz, in which case the surface EM communications module further comprises an EM uplink receiver configured to receive the EM uplink transmission. More particularly, the downhole EM uplink transmitter can be configured to transmit the EM uplink transmission at a frequency that is at least ten times higher than the EM downlink transmission frequency.