A method and system for characterizing subsurface hydraulic fractures, specifically the effective permeability thereof, are disclosed. One method includes transmitting electromagnetic signals from an electromagnetic source toward a subsurface hydraulic fracture location, capturing electromagnetic signal measurements of a subsurface hydraulic fracture on the Earth's surface above the subsurface hydraulic fracture location at a plurality of electromagnetic receivers, and associating characteristic hydraulic flow parameters with the electromagnetic signal measurements to determine one or more fracture zones. The method further includes determining an effective permeability of the one or more fracture zones, thereby determining an effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing in the subsurface hydraulic fracture location.

The invention relates to systems and methods for designing seismic surveys to enable seismic data acquisition with a reduced environmental impact and lower survey costs. The methods include incorporating surface and subsurface data and associated parameters for a proposed survey area and assigning weighting values to the relative ranking of the parameters for a particular area and thereafter designing a source/receiver plan based on combined and weighted parameters.

Methods and systems for determining a rock facies map are disclosed. The method includes obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) seismic image and a plurality of well logs, and identifying a horizon and determining a set of bandlimited 3D seismic images. The method further includes determining a set of mono-frequency maps by applying spectral decomposition to the 3D seismic image and determining a seismic attribute map based on the set of mono-frequency maps and a machine learning network. The method still further includes identifying a set of rock facies based, at least in part, on the plurality of well logs, determining a transformation function that maps a subset of rock facies to values of the seismic attribute map, and determining the rock facies map based on the seismic attribute map and the transformation function.

A seismic system that includes a seismic source configured to generate a first seismic signal and a second seismic signal in a formation adjacent the seismic source. A first downhole sensing device disposed in a first borehole configured to detect the first seismic signal and the second seismic signal in the formation; and a first surface acquisition system is in communication with the first downhole sensing device. The first surface acquisition system is configured to: determine a first reference transit time based at least in part on detection of the first seismic signal by the first downhole sensing device; a first subsequent transit time based at least in part on detection of the second seismic signal by the first downhole sensing device; and

whether a synchronization variation is expected to be present based at least in part on the first reference transit time and the first subsequent transit time.

A method is provided of designing seismic surveys for a geographical area using controlled randomization. The method comprises the steps of selecting the geographical area to be surveyed; determining placement for one or more control areas, wherein each control area comprises a plurality of stations, within the geographical area; applying a randomization algorithm to each of the one or more control areas; creating a Fresnel fold map of the geographical area; and applying a relative standard deviation algorithm to the Fresnel fold map to confirm if the randomization algorithm has created an even distribution of data.

A seismic reflection data acquisition method adopts concentric circle equal offset, which is in the engineering geophysical exploration technology field. Specifically the receivers are placed in a way of concentric circle. Choose a compact point on the rock on the tunnel surface; takes the hypocenter as the center and set three concentric survey circles; stimulates seismic waves at the center and receives the reflection wave from the place ahead of the tunnel face by the receivers. A 3D graphics is created based on the positions of the receivers on the tunnel face, by which a 3D geotectonic face is able to be observed clearly through corresponding analysis processing method to receive the information of structures and defective geological bodies ahead.

Methods of analyzing and optimizing a seismic survey design are described. Specifically, the sampling quality is analyzed as opposed to the overall quality of the whole survey. This allows for analysis of the impact of the offsets, obstacles, and other aspects of the survey on the sampling quality, which will improve the ability to compress the resulting data and minimize acquisition footprints.

System and method for steering a vessel during a marine acquisition campaign. The method includes obtaining a pre-plot track of a steered point, wherein the steered point is associated with an equipment spread towed by the vessel; calculating an offset between a past position of the vessel and a current position of the steered point; and steering the vessel along a vessel track, wherein the vessel track is calculated by shifting the pre-plot track of the steered point with at least a cross-line component of the offset.

Systems, methods, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable media, for performing a seismic survey and characterization of a subsurface formation. Seismic sources coupled to a wellbore of a well system may emit source seismic signals. Seismic sensors coupled to the wellbore may detect seismic signals associated with the plurality of source seismic signals. The detected seismic signals may be reflected seismic signals, refracted seismic signals, or both. A seismic characterization of the subsurface formation may be performed based on analysis of the detected seismic signals and the plurality of source seismic signals. A change in a fluid front of the subsurface formation may be detected based on the seismic characterization of the subsurface formation. Inflow control devices that control fluid flow in a plurality of zones of the wellbore may be controlled based on the seismic characterization and a detected change in the fluid front.

The invention relates to systems and methods for designing seismic surveys to enable seismic data acquisition with a reduced environmental impact and lower survey costs. The methods include incorporating surface and subsurface data and associated parameters for a proposed survey area and assigning weighting values to the relative ranking of the parameters for a particular area and thereafter designing a source/receiver plan based on combined and weighted parameters.