A method for borehole measurements may comprise receiving one or more signals from a linear receiver array, computing an arctan of a Hilbert Transform, isolating a first arriving energy, selecting a reference instantaneous phase on a reference receiver, finding the reference instantaneous phase for the linear receiver array, computing a relative travel time shift, combining a reference pick time with a relative time, and determining a travel time. A system for borehole measurements comprise a conveyance, a bottom hole assembly attached to the conveyance, a linear receiver array, wherein the linear receiver array is disposed on the bottom hole assembly, and a computer system connected to the linear receiver array.

A new method for iteratively picking the seismic first breaks and conducting imaging of the near-surface velocity structures in an iterative fashion is provided that the first-break picks of the input seismic data are applied to image the near-surface velocity structures and the calculated travel times associated with the updated velocity structures are applied to help refine the first-break picks in the first break picking process until first-break picks satisfy a number of quality control criteria, statics solutions are optimized, and the near surface imaging reaches an acceptable data misfit. This invention produces a velocity model that can be used for near surface statics corrections or for the prestack depth migration.

A seismic warning system comprises: a plurality of sensors, each sensor sensitive to a physical phenomenon associated with seismic events and operative to output an electronic signal representative of the sensed physical phenomenon; a data acquisition unit communicatively coupled to receive the electronic signal from each of the plurality of sensors, the data acquisition unit comprising a processor configured to estimate characteristics of a seismic event based on the electronic signal associated with a P-wave from each of the plurality of sensors; and a local device communicatively coupled to the data acquisition unit. The plurality of sensors, the data acquisition unit and the local device are local to one another.

A method for characterizing a hydraulic fracture in a subsurface formation includes inducing a pressure change in a borehole drilled through the subsurface formation. At least one of pressure and a time derivative of pressure is measured in the borehole for a selected length of time. At least one physical parameter of at least one fracture is determined using the measured pressure and/or the time derivative of pressure. A method for characterizing hydraulic fracturing rate uses microseismic event count measured through the borehole and its real-time implementation.

Reservoir sweep efficiency includes obtaining fluid front arrival times for streamlines in a reservoir. A wellbore is partitioned into independent production zones, and a target flow rate is allocated to each of the independent production zones based on the fluid front arrival times. Partition choke parameters complying with the target flow rates are allocated to generate a completion design, which is presented.

A computer-implemented method can include the following. Seismic vibratory waves through the Earth along a selected vector path are received. An initial value is selected for a first arrival for each of the seismic vibratory waves. Initial values are determined for travel times and velocities of the seismic vibratory waves. Reversed signs of amplitudes of the seismic vibratory waves are determined and corrected. Time intervals are determined based on the initial values of the travel times. Time windowing and filtering in a frequency domain are performed. Final values are determined for first arrivals and travel times for each of the seismic vibratory waves based on the time windowing and filtering. Final values are determined for velocities of the seismic vibratory waves.

A method for characterizing a hydraulic fracture in a subsurface formation includes inducing a pressure change in a borehole drilled through the subsurface formation. At least one of pressure and a time derivative of pressure is measured in the borehole for a selected length of time. At least one physical parameter of at least one fracture is determined using the measured pressure and/or the time derivative of pressure. A method for characterizing hydraulic fracturing rate uses microseismic event count measured through the borehole and its real-time implementation.

A method, article and system are provided for processing and interpreting acoustic data. The method and system includes providing a number of acoustic processing elements, each element being associated with an acoustic mode of a number of acoustic modes of a sonic measurement tool adapted to acquire data representing acoustic measurements in a borehole. In addition the method and system includes providing a user interface to organize a processing chain of the number of acoustic processing elements such that the acoustic processing elements process the acquired data according to a predefined workflow.

The disclosure is directed to a method of utilizing an acoustic sensing cable, such as a fiber optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) cable, in a borehole to detect microseismic events and to generate three dimensional fracture plane parameters utilizing the detected events. Alternatively, the method can use various categorizations of microseismic data subsets to generate one or more potential fracture planes. Also disclosed is an apparatus utilizing a single acoustic sensing cable capable of detecting microseismic events and subsequently calculating fracture geometry parameters. Additionally disclosed is a system utilizing a processor to analyze collected microseismic data to generate one or more sets of fracture geometry parameters.

A seismic warning system comprises: a plurality of sensors, each sensor sensitive to a physical phenomenon associated with seismic events and operative to output an electronic signal representative of the sensed physical phenomenon; a data acquisition unit communicatively coupled to receive the electronic signal from each of the plurality of sensors, the data acquisition unit comprising a processor configured to estimate characteristics of a seismic event based on the electronic signal associated with a P-wave from each of the plurality of sensors; and a local device communicatively coupled to the data acquisition unit.