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EP0169075A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Multisource multireceiver method for geophysical exploration

Assignee: BP Corp North America Inc
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Filing: 1985-07-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-07-19
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Abstract

Abstract A method and system for geophysical exploration including obtaining, processing, displayind and interpreting seismic data. Seismic energy is imparted into the earth's subterranean formation along at least two linear independent lines of action in a seismic survey. At least two linearly independent components of the seismic wave energy imparted along each line of action are detected within the seismic survey. A concord of seismic signals is produced from the seismic wave energy detected for selected combinations of receiver and source locations. An orientation module operates on the concord of the seismic signals so as to generate synthetic concords of seismic signals so as to focus on a particular component of the seismic wave energy iny order to infer the geologic characteristics of the earth's subterranean formations.

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard Martin Alford

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 18:29
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V1/00; G01V1/28; G01V1/284; G01V1/003; G01V2210/00; G01V2210/60; G01V2210/62; G01V2210/626

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim 68 words
A method for geophysical exploration of the earth's subterranean formations comprising the steps of imparting seismic wave energy into the earth's subterranean formation in a seismic survey along at least two linearly independent lines of action and detecting at least two linearly independent components of the seismic wave energy imparted along each line of action in the seismic survey after it has interacted with the earth's subterranean formations.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 68 words
A method for geophysical exploration of the earth's subterranean formations comprising the steps of imparting seismic wave energy into the earth's subterranean formation in a seismic survey along at least two linearly independent lines of action and detecting at least two linearly independent components of the seismic wave energy imparted along each line of action in the seismic survey after it has interacted with the earth's subterranean formations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the seismic wave energy is imparted along at least two substantially mutually perpendicular lines of action.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein at least two substantially mutually perpendicular components of the seismic wave energy imparted into each line of action are detected.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 44 words
The method of any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of the lines of action of the imparted seismic wave energy and at least one of the components of the seismic wave energy detected have substantially the same lines of action.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method of Claim 4 wherein at least two of the lines of action of the imparted seismic wave energy and at least two of the components of the seismic wave energy detected have substantially the same lines of action.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of Claim 5 wherein the lines of action of the imparted seismic wave energy and the components of seismic wave energy detected are substantially mutually perpendicular.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 37 words
The method of any one of the preceding claims wherein the seismic wave energy is imparted at selected locations in the seismic survey and the seismic wave energy is detected at selected locations in the seismic survey.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 44 words
The method of Claim 7 wherein the seismic wave energy is imparted along a first line of action at every other source location and the seismic wave energy is imparted along a second line of action at the balance of the alternating source locations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of Claim 7 wherein a first component of the seismic wave energy imparted along each line of action is detected at every other receiver location and a second component of the seismic wave energy imparted along each line of action is detected at the balance of the receiver locations.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 29 words
The method of any one of the preceding claims further including the step of forming at least one concord of the seismic signals from the seismic wave energy detected.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of Claim 10 further including the step of transforming the concord of seismic signals into a synthetic concord of seismic signals.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the seismic wave energy is imparted along two linearly independent lines of action selected from the group including horizontal shear wave, vertical shear wave and compressional wave.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the two linearly independent components of the seismic wave energy detected are selected from the group including horizontal shear wave, vertical shear wave and compressional wave.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of Claim 1 wherein the seismic wave energy is independently imparted into the earth's subterranean formations at selected locations along each linear independent line of action.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 20 words
A method for geophysical exploration of the earth's subterranean formations comprising the step of collecting a concord of seismic signals.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 20 words
A method for geophysical exploration of the earth's subterranean formations comprising the step of collecting a concord of seismic signals.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 36 words
The method of any one of the preceding claims wherein the step of imparting seismic wave energy includes, independently imparting into the earth's subterranean formation at selected source locations along each linearly independent lines of action.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 92 words
A system for collecting a concord of seismic signals comprising: sets of seismic sources deployed at selected locations in a seismic survey; at least two source elements in each set of seismic sources having linearly independent lines of action for imparting seismic energy; sets of seismic receivers deployed at selected locations in the seismic survey; and at least two receiver elements in each set of seismic receivers having linearly independent lines of action, each element being adapted to detect the seismic wave energy imparted by each element in the source seismic sources.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 92 words
A system for collecting a concord of seismic signals comprising: sets of seismic sources deployed at selected locations in a seismic survey; at least two source elements in each set of seismic sources having linearly independent lines of action for imparting seismic energy; sets of seismic receivers deployed at selected locations in the seismic survey; and at least two receiver elements in each set of seismic receivers having linearly independent lines of action, each element being adapted to detect the seismic wave energy imparted by each element in the source seismic sources.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 19 words
A system according to Claim 17 adapted to perform the method of any one of Claims 1 to 9.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 48 words
The system of Claim 17 or Claim 18 further including an orientation module adapted to synthetically rotate spatially or as a function of time the lines of action of the elements in the set of seismic sources and/or the lines of action in the element of seismic receivers.
Claim 23
Independent Claim 35 words
A method for processing a concord of seismic signals acquired with sets of seismic sources and seismic receivers comprising the steps of transforming a concord of seismic signals into a synthetic concord of seismic signals.
Claim 24
Independent Claim 35 words
A method for processing a concord of seismic signals acquired with sets of seismic sources and seismic receivers comprising the steps of transforming a concord of seismic signals into a synthetic concord of seismic signals.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of Claim 20 includes transforming a concord of stacked seismic signals into a synthetic concord of stacked seismic signals.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of Claim 20 includes transforming a concord of gathers of seismic signals into a synthetic concord of gathers of seismic signals.
Claim 27
Independent Claim 70 words
A method for processing a concord of seismic signals acquired along a curvilinear seismic survey line including the steps of rotating the lines of action of the seismic receivers and seismic sources to obtain a concord of seismic signals such that the lines of action of the seismic sources and seismic receivers have a substantially uniform orientation with respect to the earth's horizontal surface or to the earth's subterranean formation.
Claim 28
Independent Claim 70 words
A method for processing a concord of seismic signals acquired along a curvilinear seismic survey line including the steps of rotating the lines of action of the seismic receivers and seismic sources to obtain a concord of seismic signals such that the lines of action of the seismic sources and seismic receivers have a substantially uniform orientation with respect to the earth's horizontal surface or to the earth's subterranean formation.
Claim 29
Independent Claim 29 words
A method of displaying a concord of seismic signals including the step of plotting a concord of seismic data for each element contained within the concord of seismic signals.
Claim 30
Independent Claim 29 words
A method of displaying a concord of seismic signals including the step of plotting a concord of seismic data for each element contained within the concord of seismic signals.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of Claim 24 further including the step of plotting a synthetic concord of seismic data obtained from a synthetic rotation of the concord of seismic signals.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of Claim 24 further including the step of plotting each element of the concord of seismic signals as seismic data adjacent one another.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method of Claim 24 further including the step of plotting seismic data of the concord of seismic signals and incremental steps of rotation of the lines of action of the seismic sources and seismic receivers acquiring the concord of seismic signals.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of Claim 24 further including the step of plotting seismic data for each element contained within the concord of stacked seismic signals.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of Claim 24 further including the step of plotting seismic data for each element contained with the concord of seismic signal gathers.

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