System and method for control of seismic data acquisition

• US 20040008175A1
• Filed: 02/07/2003
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: INOVA Limited
• Original Assignee: Input/Output Incorporated
• Inventors: Moore, Robert C., Cain, Byron, Elder, Alfred K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,292,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/100
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/003 Seismic data acquisition in general, e.g. survey design G01V1/3808, G01V1/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/34 Displaying seismic recordings or visualisation of seismic data or attributes
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2200/14 Quality control

Abstract

The present invention provides an interactive system for controlling seismic data acquisition. A central controller controls seismic sources, detectors and receivers. A user/operator is provided one or more views of the operational components over a graphical user interface and is provided software to change parameters associated with the components. A second controller might be located in a seismic source vehicle. There exists two-way data and audio communication between the two controllers for providing dual control of the system. A field operator, relays information to and receives information from the central operator and controller. Together, the operators make decisions for selecting and operating system components.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a seismic survey comprising:

(a) establishing one or more workflows using a central controller, each workflow being representative of one or more commands used to conduct a desired seismic survey operation; and

(b) conducting the seismic survey operation based at least in part on the one or more workflows.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing said workflows comprises using a computer workstation and a graphical user interface to establish the workflows.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting an established workflow during the seismic survey.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising locking at least one of the established one or more workflows, such that the locked workflow does not change during the seismic survey.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the established workflows further comprise at least one of, a plurality of individual workflows, two or more workflows connected in parallel, two or more workflows connected in series, and three or more workflows connected in series-parallel.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting a stored workflow from a group of stored workflows and adjusting the selected stored workflow to meet one or more seismic survey requirements.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting to a user the workflow as a graphical display on a display device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising setting selected user-parameters at a survey site control unit.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting workflow elements at least in part during the seismic survey.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting a plurality of seismic source points and wherein modifying the workflow includes rolling the selected source points.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting a plurality of seismic sources and wherein modifying the workflow includes rolling the selected seismic sources.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting a plurality of status groups and wherein modifying the workflow includes rolling the selected status groups.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting a plurality of seismic survey lines and wherein modifying the workflow includes rolling the selected seismic survey lines during the seismic survey.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein creating at least one workflow comprises creating a plurality of workflows, the method further comprising storing the plurality of workflows and selecting from the stored workflows a desired workflow for conducting the seismic survey operation.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying on a display device a representation of workflow progress as the one or more commands are executed during the seismic survey.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a selectable delay period for delaying execution of the one or more commands.

17. A method of conducting a seismic survey comprising:

(a) selecting at least one characteristic of a seismic source;

(b) determining survey plan effects using the at least one characteristic; and

(c) conducting a seismic survey operation based at least in part on the determined system effects.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one characteristic includes at least one of source location, existence of a source, source state, source type, source availability, and source grade.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the survey plan includes one or more of survey equipment configuration, survey spread, planned source paths, and alternate source paths.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein selecting at least one characteristic further comprises determining telemetry node state, and the system effects include effects relating at least one of i) one or more sensors;

ii) data integration; and

iii) path selection.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining one or more receiver characteristics relating to the selected seismic source characteristic.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said one or more receiver characteristics include a receiver state and a receiver source template.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising adjusting a quality control level for selected sources and receivers.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein a user intervenes when quality control levels indicate a failed condition exists.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising assigning a percentage value to a second parameter, wherein a returned value less than the percentage value is indicative of a quality control failure.

26. The method of claim 17 further comprising selecting one or more receivers associated with the seismic source and assessing a condition of each receiver.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising sorting selected receivers based at least in part on an overall state and providing automatic source activation for sources having an overall state meeting a predetermined criterion.

28. The method of claim 17 further comprising selecting a source location within a survey area.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising determining source locations occupied by a seismic source.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising determining closest existing source to a selected source location.

31. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining an actual location of the source and determining a planned source location closest to the selected source.

32. The method of claim 17, wherein the seismic survey operator includes issuing an activation command to the seismic source.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising receiving a signal from said seismic source, said signal indicative of a quality level of the acoustic energy imparted into the earth.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising updating the survey plan effects based at least in part of said received signal.

35. The method of claim 17 further comprising providing an output to a user, wherein the output is indicative of one or more of i) shot history information;

ii) present shot information; and

iii) information relating to future shots.

36. A system for conducting a seismic survey comprising:

(a) a first control unit remotely located from a survey area;

(b) one or more seismic sources moveable about the survey area for imparting acoustic energy into the earth;

(c) at least one seismic sensor for detecting acoustic energy reflected from within the earth, said sensor providing an output signal indicative of the sensed acoustic energy;

(d) one or more processors for processing the output signal; and

(e) a workstation located in the first control unit for providing an operator an interactive interface with the system.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the central controller includes one or more programs adapted for real-time spread evaluation and control.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the workstation provides a device for selecting parameters associated with the seismic source, said parameters comprising determining telemetry node state, and wherein the workstation provides the user an output including system effects relating to at least one of i) one or more sensors;

ii) data integration; and

iii) path selection.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the workstation includes an input device for selecting the seismic source characteristic.

40. The system of claim 36, wherein one or more receiver characteristics are stored in a memory, said receiver characteristics including a receiver state and a receiver source template.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for adjusting a quality control level for selected sources and receivers.

42. The system of claim 36, wherein the at least one seismic source parameter includes at least one of source location, existence of a source, source state, source type, source availability, and source grade.

43. The system of claim 36 further comprising one or more receivers and wherein the first control unit is adapted to determine a condition of each sensor associated with a selected seismic source.

44. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of seismic survey comprising:

(a) establishing one or more workflows using a central controller; and

conducting a seismic survey operation based at least in part on the one or more workflows; and

(b) providing a user a representation of the workflow over an output device.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein establishing said workflows comprises using a computer workstation and a graphical user interface to establish the workflows.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 44 further comprising adjusting a workflow substantially real-time during the seismic survey.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein said established workflows further comprise at least one of, a plurality of individual workflows, two or more workflows connected in parallel, two or more workflows connected in series, and three or more workflows connected in series-parallel.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 44 further comprising selecting a predetermined workflow from a group of predetermined workflows and adjusting the selected workflows to meet one or more seismic survey requirements.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 44 further comprising presenting to a user the workflow as a graphical display on a display device.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 44 further comprising setting selected user-parameters at a survey site control unit.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 44 further comprising selecting workflow elements at least in part during the seismic survey.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 44 further comprising selecting a plurality of seismic source points and wherein modifying the workflow includes rolling the selected source points.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 44 further comprising selecting a plurality of seismic sources and wherein modifying the workflow includes rolling the selected seismic sources.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 44 further comprising selecting a plurality of status groups and wherein modifying the workflow includes rolling the selected status groups.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 44 further comprising selecting a plurality of seismic survey lines and wherein modifying the workflow includes rolling the selected seismic survey lines.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein creating at least one workflow comprises creating a plurality of workflows, the computer-readable medium further comprising storing the plurality of workflows and selecting from the stored workflows a desired workflow for conducting the seismic survey operation.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 44 further comprising displaying a representation of workflow progress on a display device.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 44 further comprising providing a selectable delay period for delaying the seismic survey operation.