EARTH ANALYSIS METHODS, SUBSURFACE FEATURE DETECTION METHODS, EARTH ANALYSIS DEVICES, AND ARTICLES OF MANUFACTURE

• US 20090022010A1
• Filed: 07/16/2007
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Original Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Inventors: Novascone, Stephen R., West, Phillip B., Wright, Jerry P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,027,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/38
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/143 using mechanical driving means , e.g. motor driven shaftG01V1/104, G01V1/133 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/16 Receiving elements for seismic signals; Arrangements or adaptations of receiving elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/30 Analysis G01V1/50 takes precedence

Abstract

Earth analysis methods, subsurface feature detection methods, earth analysis devices, and articles of manufacture are described. According to one embodiment, an earth analysis method includes engaging a device with the earth, analyzing the earth in a single substantially lineal direction using the device during the engaging, and providing information regarding a subsurface feature of the earth using the analysis.

Claims

1. An earth analysis method comprising:

engaging a device with the earth;

during the engaging, analyzing the earth in a single substantially lineal direction using the device; and

providing information regarding a subsurface feature of the earth in the single substantially lineal direction using the analysis.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising vibrating the device along a single axis aligned with the single substantially lineal direction.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising positioning the device in a borehole in the earth and wherein the analyzing comprises analyzing using the device in the borehole.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing comprises analyzing the earth in only the single substantially lineal direction.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing comprises analyzing in the single substantially lineal direction, which is substantially perpendicular to a surface of the earth.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing comprises transmitting an acoustic wave into the earth in the single substantially lineal direction using the device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing information comprises providing information regarding a distance between the device and the subsurface feature.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing information comprises identifying a location of the subsurface feature in the earth.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing comprises providing the information regarding the subsurface feature of the earth, which is located directly below the device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing comprises providing the information regarding the subsurface feature comprising a subsurface void.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing comprises first analyzing and the single substantially lineal direction comprises a first single substantially lineal direction and further comprising:

second analyzing the earth at a calibration location in a second single substantially lineal direction using the device, the earth at the calibration location being free from reflective subsurface features along the second substantially lineal direction; and

calibrating the device using the second analysis before the first analysis.

12. A subsurface feature detection method comprising:

receiving a signal comprising data representing motion of a sensor due to vibrations having a plurality of frequencies at different moments in time transmitted into a location of the earth and due to reflected vibrations received from the location of the earth;

for individual ones of the frequencies, determining a magnitude of the signal;

identifying at least one point of zero slope using the magnitudes; and

providing information regarding a subsurface feature of the earth using the at least one point of zero slope.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the identifying comprises identifying the at least one point of zero slope which is indicative of a maximum magnitude or a minimum magnitude.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising determining a distance from the location to the subsurface feature using the frequency which corresponds to the at least one point of zero slope.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the providing comprises providing information regarding the distance from the location to the subsurface feature.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the receiving comprises receiving the signal comprising data representing motion of the sensor due to the vibrations transmitted into the earth in only a single substantially lineal direction.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the receiving comprises receiving the signal comprising data representing motion of the sensor due to the vibrations transmitted into the earth in only a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the earth.

18. An article of manufacture comprising:

media comprising programming configured to cause processing circuitry to perform processing comprising;

accessing data representing motion of a sensor due to vibrations transmitted into the earth at a location by a vibratory source and due to vibrations received from the earth at the location, the vibratory source operating sequentially at a plurality of frequencies;

for individual ones of the frequencies, determining a magnitude of the signal during a time period in which the vibratory source operates at the individual frequency;

identifying one or more points of zero slope using the magnitudes; and

identifying a feature in the earth using the one or more points of zero slope.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18 wherein the processing further comprises determining a distance from the location to the feature using frequencies corresponding with the one or more points of zero slope.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 18 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the data representing motion of the sensor due to vibrations transmitted into the earth in only a single substantially lineal direction.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 18 wherein the accessing comprises accessing data representing motion of the sensor due to vibrations transmitted into the earth in only a single direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the earth.

22. An earth analysis device comprising:

a moveable member configured to engage the earth;

a sensor coupled to the moveable member and configured to provide a signal indicative of movement of the moveable member against the earth in a single substantially lineal direction; and

processing circuitry coupled with the sensor and configured to process the signal provided by the sensor and to provide information regarding a subsurface feature located in the single substantially lineal direction away from the moveable member.

23. The earth analysis device of claim 22 wherein the moveable member is configured to move along a single axis, the single axis being aligned with the single substantially lineal direction.

24. The earth analysis device of claim 22 wherein the sensor is configured to provide a signal indicative of movement of the moveable member only along a single axis.

25. The earth analysis device of claim 22 further comprising a vibratory source configured to vibrate the moveable member while the moveable member is engaged with the earth and to move the moveable member against the earth.

26. The earth analysis device of claim 25 wherein the vibratory source is configured to vibrate the moveable member at a plurality of frequencies.

27. The earth analysis device of claim 22 further comprising a drill face and wherein the moveable member is coupled to the drill face.

28. The earth analysis device of claim 22 wherein the moveable member is comprised by a drill face.

29. The earth analysis device of claim 22 wherein the single substantially lineal direction is substantially perpendicular to a surface of the earth.

30. The earth analysis device of claim 22 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to provide the information comprising a distance from the earth analysis device to the subsurface feature using the signal provided by the sensor.

31. The earth analysis device of claim 22 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to provide the information comprising a location of the subsurface feature in the earth using the signal provided by the sensor.

32. An earth analysis device comprising:

a device body;

a moveable member configured to engage the earth and move relative to the device body along a single axis in response to vibrational energy imparted to the moveable member by the earth;

a vibratory source configured to vibrate the moveable member along the single axis while the moveable member is engaged with the earth; and

a sensor coupled to the moveable member and configured to provide information regarding motion of the moveable member resulting from both the vibrations imparted to the moveable member by the vibratory source and the vibrations imparted to the moveable member by the earth.

33. The earth analysis device of claim 32 further comprising processing circuitry configured to analyze the motion information provided by the sensor and to provide information regarding a subsurface feature of the earth.

34. The earth analysis device of claim 32 further comprising processing circuitry configured to analyze the motion information provided by the sensor and to provide information regarding a location of a subsurface feature of the earth.

35. The earth analysis device of claim 34 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine a distance from the earth analysis device to the subsurface feature using the motion information provided by the sensor.

36. The earth analysis device of claim 32 further comprising a reaction force restraint configured to keep the moveable member engaged with the earth while the moveable member is vibrated by the vibratory source.

37. The earth analysis device of claim 32 further comprising a reaction force restraint configured to resist movement of the moveable member away from the earth while the moveable member is vibrated by the vibratory source.

38. The earth analysis device of claim 32 wherein the moveable member is configured to impart vibrational energy into the earth in only in a single substantially lineal direction aligned with the single axis.

39. The earth analysis device of claim 32 wherein the moveable member is configured to impart vibrational energy into the earth in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the earth.

40. The earth analysis device of claim 32 wherein the vibratory source is configured to sequentially vibrate the moveable member at a plurality of frequencies.