SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS WITH CABLELESS SEISMOGRAPHS

• US 20090234585A1
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BP America Incorporated (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: BP America Incorporated (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Pfister, Michael, Ross, Allan A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,296,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/22 Transmitting seismic signals to recording or processing apparatus

Abstract

According to a preferred aspect of the instant invention, there is provided a system and method for using satellite communications satellites to control and receive data from a land cableless seismic system. The satellite transmission could transmit control signals (e.g. turn on/off) and receive signals from the remote seismograph units (seismic data, quality control parameters, status, location, etc.) which would subsequently be retransmitted to a processing center or other surface facility.

Claims

1. An apparatus for collecting seismic data information during a seismic survey, wherein is provided a communications satellite, comprising:

(a) a seismic sensor;

(b) a satellite transmitter;

(c) computer storage; and

,

(d) a CPU in electronic communication with said seismic sensor, with said satellite transmitter, and with said computer storage, said CPU being at least for

(d1) receiving a signal from said seismic sensor,

(d2) storing at least a portion of said signal within said computer storage, and

(d3) transmitting a representation of said stored signal to the communications satellite.

2. The apparatus for collecting seismic data information during a seismic survey according to claim 1, wherein said computer storage is chosen from a set consisting of computer RAM, nonvolatile computer RAM, and computer hard disk.

3. The apparatus for collecting seismic data information during a seismic survey according to claim 1, wherein said satellite transmitter further comprises a satellite receiver and wherein said CPU is further for receiving control information from the communications satellite.

4. The apparatus for collecting seismic data information during a seismic survey according to claim 1, wherein said satellite transmitter further comprises a radio frequency receiver, said radio frequency receiver at least for receiving control information.

5. The apparatus for collecting seismic data information during a seismic survey according to claim 1, further comprising:

(c) a seismic processing center in electronic communication with said satellite, said satellite transmitting said transmitted representation of said stored signal to the seismic processing center.

6. The apparatus for collecting seismic data information during a seismic survey according to claim 1, wherein said communications satellite is a low altitude communications satellite.

7. The apparatus for collecting seismic data information during a seismic survey according to claim 1, wherein said seismic sensor comprises a spaced apart plurality of geophones.

8. A method of seismic data collection, comprising the steps of:

(a) distributing a plurality of seismic sensors over a predetermined volume of the earth;

(b) transmitting at least one command code to each of said plurality of seismic sensors, thereby initiating a recording session by each of said plurality of seismic sensors;

(c) initiating at least one seismic source, thereby transmitting energy into said predetermined volume of the earth;

(d) sensing by each of said plurality of seismic sensors energy reflected from within said predetermined volume of the earth;

(e) transmitting from each of said seismic sensors to a communications satellite a signal representative of said reflected seismic energy sensed thereby; and

,

(f) transmitting from said communications satellite to a ground station any of said transmitted representations of said sensed seismic energy.

9. The method of seismic data collection according to claim 8, wherein step (b) comprises the step of:

(b1) transmitting at least one command code from a communications satellite to each of said plurality of seismic sensors, thereby initiating a recording session by each of said plurality of seismic sensors.

10. The method of seismic data collection according to claim 8, wherein step (c) comprises the step of:

(c1) initiating at least one active seismic source, thereby transmitting energy into said predetermined volume of the earth.

11. The method of seismic data collection according to claim 8, wherein step (e) comprises the step of:

(e1) storing within each of said seismic sensors a representation of said reflected seismic energy sensed thereby, and,

(e2) transmitting from each of said seismic sensors to a communications satellite a signal representative of said stored reflected seismic energy.