SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MAKING ENVIRONMENTAL MEASUREMENTS

• US 20130166215A1
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Bittar, Michael S., Donderici, Burkay
• Granted Patent: US 9,846,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/11
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/38 Processing data, e.g. for analysis, for interpretation, for correction

Abstract

Various embodiments include apparatus and methods to operate with respect to environmental measurements. Apparatus and methods include a processing unit to generate a ratio from signals measured relating to an underground environment and to determine parameters of the underground environment based on the generated ratio.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a ratio from signals measured at different structures distributed among different locations, the signals related to an underground environment; and

performing an inversion operation on the generated ratio to determine parameters of the underground environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes:

activating a plurality of transmitters; and

collecting signals received at a plurality of receivers in response to activating the plurality of transmitters, the collected signals used to generate the ratio.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method includes operating the transmitters and receivers with the transmitters and receivers disposed with respect to each other as a substantially rectangular arrangement.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitters and receivers are disposed with respect to each other as a substantially square arrangement.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein for receivers j and k of the plurality of receivers and for transmitters i and k of the plurality of transmitters, the generated ratio includes

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitters and receivers are disposed at or above the surface of a body of water, the transmitters and receivers are disposed in the body of water, the transmitters and receivers are disposed on or below a land surface and a floor of the body of water, or the transmitters and receivers are distributed among the body of water and land near the body of water.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the method includes selecting transmitters and selecting a plurality of sets of receivers to pair with the selected transmitters such that activation of the selected transmitters and collection of measured signals from receivers in each respective set provides measured signals for array processing of ratios for performing inversion operations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the inversion operation or inversion operations includes using a forward model or a library.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the inversion operation or inversion operations includes performing an iterative process or performing a pattern matching process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes applying the inversion operation such that a reservoir depth, a reservoir thickness, a reservoir resistivity, a reservoir shape, or a combination thereof is determined.

11. A machine-readable storage device having instructions stored thereon, which, when performed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations, the operations comprising operations to:

generate a ratio from signals measured at different structures distributed among different locations, the signals related to an underground environment; and

perform an inversion operation on the generated ratio to determine parameters of the underground environment.

23. The machine-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the instructions includes instructions to:

activate a plurality of transmitters; and

collect signals received at a plurality of receivers in response to activating the plurality of transmitters, the collected signals used to generate the ratio.

24. The machine-readable storage device of claim 23, wherein the transmitters and receivers with the transmitters and receivers are disposed with respect to each other as a substantially rectangular arrangement.

25. The machine-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the transmitters and receivers are disposed with respect to each other as a substantially square arrangement.

26. The machine-readable storage device of claim 23, wherein for receivers j and k of the plurality of receivers and for transmitters i and k of the plurality of transmitters, the generated ratio includes

27. The machine-readable storage device of claim 23, wherein the transmitters and receivers are disposed at or above the surface of a body of water, the transmitters and receivers are disposed in the body of water, the transmitters and receivers are disposed on or below a land surface and a floor of the body of water, or the transmitters and receivers are distributed among the body of water and land near the body of water.

28. The machine-readable storage device of claim 23, wherein the instructions include selecting transmitters and selecting a plurality of sets of receivers to pair with the selected transmitters such that activation of the selected transmitters and collection of measured signals from receivers in each respective set provides measured signals for array processing of ratios for performing inversion operations.

29. The machine-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the instructions include performing the inversion operation or inversion operations using a forward model or a library.

30. The machine-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the instructions include performing the inversion operation or inversion operations includes performing an iterative process or performing a pattern matching process.

31. The machine-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the instructions include applying the inversion operation such that a reservoir depth, a reservoir thickness, a reservoir resistivity, a reservoir shape, or a combination thereof is determined.

12. A system comprising:

a plurality of transmitters, the transmitters distributed among different locations;

a plurality of receivers, the receivers distributed among different locations; and

a processing unit to control activation of the transmitters and to process signals received from the receivers to operatively generate a ratio from the received signals measured at the different locations, the signals related to an underground environment, and to operatively perform an inversion operation on the generated ratio to determine parameters of the underground environment.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the transmitters and receivers are magnetic dipole sensors or electric dipole sensors.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the magnetic dipole sensors or electric dipole sensors are selected from a group including non-tilted coil antennas, tilted coil antennas, solenoid antennas, toroidal antennas, electrode-type antennas, transceivers, or combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the transmitters and receivers are disposed with respect to each other as a substantially rectangular arrangement.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the transmitters and receivers are disposed with respect to each other as a substantially square arrangement.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein for receivers j and k of the plurality of receivers and for transmitters i and k of the plurality of transmitters, the generated ratio includes

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the transmitters and receivers are disposed at or above the surface of a body of water, the transmitters and receivers are disposed in the body of water, the transmitters and receivers are disposed on or below a land surface and a floor of the body of water, or the transmitters and receivers are distributed among the body of water and land near the body of water.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is operable to select transmitters and select a plurality of sets of receivers to pair with the selected transmitters such that activation of the selected transmitters and collection of measured signals from receivers in each respective set provides measured signals for array processing of ratios as input to inversion operations.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is operable to perform the inversion operation or inversion operations using a forward model or a library.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is operable to perform the inversion operation or inversion operations by an iterative process, by a pattern matching process, or a combination thereof.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is operable to apply the inversion operation such that a reservoir depth, a reservoir thickness, a reservoir resistivity, a reservoir shape, or a combination thereof is determined.