Ground position controller and method for automatically indicating parameters that spatially cross-reference the locations of seismic spread and source arrays during exploration for hydrocarbons and the like
First Claim
1. Method of calculating, storing and displaying positional data, associated with a digital exploration system during generation and collection of seismic data by a source-detector array positioned at known locations along a line of survey at the earth'"'"'s surface, said positional data including information related to both detector and source locations relative to each other and to a reference location, and being generated as bits of digital data in a microcomputer system including a microprocessor unit (MPU), memory units and a series of display/storage devices interconnected to each other and to a digital field system (DFS) via a system bus, whereby errors in exploration activity--both pre-activation and post-release of energy from said source--are substantially reduced, comprising(a) encoding and automatically storing additional digital data related to array geometry and exploration parameters that allow repetition in sequence of activities along said line, said encoded and stored parameters including both source and detector locations relative to each other and to a reference location,(b) automatically displaying at least a portion of said encoded data in alpha-numeric form for operator examination and for correction, if required,(c) automatically generating via said microcomputer system further additional data related to array parameters based in part on data encoded as (a), and previously stored data related to exploration parameters, said additional data including at least positional data related to end-positions of active detectors along said line of survey, and(d) displaying at said display/storage devices of said microcomputer system at least a portion of said new array parameters of (c) for operator examination and correction, if required, whereby errors in exploration activities can be substantially reduced, prior to activation of said source of said array.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a ground position controller utilizing a microcomputer system interconnected to a digital field system (DFS) via a system bus, for generating, formatting and displaying information (for insuring integrity of field operations) under a variety of shooting and collecting conditions.
17 Citations
11 Claims
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1. Method of calculating, storing and displaying positional data, associated with a digital exploration system during generation and collection of seismic data by a source-detector array positioned at known locations along a line of survey at the earth'"'"'s surface, said positional data including information related to both detector and source locations relative to each other and to a reference location, and being generated as bits of digital data in a microcomputer system including a microprocessor unit (MPU), memory units and a series of display/storage devices interconnected to each other and to a digital field system (DFS) via a system bus, whereby errors in exploration activity--both pre-activation and post-release of energy from said source--are substantially reduced, comprising
(a) encoding and automatically storing additional digital data related to array geometry and exploration parameters that allow repetition in sequence of activities along said line, said encoded and stored parameters including both source and detector locations relative to each other and to a reference location, (b) automatically displaying at least a portion of said encoded data in alpha-numeric form for operator examination and for correction, if required, (c) automatically generating via said microcomputer system further additional data related to array parameters based in part on data encoded as (a), and previously stored data related to exploration parameters, said additional data including at least positional data related to end-positions of active detectors along said line of survey, and (d) displaying at said display/storage devices of said microcomputer system at least a portion of said new array parameters of (c) for operator examination and correction, if required, whereby errors in exploration activities can be substantially reduced, prior to activation of said source of said array.
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8. A ground position controller for manipulating calculating, storing and displaying positional data, associated with a digital exploration system during generation and collection of seismic data by a source-detector array positioned at known locations along a line of survey at the earth'"'"'s surface, whereby errors in exploration activity--both pre-activation and post-release of energy from said source--are substantially reduced, said positional data including information related to both detector and source locations relative to each other and to a reference location, and being generated as bits of digital data comprising a microcomputer system including a microprocessor unit (MPU), memory units and a series of display/storage devices interconnected to each other and to a digital field system (DFS) via a system bus, said display and storage devices having separate encoding means for automatically encoding digital data related to array geometry and exploration parameters that allow repetition in sequence of activities along said line of survey, and separate display means for automatically displaying at least a portion of said encoded data in alpha-numeric form for operator examination and for correction, if required, said separate encoding means including but not limited to sub-encoding elements for encoding information associated with both detector and source location relative to each other and to a reference location, said displayed data at said separate display means being automatically generated via said microcomputer system using data related to array parameters based in part on encoded data, previously stored data related to exploration parameters, and newly generated array parameters whereby errors in exploration activities can be substantially reduced;
- said displayed data being at least associated with source and detector positions relative to each other and vis-a-vis said known geographical positions along said line of survey.
- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
Specification