Distributed processing system for subsurface operations

• US 7,317,990 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2005
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Dumont, Alain, Sinha, Anshuman
• Primary Examiner(s): McElheny, Jr.; Donald E
• Application Number:
  US11/163,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20060089816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 702/6, 702/13, 702/9
• US Class Current: 702/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services

Abstract

A method for distributed processing in a subsurface environment includes running a local program on a local computation unit, wherein the local program is configured to call a remote procedure to be executed by a remote computation unit, wherein the local computation unit and the remote computation unit are disposed in a subsurface environment; initiating a remote procedure call; executing the remote procedure on the remote computation unit, while the local computation unit performs another operation; and returning a result from the executing the remote procedure to the local computation unit.

Claims

1. A method for distributed processing in a subsurface environment, comprising:

running a local program on a local computation unit, wherein the local program is configured to call a remote procedure to be executed by a remote computation unit, wherein the local computation unit and the remote computation unit are disposed in a subsurface environment;

initiating a remote procedure call;

executing the remote procedure on the remote computation unit, while the local computation unit continues to perform operations; and

returning a result from executing the remote procedure to the local computation unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating the remote procedure call comprises:

assembling, on the local computation unit, parameters for the remote procedure;

converting the parameters for the remote procedure and a reference to the remote procedure into a format suitable for transport to the remote computation unit;

transporting the converted parameters and the references to the remote procedure to the remote computation unit; and

unraveling, on the remote computation unit, the parameters for the remote procedure and the reference to the remote procedure.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the returning the result comprises:

converting the result into a format suitable for transport to the local computation unit; and

transporting the converted result to the local computation unit.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising issuing an acknowledgement from the remote computation unit to the local computation unit, after the converted parameters is received by the remote computation unit.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising issuing an acknowledgement from the local computation unit to the remote computation unit, after the result is received by the local computation unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating the remote procedure call uses a remote method invocation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the local computation unit and the remote computation unit are disposed in a downhole tool.

8. A method for logging a subsurface formation property, comprising:

running an acquisition program on at least two computation units disposed in a well traversing the formation; and

coordinating activities between the at least two computation units using a remote procedure call.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the acquisition program is adapted to process data selected from the group consisting of acoustic, resistivity, nuclear, density, gamma-ray, seismic, imaging, and formation pressure.

10. A method for processing data in a subsurface environment, comprising:

dividing data analysis into at least two separate processes to be run on at least two companion units in a downhole tool;

performing the data analysis on the least two computation units; and

collating results from the data analysis on the at least two computation units into a final result.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the data comprise acoustic waveforms and the dividing is based on frequency.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the data comprise acoustic waveforms and the dividing is based on time.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the data comprises data selected from the group consisting of acoustic, resistivity, nuclear, density, gamma-ray, seismic, imaging, and formation pressure.

14. A system for distributed processing in a subsurface environment, comprising:

at least on processor, comprising a local computation unit and a remote computation unit; and

at least one memory,

wherein, the least one processor and the least one memory are disposed in a subsurface environment,

wherein the least one memory stores at least one program having instructions for;

running a local program on the local computation unit,

wherein the local program is configured to call a remote procedure to be executed by the remote computation unit;

initiating a remote procedure call;

executing the remote procedure on the remote computation unit, while the local computation unit performs another operation; and

returning a result from the executing the remote procedure to the local computation unit.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the initiating the remote procedure call comprises:

assembling, on the local computation unit, parameters for the remote procedure;

converting the parameters for the remote procedure and a reference to the remote procedure into a format suitable for transport to the remote computation unit;

transporting the converted parameters and the reference to the remote procedure to the remote computation unit; and

unraveling, on the remote computation unit, the parameters for the remote procedure and the reference to the remote procedure.

16. A tool adapter for subsurface disposal, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory,

wherein the at least one memory stores at least one program that comprises a remote procedure call facilitator and wherein said at least one program further comprises an interface compiler, a stub generator, and a static binder.

17. The tool of claim 16, wherein the tool is selected from the group consisting of an acoustic tool, resistivity tool, neutron tool, density tool, gamma-ray tool, seismic tool, and imaging tool.

18. A method for distributed processing of data in a subsurface environment including at least two asynchronous remote procedure calls comprising:

running a local program on a local computation unit, wherein the local program is configured to call a remote procedure to be executed by a remote computation unit, wherein the local computation unit and the remote computation unit are disposed in a subsurface environment;

initiating a remote procedure call to the remote processor;

acknowledging receipt of the remote procedure by the remote computation unit;

executing the remote procedure on the remote computation unit and returning the results to the local computational unit;

acknowledging receipt of the results by the local computation unit; and

during the foregoing processes said local computation unit continues to perform operations.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the data comprise acoustic waveforms and the dividing is based on frequency.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the data comprise acoustic waveforms and the dividing is based on time.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the data comprises data selected from the group consisting of acoustic, resistivity, nuclear, density, gamma-ray, seismic, imaging, and formation pressure.