INTEGRATED SEISMIC MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20190285763A1
• Filed: 03/21/2019
• Published: 09/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shell USA Incorporated (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: MAAS, Steven James, BUNN, James Brett
• Granted Patent: US 10,705,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/18 Receiving elements, e.g. seismometer, geophone or torque detectors, for localised single point measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/20 Arrangements of receiving elements, e.g. geophone pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/226 Optoseismic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4415 Cables for special applications G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence

Abstract

An integrated seismic system and method for monitoring seismic parameters of a subsurface structure is provided. The integrated seismic system includes a base station; a plurality of mobile satellite nodes, each of the plurality of mobile satellite nodes having sensor stations for collecting seismic data from the subsurface structure; and a fiber optic cable extending from the base station to the plurality of mobile satellite nodes and operatively linking the plurality of mobile satellite nodes and the sensor stations; the base station comprising: a light source for sending a light through the fiber optic cable, the light being distributed to the sensor stations and, in the sensor stations, experiencing a change or phase shift related to a physical property being measured; and a seismic acquisition unit for receiving seismic signals from the plurality of mobile satellite nodes via the fiber optic cable and generating seismic parameters therefrom.

Claims

1. An integrated seismic system for monitoring seismic parameters of a subsurface structure, the integrated seismic system comprising:

a base station;

a plurality of mobile satellite nodes, each of the plurality of mobile satellite nodes having sensor stations for collecting seismic data from the subsurface structure; and

a fiber optic cable extending from the base station to the plurality of mobile satellite nodes and operatively linking the plurality of mobile satellite nodes and the sensor stations;

the base station comprising;

a light source for sending a light through the fiber optic cable, the light being distributed to the sensor stations and, in the sensor stations, experiencing a change or phase shift related to a physical property being measured; and

a seismic acquisition unit for receiving the light returning from the plurality of mobile satellite nodes via the fiber optic cable, extracting phase information induced by said change or phase shift from the returning light, and generating seismic parameters therefrom.

2. The integrated seismic system of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic cable comprises a plurality of fiber optic sections coupled together into a continuous fiber optic cable.

3. The integrated seismic system of claim 1, wherein the seismic cable links the base station to the plurality of mobile satellite nodes in series.

4. The integrated seismic system of claim 1, wherein the seismic acquisition unit comprises spread and optoelectronics.

5. The integrated seismic system of claim 1, where the fiber optic cable links the plurality of mobile satellite nodes to the base station in one of a looped configuration, a linear configuration, a star configuration, a concentric ring configuration and combinations thereof.

6. The integrated seismic system of claim 1, where each of the sensor stations is connected to the plurality of mobile satellite nodes by an array cable.

7. The integrated seismic system of claim 1, wherein multiple array cables extend from each of the plurality of mobile satellite nodes, with each array cable having multiple sensor stations, wherein the fiber optic cable enters each satellite node from the base station and is split into the array cables.

8. A base station of a seismic system for monitoring seismic parameters of a subsurface structure, the seismic system comprising a plurality of mobile satellite nodes each having sensor stations, the base station being configured to be connected to the plurality of mobile satellite nodes by a fiber optic cable, the base station comprising:

a light source configured to send a light through the fiber optic cable, the light being distributed to the sensor stations and, in the sensor stations, experiencing a change or phase shift related to a physical property being measured; and

a seismic acquisition unit for receiving the light returning from the plurality of mobile satellite nodes via the fiber optic cable, extracting phase information induced by said change or phase shift from the returning light, and generating seismic parameters therefrom.

9. The base station of claim 8, wherein the fiber optic cable comprises a plurality of fiber optic sections coupled together into a continuous fiber optic cable.

10. The base station of claim 8, wherein the seismic acquisition unit comprises a source controller.

11. The base station of claim 8, wherein the seismic acquisition unit comprises an acquisition management system.

12. The base station of claim 8, wherein the seismic acquisition unit comprises spread and optoelectronics.

13. The base station of claim 8, where the seismic cable links the plurality of mobile satellite nodes to the base station in one of a looped configuration, a linear configuration, a star configuration, a concentric ring configuration and combinations thereof.