Electroseismic surveying in exploration and production environments

• US 9,239,396 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2014
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ES Xplore, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Hunt Energy Enterprises LLC (Hunt Family)
• Inventors: Thompson, Arthur, Katz, Alan, England, Robert, Benson, Todd W., Griffin, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): HULKA, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US14/512,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20150103624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 367/86
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/00 Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/181 Geophones
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/20 Arrangements of receiving elements, e.g. geophone pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/28 Processing seismic data, e.g. for interpretation or for event detection G01V1/48 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/306 for determining physical properties of the subsurface, e.g. impedance, porosity or attenuation profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/40 specially adapted for well-logging
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/007 using the seismo-electric effect
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/32 Noise reduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/62 Physical property of subsurface
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/6224 Density
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/624 Reservoir parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/6244 Porosity
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/6246 Permeability

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer programs for monitoring a drilling operation in a subterranean formation include receiving, from a first sensor array, one or more seismic signals caused, at least in part, by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation; receiving, from the first sensor array, one or more electromagnetic signals generated by an electro seismic or seismoelectric conversion of the one or more seismic signals caused, at least in part, by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation; and determining a property of one or more of the drillstring and the subterranean formation based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array. The first sensor array is arranged to monitor the drilling operation.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a drilling operation in a subterranean formation, wherein the drilling operation is performed using a drill bit on a drillstring, and wherein the drilling operation generates one or more seismic signals and one or more electromagnetic signals, further wherein the one or more electromagnetic signals are caused by electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the one or more seismic signals, the method comprising:

receiving, from a first sensor array, the one or more seismic signals caused by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation;

receiving, from the first sensor array, the one or more electromagnetic signals generated by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation;

determining a property of one or more of the drillstring and the subterranean formation based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array; and

wherein the first sensor array is arranged to monitor the drilling operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a property one or more of the drillstring and the subterranean formation based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array further comprises:

determining a drill bit location based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first sensor array comprises a plurality of seismic sensors and a plurality of electromagnetic sensors.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor array comprises a plurality of geophones.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the drilling operation is to create a wellbore with at least one horizontal segment and at least one vertical segment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the drilling operation is to create a wellbore with at least one vertical segment.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from a second sensor array, signals generated by the subterranean formation in response background noise or infrastructure; and

removing at least some noise from the signals from the first sensor array, based, at least in part on the signals received from the second sensor array.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, from a third sensor array, one or more electromagnetic signals generated by the electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the seismic signals caused by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation;

wherein the third sensor array are located apart from the first sensor array; and

wherein determining a property of one or more of the drillstring and the subterranean formation based is further based, at least in part, on the received electromagnetic signals from the third set of sensors.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

performing a cross-correlation between signals from two sensors in one or more of the first sensor array, the second array of sensor, and the third sensor array.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

performing an auto-correlation on at least one signal from one sensors one of the first sensor array, the second array of sensor, and the third sensor array.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a property one or more of the drillstring and the subterranean formation based, at least in part, on the signal received from the first sensor array, further comprises:

applying one or more filters to the signals received from the first sensor array to separate one or more surface waves from one or more seismic waves.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein applying one or more filters to the signals received from the first sensor array to separate one or more surface waves from one or more seismic waves, further comprises:

applying one or more velocity filters to the signals received from the first sensor array to separate one or more surface waves from one or more seismic waves.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein applying one or more filters to the signals received from the first sensor array to separate one or more surface waves from one or more seismic waves, further comprises:

applying one or more spatial filters to the signals received from the first sensor array to separate one or more surface waves from one or more seismic waves.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

altering the drilling operation based, at least in part, on the determined a property of one or more of the drillstring and the subterranean formation.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a controlled percussive drilling operation that is characterized by a programmed percussive sequence; and

determining a property of the formation in front of the drill bit based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a property of the formation based, at least in part, on the seismic signal and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array comprises:

performing a controlled percussive drilling operation that is characterized by a programmed percussive sequence; and

determining a property of the formation below the drill bit based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a property of the formation based, at least in part, on the seismic signal and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array comprises:

performing a controlled percussive drilling operation that is characterized by a programmed percussive sequence; and

imaging of the formation below the drill bit based, at least in part, on the seismic signal and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, at a time after the drilling operation, second survey data from the first sensor array;

processing the first survey data and the second survey data to determine one or more properties of the drilling operation of subsurface earth formation; and

wherein the first survey data and second survey data include signals generated by a subsurface earth formation in response to a passive-source electromagnetic signal, wherein the electromagnetic signal is generated by an electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the passive-source electromagnetic signal;

wherein the passive-source electromagnetic signal includes the earth'"'"'s natural electromagnetic field and wherein the processing the first survey data and the second survey data to determine the one or more properties of the subsurface formation is based, at least in part, on a correlation of the earth'"'"'s electromagnetic field and the electromagnetic signal generated by the electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the earth'"'"'s natural electromagnetic field.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the one or more seismic signals during the drilling operation are caused, at least in part, by a controlled percussive drilling operation that is characterized by a programmed percussive sequence, the method further comprising;

determining a property of the formation based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array.

18. A method for monitoring a drilling operation in a subterranean formation, wherein the drilling operation is performed using a drill bit on a drillstring, and wherein the drilling operation generates one or more seismic signals and one or more electromagnetic signals, further wherein the one or more electromagnetic signals are caused by electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the one or more seismic signals, the method comprising:

receiving, at a time before the drilling operation, first survey data from a first sensor array;

processing the first survey data to determine one or more properties of the subsurface earth formation; and

wherein the first survey data includes signals generated by a subsurface earth formation in response to a passive-source electromagnetic signal, wherein the electromagnetic signal is generated by an electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the passive-source electromagnetic signal;

wherein the passive-source electromagnetic signal includes the earth'"'"'s natural electromagnetic field and wherein the processing the first survey data to determine the one or more properties of the subsurface formation is based, at least in part, on a correlation of the earth'"'"'s electromagnetic field and the electromagnetic signal generated by the electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the earth'"'"'s natural electromagnetic field; and

during the drilling operation;

receiving, from the first sensor array, the one or more seismic signals caused by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation;

receiving, from the first sensor array, the one or more electromagnetic signals generated by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation; and

determining a property of one or more of the drillstring and the subterranean formation based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array.

21. A system comprising:

a drillstring for performing a drilling operation in a subsurface formation, the drillstring including a drill bit, wherein the drilling operation generates one or more seismic signals and one or more electromagnetic signals;

a first sensor array to detect one or more seismic signals and one or more electromagnetic signals;

a processor;

a memory comprising non-transitory executable instructions, that, when executed cause the processor to;

receive, from the first sensor array, the one or more seismic signals caused, at least in part, by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation;

receive, from the first sensor array, the one or more electromagnetic signals generated by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation;

determine a property of one or more of the drillstring and the subterranean formation based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to:

determine a drill bit location based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the first sensor array comprises a plurality of geophones.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

a second sensor array to detect one or more seismic signals and one or more electromagnetic signals; and

wherein the processor further operable to;

receive, from the second sensor array, one or more seismic signals caused, at least in part, by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation;

removing at least some noise from the signals from the first sensor array, based, at least in part on the signals received from the second sensor array.

25. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

a third sensor array to detect one or more seismic signals and one or more electromagnetic signals, wherein the third sensor array are located apart from the first sensor array; and

wherein the processor further operable to;

receive, from a third sensor array, one or more electromagnetic signals generated by the electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of seismic signals caused by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation; and

wherein determining a drill bit location is further based, at least in part, on the received electromagnetic signals from the third set of sensors.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to:

perform a cross-correlation between signals from two sensors in one or more of the first sensor array, the second array of sensor, and the third sensor array.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to:

perform an auto-correlation on at least one signal from one sensors one of the first sensor array, the second array of sensor, and the third sensor array.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to:

alter the drilling operation based, at least in part, on the determined a property of one or more of the drillstring and the subterranean formation.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to:

cause the drillstring to perform a controlled percussive drilling operation that is characterized by a programmed percussive sequence; and

determine a property of the formation in front of the drill bit based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to:

cause the drillstring to perform a controlled percussive drilling operation that is characterized by a programmed percussive sequence; and

determine a property of the formation below the drill bit based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array.