Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Amit Padhi

Mark Elliott Willis

Xiang Wu

Sonali Pattnaik

Christopher Michael Jones

James Martin Price

David Andrew Barfoot

Andreas Ellmauthaler

Mark Vincent Collins

Xiaomin Zhao

Qingtao Sun

Cemal Erdemir

Kary Darnell Green

Jose David Carrillo Rangel

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for detecting a channel behind casing and generating an image that represents the channel.

Channel detection system and method

Systems and methods of evaluating well cementation are disclosed. In certain embodiments, a tool is lowered into a casing surrounded by an annular material within a wellbore. An emitter of the tool emits an acoustic signal at a first pitch angle selected to excite a mixed-mode Lamb wave comprising a symmetric extensional (Sn) mode and an asymmetric flexural (An) mode of a Lamb wave in the casing. A receiver of the tool that is disposed at a first distance from the emitter receives a portion of the Lamb wave that has leaked from the casing at approximately the first distance.

Cement evaluation

A model is used to generate corrections to mitigate ideal condition artifacts in acoustic property values of an annular material in a cased wellbore. A mathematical model that generates acoustic property values at ideal conditions introduces artifacts into the acoustic property values. Acoustic measurements of an annular material are used to generate features that represent wellbore conditions and are not accounted for in the mathematical model that generates acoustic property values. A model will generate corrections for acoustic property values of an annular material with the features to yield a more accurate acoustic property profile for the annular material of a cased hole.

Model-based corrections to acoustic property values of annular material to mitigate ideal artifacts

A seismic source is positioned at the surface of a geologic formation and a plurality of seismic receivers is positioned in a wellbore of the geologic formation. Seismic wavefield data is obtained based on the seismic source outputting seismic energy into the wellbore and the plurality of seismic receivers receiving the seismic energy. A velocity profile is determined along the wellbore based on the seismic wavefield data. P and S wave data in a downgoing direction is separated from the seismic wavefield data based on an inversion and the velocity profile. The P and S wave data in the downgoing direction is adaptively subtracted from the seismic wavefield data to form residual wavefield data. The P and S wave data in a upgoing direction is separated from the residual wavefield data based on the inversion and an updated velocity profile. The P and S wave data in the upgoing and downgoing direction is output.

Borehole seismic wavefield data separation

An apparatus obtains measurements from a seismic sensor, wherein the seismic measurements include a set of seismic waves having at least a subset of seismic multiples and a machine-readable medium having program code executable by a processor to cause the apparatus to determine seismic measurements of the seismic waves, fit reflectivity model based on a set of reflectivity models using a nonlinear scheme to the seismic measurements, and identify a subset of the seismic measurements corresponding to the subset of seismic multiples. The apparatus also includes program code to cause the apparatus to generate a set of reduced-noise seismic measurements based on attenuation of the subset of the seismic measurements.

Mitigation of seismic multiples in seismic data using inversion

Various embodiments include apparatus and methods implemented to simulate geophone data from distributed acoustic sensing data, such as simulating vertical component geo phone waveform data from distributed acoustic sensing data. Embodiments include measuring vertical component of strain at a plurality of vertical positions along an optical fiber disposed along a wellbore at a well site. The measured vertical component of strain can be processed to generate a vertical component of displacement. The vertical component of displacement can be used to generate a vertical component of velocity from which a waveform simulating a waveform of geophone data can be output. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Simulation of geophone data from distributed acoustic sensing data

A method to generate a vertical seismic profile includes acquiring a set of distributed acoustic sensing measurements from a set of overlapping measurement channels on an optical fiber, wherein each of the set of distributed acoustic sensing measurements are measured at a gauge length. The method also includes generating a set of virtual seismic measurements corresponding with subdivisions in the set of overlapping measurement channels based on the set of distributed acoustic sensing measurements and generating the vertical seismic profile based on the set of virtual seismic measurements.

Mitigation of distributed acoustic sensing gauge length effects using inversion

A distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) system is coupled to an optical fiber along a plurality of channels. The system generates a DAS seismic profile of the subsurface formation based on detected seismic data, identifies at least one region having coherent noise, and identifies which of the plurality of channels are within the identified at least one region. For each trace of data associated with the plurality of noisy channels, the system converts, from a time to a wavelet domain, the trace of data and a reference trace having less coherent noise, and suppresses the wavelet coefficients of the trace of data based on the wavelet coefficients of the reference trace. After the system mitigates the noise in the wavelet domain, an inverse wavelet transform is applied to the trace of data to convert back to the time domain and create a reduced noise DAS seismic profile.

Wavelet transform-based coherent noise reduction in distributed acoustic sensing

A method for identifying a location of a distributed acoustic system channel in a distributed acoustic system. The method may comprise generating a two or three dimensional layer model interface with an information handling system, preparing a P-wave first arrival pick time table, estimating an initial model layer properties, estimating a location of the distributed acoustic system channels, preparing an overburden file of layer properties, running an anisotropic ray tracing, defining an upper and a lower limits for model parameters, specifying parameters for the inversion, running an inversion, selecting a solution based at least in part on stored error predictions, and calculating a mean and a standard deviation of an inverted model parameter.

Method to improve DAS channel location accuracy using global inversion

High fidelity velocity models are generated for acoustic vertically transverse isotropic media by taking advantage of full-waveform based modeling using VSP data. The present disclosure determines VTI parameters in acoustic media using pseudo-acoustic equations which can eliminate the contribution from shear waves, and thus significantly reduce the time needed to perform inversion. The methods disclosed herein provide workflows for performing full waveform inversion to provide velocity models used to generate seismic images with high quality and resolution.

Full waveform inversion of vertical seismic profile data for anisotropic velocities using pseudo-acoustic wave equations

Systems and methods for estimating orthorhombic anisotropy parameters of subsurface rock layers are provided. An initial three-dimensional (3D) model of layers in a subsurface formation is generated. Particular combinations of seismic source and receiver locations associated with a vertical seismic profile (VSP) survey of the formation are selected based on a simulation of seismic wave propagation through each layer of the initial 3D model. A global inversion is performed using data points selected from travel time data associated with the VSP survey in order to estimate different sets of anisotropy parameters for the layers of the initial 3D model, where the selected data points correspond to the selected source-receiver combinations. The initial 3D model is refined with an optimal set of anisotropy parameters selected from the estimated parameter sets. The refined 3D model is provided for seismic analysis and well planning operations to be performed for the subsurface formation.

Global inversion based estimation of anisotropy parameters for orthorhombic media

Embodiments of the subject technology provide for predicting seismic impedance. The subject technology generates a corridor stack based on vertical seismic profile (VSP) data of a wellbore in a subterranean formation. The subject technology generates an initial estimate of a velocity model for the subterranean formation below the wellbore. The subject technology generating a density model for the subterranean formation below the wellbore based on information from nearby wells. The subject technology inverts, based on a global inversion algorithm and the initial estimate of the velocity model, the generated corridor stack to determine a set of velocity models. The subject technology generates impedance models in a depth domain based on the generated density model and the set of velocity models. Further, the subject technology stores the generated impedance models.

Prediction ahead of bit using vertical seismic profile data and global inversion

A method for processing distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data is provided. The method includes operations to receive DAS data associated with an optical fiber's response to seismic energy applied by three seismic energy sources. The three seismic energy sources each configured to apply seismic energy to the optical fiber in a direction that is orthogonal to a direction of seismic energy applied by the other two seismic energy sources, the optical fiber is at least partially positioned within a wellbore, and the DAS data includes three components directed in an axial direction of the wellbore associated with energy application by the respective three seismic energy sources. The method further includes operations to apply reciprocity to the three components to model an equivalent vertical point force source in the wellbore with receivers configured to receive the three components at a location of the respective three seismic energy sources.

Creating 3C distributed acoustic sensing data

A system includes a light source, optical fiber coupled to the light source, one or more interferometers coupled to the optical fiber, wherein each interferometer of the one or more interferometers comprising a gauge length, a photodetector assembly coupled to the optical fiber, and an information handling system. The photodetector assembly is configured to detect backscattered light from the optical fiber and generate signals based on the detected backscattered light. The an information handling system is configured to receive the signals from the photodetector assembly, apply a de-convolution operation to the signals based on the gauge lengths of the one or more interferometers, and store the de-convolved signals.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Amit Padhi