Chevron U.s.a. Inc.

Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Los Alamos National Security, LLC

Saudi Arabian Oil Company

Denis P Schmitt

Cung Khac Vu

Kurt Nihei

Christopher Hugh Skelt

Dipen N Sinha

Cristian Pantea

Paul Allan Johnson

Pierre-Yves Le Bas

Robert A Guyer

Batakrishna Mandal

Georgios L Varsamis

James A Tencate

Paul F Rodney

James Robert Birchak

Eugene J Linyaev

James H Dudley

Abbas Arian

Carl A Robbins

Wei Han

Laurence T Wisniewski

James A Ten Cate

Gary Dean Althoff

Joakim Oscar Blanch

Bruce Edward Cornish

Clovis Satyro Bonavides

Calvin W Kessler

Mohd Azizi Ibrahim

Tim W Geerits

Jeroen J Groenenboom

Ramsin Yacood Eyvazzadeh

Ruijia Wang

David Kersey

Darrell Gordy

Arthur C H Cheng

Theodorus W Geerits

Chirstopher Skelt

Kurt T Nihei

George Saghiyyah

Xiang Wu

Multicomponent data are acquired using a downhole acoustic tool having transmitters and receiver stations distributed azimuthally in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the tool. The receiver stations are located at several receiving stations along the axis of the tool. At each acquisition depth, waveforms are processed through a multi-dimensional fast Fourier transform, extrapolation and inverse multi-dimensional fast Fourier transform. At each receiver station, waveforms are combined to produce the standard monopole waveforms and the inline and crossline dipole waveforms along fixed azimuths. These oriented waveforms produce a finer azimuthal sampling of the surrounding formation, and can then be used for imaging geological features within the surrounding formation.

Interpolation method and system to obtain azimuthal borehole sonic measurements

A determination of the free water level for a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir is provided that accounts for the different classified rock types (that is, facies) in the reservoir. The free water level for each unique combination of facies is determined using a least squares minimization between a reference bulk volume of oil (B) determined from well logs a bulk volume of oil (B) calculated from a saturation height function for each of the facies present in the reservoir. Systems and process for determining the free water level are provided.

Rock type based free water level inversion

A downhole gas detection tool includes a housing; a first test module that includes a first fluid test chamber operable to fluidly couple to an annulus of a wellbore to receive a first portion of a wellbore fluid, the first test module further including an acoustic fluid sensor to measure a fluid acoustic velocity and attenuation of the first portion of the wellbore fluid received in the first fluid test chamber, and a fluid resistivity sensor to measure a fluid resistivity of the first portion of the wellbore fluid received in the first fluid test chamber; and a second test module including a second fluid test chamber operable to fluidly couple to the annulus of the wellbore to receive a second portion of the wellbore fluid, and a pressure-temperature (PT) sensor to measure at least one of a pressure or a temperature of the second portion of the wellbore fluid.

Detecting gas in a wellbore fluid

In some aspects of the invention, a method of generating a beam of acoustic energy in a borehole is disclosed. The method includes generating a first acoustic wave at a first frequency; generating a second acoustic wave at a second frequency different than the first frequency, wherein the first acoustic wave and second acoustic wave are generated by at least one transducer carried by a tool located within the borehole; transmitting the first and the second acoustic waves into an acoustically non-linear medium, wherein the composition of the non-linear medium produces a collimated beam by a non-linear mixing of the first and second acoustic waves, wherein the collimated beam has a frequency based upon a difference between the first frequency range and the second frequency, and wherein the non-linear medium has a velocity of sound between 100 m/s and 800 m/s.

Device and method for generating a beam of acoustic energy from a borehole, and applications thereof

In some aspects of the invention, a method of generating a beam of acoustic energy in a borehole is disclosed. The method includes generating a first broad-band acoustic pulse at a first broad-band frequency range having a first central frequency and a first bandwidth spread; generating a second broad-band acoustic pulse at a second broad-band frequency range different than the first frequency range having a second central frequency and a second bandwidth spread, wherein the first acoustic pulse and second acoustic pulse are generated by at least one transducer arranged on a tool located within the borehole; and transmitting the first and the second broad-band acoustic pulses into an acoustically non-linear medium, wherein the composition of the non-linear medium produces a collimated pulse by a non-linear mixing of the first and second acoustic pulses, wherein the collimated pulse has a frequency equal to the difference in frequencies between the first central frequency and the second central frequency and a bandwidth spread equal to the sum of the first bandwidth spread and the second bandwidth spread.

In some aspects of the invention, a method of generating a beam of acoustic energy in a borehole is disclosed. The method includes generating a first acoustic wave at a first frequency; generating a second acoustic wave at a second frequency different than the first frequency, wherein the first acoustic wave and second acoustic wave are generated by at least one transducer carried by a tool located within the borehole; transmitting the first and the second acoustic waves into an acoustically non-linear medium, wherein the composition of the non-linear medium produces a collimated beam by a non-linear mixing of the first and second acoustic waves, wherein the collimated beam has a frequency based upon a difference between the first frequency and the second frequency; and transmitting the collimated beam through a diverging acoustic lens to compensate for a refractive effect caused by the curvature of the borehole.

In some aspects of the disclosure, a method for creating three-dimensional images of non-linear properties and the compressional to shear velocity ratio in a region remote from a borehole using a conveyed logging tool is disclosed. In some aspects, the method includes arranging a first source in the borehole and generating a steered beam of elastic energy at a first frequency; arranging a second source in the borehole and generating a steerable beam of elastic energy at a second frequency, such that the steerable beam at the first frequency and the steerable beam at the second frequency intercept at a location away from the borehole; receiving at the borehole by a sensor a third elastic wave, created by a three wave mixing process, with a frequency equal to a difference between the first and second frequencies and a direction of propagation towards the borehole; determining a location of a three wave mixing region based on the arrangement of the first and second sources and on properties of the third wave signal; and creating three-dimensional images of the non-linear properties using data recorded by repeating the generating, receiving and determining at a plurality of azimuths, inclinations and longitudinal locations within the borehole. The method is additionally used to generate three dimensional images of the ratio of compressional to shear acoustic velocity of the same volume surrounding the borehole.

System and method to create three-dimensional images of non-linear acoustic properties in a region remote from a borehole

System and method to estimate compressional to shear velocity (VP/VS) ratio in a region remote from a borehole

In some aspects of the invention, a device, positioned within a well bore, configured to generate and direct an acoustic beam into a rock formation around a borehole is disclosed. The device comprises a source configured to generate a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency; a transducer configured to receive the generated first and the second signals and produce acoustic waves at the first frequency and the second frequency; and a non-linear material, coupled to the transducer, configured to generate a collimated beam with a frequency equal to the difference between the first frequency and the second frequency by a non-linear mixing process, wherein the non-linear material includes one or more of a mixture of liquids, a solid, a granular material, embedded microspheres, or an emulsion.

System for generating a beam of acoustic energy from a borehole, and applications thereof

Multipole acoustic logging-while-drilling (LWD) tools and associated methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the disclosed acoustic LWD tool comprises a transmitter array and at least one receiver array. The transmitter array generates acoustic waves with an excitation pattern having a cutoff frequency greater than about 3 kHz. The receiver array is spaced apart from the transmitter array and is configured to detect said acoustic waves. Some of the disclosed method embodiments comprise: generating multipole acoustic waves in a fluid-filled borehole using an excitation pattern with a cutoff frequency greater than about 3 kHz; selectively detecting acoustic waves that propagate with said excitation pattern; and determining an acoustic shear wave slowness for a formation penetrated by the borehole.

Acoustic logging-while-drilling tools having a hexapole source configuration and associated logging methods

A compact array of transducers is employed as a downhole instrument for acoustic investigation of the surrounding rock formation. The array is operable to generate simultaneously a first acoustic beam signal at a first frequency and a second acoustic beam signal at a second frequency different than the first frequency. These two signals can be oriented through an azimuthal rotation of the array and an inclination rotation using control of the relative phases of the signals from the transmitter elements or electromechanical linkage. Due to the non-linearity of the formation, the first and the second acoustic beam signal mix into the rock formation where they combine into a collimated third signal that propagates in the formation along the same direction than the first and second signals and has a frequency equal to the difference of the first and the second acoustic signals. The third signal is received either within the same borehole, after reflection, or another borehole, after transmission, and analyzed to determine information about rock formation. Recording of the third signal generated along several azimuthal and inclination directions also provides 3D images of the formation, information about 3D distribution of rock formation and fluid properties and an indication of the dynamic acoustic non-linearity of the formation.

Method and system for generating a beam of acoustic energy from a borehole, and applications thereof

Methods and apparatus are provided for reducing and/or substantially eliminating sensitivity mismatch of acoustic receivers used with acoustic sources to determine acoustic properties of geologic formations as a logging tool traverses the formations. Methods are directed to detecting waveform arrival times at receivers, determining places in a well where arrival times of waves are substantially the same at a plurality of receivers, and estimating effective receiver sensitivities and equalization factors using Stoneley wave amplitudes and windowed deconvolution of Stoneley waves. Methods are further directed to correcting wave amplitudes using estimated effective receiver sensitivities and equalization factors for receivers.

Adaptive equalization of downhole acoustic receivers

A seismic acquisition system comprising a remote-controlled buoy for conducting seismic acquisition operations. The buoy comprises an operating system for operating a seismic wave production device on the buoy, a placement system, a communications system, and dynamic position locating system. The seismic acquisition system also comprises a remote control system for controlling the buoy systems. The seismic acquisition system also comprises receivers for receiving the seismic wave and generating a data signal indicative of the received seismic wave. The seismic acquisition system operates by controlling the placement system with the remote control system to position the buoy and then controlling the operating system with the remote control system to produce a seismic wave from the seismic wave production device. The receivers then receive the seismic wave and generate a data signal indicative of the seismic wave. The time of producing the seismic wave as well as the position of the buoy at the time of production are then analyzed with the data signal by a data processor.

Seismic acquisition system

Growing community of inventors

Katy, TX, United States of America

Denis P Schmitt