Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Paul C Gingrich

Peter W Mullarkey

Dennis M O'Neill

Laurent L Moinard

A method and apparatus for monitoring and analysing signal data which uses a network model describing the system under investigation and a runtime agent for acquiring the signal data and accessing the model if an anomaly in the signal data is indicated. The network model describes events of interests and how the events relate to phenomena in the system. The network model is constructed using an object-oriented approach with: observations of the events of interests in the system; situations which describe possible underlying causes of the observations; and relations which specify the logical relationship between the observations and situations. The runtime agent is constructed with an object-oriented approach using observers which monitor the signal data and compute whether an anomaly in the incoming signal data exists. If an anomaly is identified, an 'observation' is generated and the network model entered to analyse the observation and estimate a cause of the observation. The method and apparatus are applicable for interpreting phenomena in a wide variety of physical systems and have been exemplarily applied to monitoring the quality of oil well logging and laboratory material test sensor configurations.

Method and apparatus for knowledge-based signal monitoring and analysis

A method and apparatus monitors well logging information obtained from a logging apparatus moveable in an earth borehole. In a disclosed embodiment, observers are established for determining the presence of specified characteristics of the logging information and generating observation-representative signals in response thereto. A knowledge base is provided, and contains a number of stored observations and stored situations which are linked by specified relationships, for responding to the observation-representative signals by computing and outputting an inference of a stored situation which is inferred from a stored observation corresponding to the observation-representative signals. In a disclosed embodiment, the knowledge base is responsive to observation-representative signals for establishing at least one confirming observer. The confirming observer is operative to determine the presence of further specified attributes of the logging information and to generate confirming observation-representative signals in response thereto. The knowledge base is also responsive to the confirming signals in its computation of the inference.

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Bethel, CT, United States of America

Paul C Gingrich