The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 23, 1996
Filed:
Jan. 15, 1993
Arthur H Thompson, Houston, TX (US);
Grant A Gist, Houston, TX (US);
Exxon Production Research Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for estimating the earth's resistance (conductivity) as a function of depth using electroseismic prospecting (ESP) or inverse ESP techniques. Resistance is determined by the frequency-dependent attenuation of reflected EM signals which are produced by application of seismic signals to the earth. A seismic wave is generated by conventional means into the earth, and EM waves are generated back to the surface by different reflectors at different depth levels. This propagation attenuates the high frequencies preferentially. EM waves generated at lower depths are further attenuated relative to those waves generated at more shallow depths. The method and apparatus determines the difference in spectral content between the reflected signals from different horizons based on their relative attenuation and uses this difference as a direct measure of the conductivity between the horizons. Inverse ESP effects can also be used to generate EM waves into the earth and use reflected seismic waves to determine resistance as a function of depth.