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:
Apr. 11, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 16, 1997
Carey D Bunks, Boston, MA (US);
James E Barger, Winchester, MA (US);
BBN Corporation, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
A method for reducing the time, cost and apparatus required for monitoring the geometry of the oil/water, oil/gas, or gas/water interface in an underground reservoir. By strategically placing sources and sensors, and by fixing the sensors to the solid earth surface beneath the water, and by knowing the velocity fields in the overburden, the changing edges and geometry of the oil may be determined with significantly reduced data gathering. The strategic positions of the sources and receivers is determined by referencing to the known geometry from past surveys. In addition the velocity of the overburden is known by these prior surveys. In addition, higher resolution of reflectivity areas is achieved by use of sound sources capable of generating higher frequencies compensated for the earth's attenuation and by utilizing long integration times to improve signal to noise ratio. These sound sources can be smaller than prior art sources since they provide directed beams of narrower widths. Smaller computers may be used for analyzing the reduced data collected.