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.

Date of Patent:
Sep. 27, 2016

Filed:

Nov. 09, 2011
Applicants:

Cung Khac VU, Houston, TX (US);

Christopher Skelt, Houston, TX (US);

Kurt Nihei, Oakland, CA (US);

Paul A. Johnson, Santa Fe, NM (US);

Robert Guyer, Reno, NV (US);

James A. Ten Cate, Los Alamos, NM (US);

Pierre-yves Le Bas, Los Alamos, NM (US);

Carène S. Larmat, Los Alamos, NM (US);

Inventors:

Cung Khac Vu, Houston, TX (US);

Christopher Skelt, Houston, TX (US);

Kurt Nihei, Oakland, CA (US);

Paul A. Johnson, Santa Fe, NM (US);

Robert Guyer, Reno, NV (US);

James A. Ten Cate, Los Alamos, NM (US);

Pierre-Yves Le Bas, Los Alamos, NM (US);

Carène S. Larmat, Los Alamos, NM (US);

Assignees:

Chevron U.S.A. Inc., San Ramon, CA (US);

Los Alamos National Security LLC, Los Alamos, NM (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01V 1/40 (2006.01); G01V 1/44 (2006.01); G01V 1/00 (2006.01); G01V 1/50 (2006.01); G01V 1/46 (2006.01); G10K 15/02 (2006.01); G01V 1/52 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01V 1/006 (2013.01); G01V 1/44 (2013.01); G01V 1/46 (2013.01); G01V 1/50 (2013.01); G01V 1/52 (2013.01); G01V 2210/125 (2013.01); G01V 2210/127 (2013.01); G01V 2210/588 (2013.01); G10K 15/02 (2013.01);
Abstract

A system and method for investigating rock formations outside a borehole are provided. The method includes generating a first compressional acoustic wave at a first frequency by a first acoustic source; and generating a second compressional acoustic wave at a second frequency by a second acoustic source. The first and the second acoustic sources are arranged within a localized area of the borehole. The first and the second acoustic waves intersect in an intersection volume outside the borehole. The method further includes receiving a third shear acoustic wave at a third frequency, the third shear acoustic wave returning to the borehole due to a non-linear mixing process in a non-linear mixing zone within the intersection volume at a receiver arranged in the borehole. The third frequency is equal to a difference between the first frequency and the second frequency.


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