Seismic survey method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10928532-B2
Application number	US-201615558560-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2016
Priority date	Mar 26, 2015
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

A method includes receiving data indicative of outputs of first and second seismic sensors. The outputs include components corresponding to the detection by the first and second seismic sensors of first and second seismic signals. In addition, the method includes identifying, relative to a first clock in the first seismic sensor, a first time associated with a time of arrival of the first seismic signal at the first seismic sensor, and a second time associated with a time of arrival of the second seismic signal at the first seismic sensor. Further, the method includes identifying, relative to a second clock in the second seismic sensor, a third time associated with a time of arrival of the first seismic signal at the second seismic sensor, and a fourth time associated with a time of arrival of the second seismic signal at the second seismic sensor. Still further, the method includes determining an offset of the first clock relative to the second clock using the first, second, third and fourth times.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
emitting, by a first seismic source, a first seismic signal, wherein the first seismic source is arranged collinearly with a first seismic sensor and a second seismic sensor, and wherein a direction of propagation of the first seismic signal extends from the first seismic sensor towards the second seismic sensor;
detecting, by the first seismic sensor, the first seismic signal;
detecting, by the second seismic sensor, the first seismic signal;
emitting, by a second seismic source, a second seismic signal, wherein the second seismic source is arranged collinearly with the first seismic sensor and the second seismic sensor, wherein a direction of propagation of the second seismic signal extends from the second seismic sensor towards the first seismic sensor, and wherein the direction of propagation of the first seismic signal opposes the direction of propagation of the second seismic signal;
detecting, by the first seismic sensor, the second seismic signal;
detecting, by the second seismic sensor, the second seismic signal;
identifying, relative to a first clock in the first seismic sensor, a first time associated with a time of arrival of the first seismic signal at the first seismic sensor, and a second time associated with a time of arrival of the second seismic signal at the first seismic sensor;
identifying, relative to a second clock in the second seismic sensor, a third time associated with a time of arrival of the first seismic signal at the second seismic sensor, and a fourth time associated with a time of arrival of the second seismic signal at the second seismic sensor; and
determining an offset of the first clock relative to the second clock using the first time, the second time, the third time, and the fourth time.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating an average of the first time and the second time and an average of the third time and the fourth time, wherein the offset is determined based on a difference between the average of the first time and the second time and the average of the third time and the fourth time.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outputs of the first seismic sensor and the second seismic sensor further include components corresponding to a detection of a third seismic signal and a fourth seismic signal, wherein a direction of propagation of the third seismic signal extends from the first seismic sensor towards the second seismic sensor, wherein a direction of propagation of the fourth seismic signal extends from the second seismic sensor towards the first seismic sensor, wherein the method further comprises:
identifying, relative to the first clock in the first seismic sensor, a fifth time associated with a time of arrival of the third seismic signal at the first seismic sensor, and a sixth time associated with a time of arrival of the fourth seismic signal at the first seismic sensor;
identifying, relative to the second clock in the second seismic sensor, a seventh time associated with a time of arrival of the third seismic signal at the second seismic sensor, and an eighth time associated with a time of arrival of the fourth seismic signal at the second seismic sensor; and
determining a scaling factor for the first clock using the first time, the second time, the third time, the fourth time, the fifth time, the sixth time, the seventh time, and the eighth time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output of at least one of the first seismic sensor or the second seismic sensor further includes a component corresponding to a detection of a repeating seismic signal by the at least one of the first seismic sensor or the second seismic sensor, wherein the method further comprising:
identifying a period of the repeating signal in the output of the at least one of the first seismic sensor or the second seismic sensor; and
determining a scaling factor for the clock of the at least one of the first seismic sensor or the second seismic sensor using the identified period.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising calibrating the clock of the at least one of the first seismic sensor or the second seismic sensor relative to a reference clock, using the offset and scaling factor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data further includes an output of a third seismic sensor, wherein the third seismic sensor is located collinearly with the first seismic sensor and the second seismic sensor, and wherein the third seismic sensor has a third clock that is synchronised with the second clock, wherein the method further comprising:
identifying, relative to the third clock in the third seismic sensor, two further times associated with times of arrival of the first seismic signal and the second seismic signal at the third seismic sensor; and
determining an offset of the first clock relative to the second and third clocks using the first time, the second time, the third time, the fourth time, and the two further times.

7. The method of claim 6 , comprising calculating an average of the first time and the second time and an average of the third time, the fourth time, the fifth time, and the sixth time, wherein the offset of the first clock relative to the second and third clocks is based on a difference of the average of the first time and the second time and the average of the third time, the fourth time, the fifth time, and the sixth time.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first seismic source is collocated with the first seismic sensor.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second seismic source is collocated with the second seismic sensor.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second seismic sensor is located between the first seismic source and the second seismic source.

11. A method of determining a scaling factor for a clock in a first seismic sensor, comprising:
detecting, by the first seismic sensor, a first seismic signal emitted by a first seismic source arranged collinearly with the first seismic sensor and a second seismic sensor, wherein a direction of propagation of the first seismic signal extends from the first seismic sensor towards the second seismic sensor;
detecting, by the first seismic sensor, a second seismic signal emitted by a second seismic source arranged collinearly with the first seismic sensor and the second seismic sensor, wherein a direction of propagation of the second seismic signal extends from the second seismic sensor towards the first seismic sensor, and wherein the direction of propagation of the first seismic signal opposes the direction of propagation of the second seismic signal;
identifying, relative to the clock in the first seismic sensor, time values corresponding to the first seismic signal and the second seismic signal;
determining, using the time values, a scaling factor for the time values of the clock by comparing the time values with a known period of the first seismic signal and the second seismic signal.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the time values correspond to a given phase of the first seismic signal and the second seismic signal for a plurality of periods of the first seismic signal and the second seismic signal, and wherein the scaling factor is determined based on a difference of the time values.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
identifying seismic signal values corresponding to the time values, wherein the seismic signal values are indicative of the first seismic signal and the second seismic signal; and
calculating at least one inner product of the seismic signal values relative to a seismic signal of the known period, wherein the scaling factor is calculate

Assignees

• Bp Exploration Operating Co Ltd

Inventors

• Bouska John Gerard

Classifications

• G01V1/307

  for determining seismic attributes, e.g. amplitude, instantaneous phase or frequency, reflection strength or polarity · CPC title

• G01V2200/12

  Clock synchronization-related issues · CPC title

• G01V1/26 Primary

  Reference-signal-transmitting devices, e.g. indicating moment of firing of shot · CPC title