Correlation techniques for passive electroseismic and seismoelectric surveying

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9759838-B2
Application number	US-201414515271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2014
Priority date	Mar 5, 2013
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

A method for surveying, may include receiving, by a processor, first survey data from a first source, the first source comprising a first signal generated by a subsurface earth formation in response to a passive-source electromagnetic signal, wherein the electromagnetic signal is generated by an electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the passive-source electromagnetic signal. The method may also include receiving, by the processor, second survey data from a second source and processing the first survey data and the second survey data to determine one or more properties of a subsurface earth formation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for surveying, comprising:
receiving, by a processor, first survey data from a first source, the first source comprising a first signal generated by a subsurface earth formation in response to a passive-source electromagnetic signal, wherein the electromagnetic signal is generated by an electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the passive-source electromagnetic signal;
receiving, by the processor, second survey data from a second source;
processing the first survey data and the second survey data to determine one or more properties of a subsurface earth formation;
generating a model of the subsurface earth formation based, at least in part, on the one or more properties of a subsurface earth formation; and
wherein the passive-source electromagnetic signal includes the earth's natural electromagnetic field and wherein the processing the first survey data and the second survey data to determine the one or more properties of the subsurface formation is based, at least in part, on a correlation of the earth's electromagnetic field and the electromagnetic signal generated by the electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the earth's natural electromagnetic field.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the model of the subsurface earth formation is a three-dimensional model.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the model of the subsurface earth formation is a four-dimensional model.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the four-dimensional model is a time-based model.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
updating the model of the subsurface earth formation based, at least in part, on the one or more properties of a subsurface earth formation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal comprises a vertical component of an electromagnetic signal or a seismic signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the first survey data comprises:
applying at least one time-domain filter or at least one frequency-domain filter to the first survey data to obtain filtered first survey data; and
identifying a signal of interest from the filtered first survey data, the signal of interest indicating the one or more properties of the subsurface earth formation.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second source comprises a second signal generated by a subsurface earth formation in response to a controlled source electromagnetic signal, the controlled source electromagnetic signal generated by a power source configured to drive an electric current into the earth.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second source comprises a second signal generated by a subsurface earth formation in response to an active source of seismic energy.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second source comprises a measurement of a horizontal electromagnetic field at the surface of the earth, the horizontal electromagnetic field responsive to the subsurface earth formation.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second survey data is obtained by a second plurality of sensors configured to be arranged in a pattern and operable to detect a horizontal electromagnetic field at the surface of the earth, the horizontal electromagnetic field responsive to the subsurface earth formation.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second available source comprises a passive measurement of spontaneous potential generated between a ground sensor and a wellbore at least one depth.

13. A system comprising:
a plurality of sensors operable to detect first survey data by detecting a first signal generated by a subsurface earth formation in response to a passive-source electromagnetic signal, wherein the electromagnetic signal is generated by an electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the passive-source electromagnetic signal;
a processor operable to:

receive first survey data from at least one of the plurality of sensors;
receive second survey data from a second source;
process the first survey data and the second survey data to determine one or more properties of a subsurface earth formation; and
generate a model of the subsurface earth formation based, at least in part, on the one or more properties of a subsurface earth formation
wherein the passive-source electromagnetic signal includes the earth's natural electromagnetic field and further wherein processing the first survey data and the second survey data to determine the one or more properties of the subsurface earth formation is based, at least in part, on a correlation of the earth's electromagnetic field and the electromagnetic signal generated by the electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the earth's natural electromagnetic field.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
update the model of the subsurface earth formation based, at least in part, on the one or more properties of a subsurface earth formation.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a lock-in amplifier to isolate the electromagnetic signal.

16. A system comprising:
a plurality of sensors operable to detect first survey data by detecting a first signal generated by a subsurface earth formation in response to a passive-source electromagnetic signal, wherein the electromagnetic signal is generated by an electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the passive-source electromagnetic signal;
a lock-in amplifier to isolate the electromagnetic signal;
a processor operable to:
receive first survey data from at least one of the plurality of sensors;
receive second survey data from a second source;

process the first survey data, the second survey data, and the isolated electromagnetic signal to determine one or more properties of a subsurface earth formation; and
generate a model of the subsurface earth formation based, at least in part, on the one or more properties of a subsurface earth formation
wherein the passive-source electromagnetic signal includes the earth's natural electromagnetic field and further wherein processing the first survey data and the second survey data to determine the one or more properties of the subsurface earth formation is based, at least in part, on a correlation of the earth's electromagnetic field and the electromagnetic signal generated by the electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the earth's natural electromagnetic field.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
update the model of the subsurface earth formation based, at least in part, on the one or more properties of a subsurface earth formation.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the model of the subsurface earth formation is a three-dimensional model.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the model of the subsurface earth formation is a four-dimensional model.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the four-dimensional model is a time-based model.

Assignees

• Hunt Energy Entpr Llc
• Es Xplore L L C

Inventors

• Thompson Arthur
• Katz Alan
• England Robert
• Rahman Mohammad
• Devineni Naga P

Classifications

• G01V11/007 Primary

  using the seismo-electric effect · CPC title

• G01V1/364

  Seismic filtering (G01V1/37 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01V1/48

  Processing data · CPC title

• G01V11/00

  Prospecting or detecting by methods combining techniques covered by two or more of main groups G01V1/00 - G01V9/00 · CPC title

• G01V1/42

  using generators in one well and receivers elsewhere or vice versa (G01V1/52 takes precedence) · CPC title