Boring or penetrating the earth – With signaling – indicating – testing or measuring
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-13
2001-12-04
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3673)
Boring or penetrating the earth
With signaling, indicating, testing or measuring
C166S066000, C166S250010, C166S285000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325161
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to vertical geological information gathering methods and apparatuses for the purpose of monitoring production and exploration.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As the value of oil and gas has continued to rise, there has been increasing interest in methods for effectively retrieving all minerals from known mineral deposits and for discovering new reservoirs. Information about the rate of depletion and the migration of mineral within a mineral reservoir allow operators to apply the most effective production techniques to the particular reservoir conditions. Accurate monitoring of mineral depletion from a given reservoir requires replication of accurate surveys over a long period of time. Also, because differently placed and coupled receivers provide altered results, the seismic receivers need to be placed and coupled similarly for surveys conducted at different times.
One example of an earlier method entails drilling a production borehole, inserting a three dimensional geophone instrument for data collection, and removing the instrument for mineral production from the borehole, A three-directional geophone is capable of detecting P waves and S waves. This allows for interpretation of: lithography, porosity, pore fluid type, pore shape, depth of burial consolidation, anisotropic changes in pressure, and anisotropic changes in temperature. However, if subsequent readings are to be obtained, production must cease and the instrument must be reinserted into the borehole. The position and coupling of the geophone receiver will not be the same as before and will, therefore, produce skewed data from that initial taken. Thus, even though this method detects both S and P waves, it is difficult to compare subsequent surveys because of different geophone positioning and coupling.
A second example of an earlier method comprises deploying geophones at various locations on the surface and taking readings. Once the survey is completed, the receivers are retrieved for subsequent use at another survey project. In an ocean survey, the water and mud layer typically kill the S waves so that they do not propagate up into the mud or water where they could be received by seismic instruments positioned there. This is also true for the soft earth surface layer of land surveys. Thus, the data collected at the surface is not as accurate as data collected from deep within a borehole. Also, like the previous method, if survey data is to be collected at a later time, the receivers must be re-deployed upon the surface. Again, the receivers are not likely to be positioned and coupled as in the first survey.
Therefore, in order to provide accurate surveys of reservoirs over time, there is a need for repeatability on the location of seismic receivers and in detection of both S-wave and P-wave signals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for monitoring production mineral reservoirs. One embodiment of this aspect comprises: permanently installing a geophone in a borehole; generating a first set of seismic waves; receiving a first set of seismic data with the geophone; recording the first set of data of said receiving a first set of seismic data; generating a second set of seismic waves after sufficient time has passed for conditions in the reservoir to have changed for the generating a first set of seismic waves; receiving a second set of seismic data with the geophone; and recording the second set of seismic data of said receiving a second set of seismic data.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for installing instruments below the surface of the earth, One embodiments of this aspect comprises: drilling a borehole with a drill apparatus; inserting an instrument in the borehole; and permanently fixing the instrument in the borehole.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided an instrument for receiving seismic data. One embodiment of the aspect comprises: a geophone component which operates in an X-direction; a geophone component which operates in an Y-direction; a geophone component which operates in an Z-direction;, and a housing for the geophone components which is permanently fixed in a borehole.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for collecting seismic information. One embodiment of this aspect comprises: a signal source; a signal receiver permanently fixed in a borehole; a control unit that sends and receives information to and from the signal source and the signal receiver; and communicators of data between the control unit and the signal receiver and the signal source.
According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for monitoring production minerals reservoirs. One embodiment comprises: installing a pipe permanently in a borehole; lowering in a first instance an electronic instrument into the pipe; reading a first set of data with the electronic instrument; removing the electronic instrument from the pipe; lowering in a second instance the electronic instrument into the pipe after sufficient time has passed for conditions in the reservoir to have changed; and reading a second set of data with the electronic instrument.
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Arnold & Associates
Petroleum Geo-Services (US), Inc
Pezzuto Robert E.
Walker Zakiya
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