Satellite Image Analysis for Drilling Activity Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current databases containing reports of drilling and hydraulic fracturing activity in hydrocarbon wells are often lagged, with delays sometimes exceeding a year, making it difficult to accurately estimate production timelines.
Innovation Solution
A method and device utilizing time series of top-view images from satellite or aerial sources to detect well pad construction, drilling, and hydraulic fracturing activity, processing these images using machine learning and image processing algorithms to determine the start dates of these activities and provide production forecasts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional databases are used to report drilling and hydraulic fracturing activity, then the information is officially recorded and verified, but the reporting lag exceeds a year making production timeline estimation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting drilling and hydraulic fracturing activities through satellite image analysis before they are officially reported in traditional databases. The system continuously monitors well locations and detects equipment presence, pad construction, and activity changes in advance, providing early warnings and production forecasts ahead of official reporting timelines.
2Loss of time
If satellite image processing is used to detect drilling and hydraulic fracturing activity, then the reporting lag is reduced to less than a week, but the complexity of image processing and analysis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses satellite images as copies or representations of the physical drilling and hydraulic fracturing activities. Instead of directly measuring or reporting actual equipment presence and activity, the system processes satellite image copies to detect and analyze well site conditions, enabling remote monitoring without physical intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical reporting systems with automated image processing and machine learning algorithms. The system substitutes manual field reporting and mechanical data collection with automated computer vision techniques that analyze satellite images to detect equipment, monitor activity, and generate reports automatically.
3Productivity
If machine learning algorithms are used to process time series images, then near-real-time monitoring capability is achieved, but the computational resources and processing power required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the image processing task into distinct stages: initial satellite image acquisition, pre-processing and enhancement, feature extraction and detection, activity classification, and forecast generation. This segmented approach allows computational resources to be distributed and optimized at each stage, improving overall efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system processes only the necessary portions of satellite images relevant to detecting drilling and hydraulic fracturing activities, rather than analyzing entire large-scale regions. The machine learning models focus on specific features and patterns critical for detection, performing partial analysis that reduces computational overhead while maintaining accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for detecting pad construction and/or drilling and/or for hydraulic fracturing of at least one hydrocarbon well, comprising the steps of: selecting at least one specified well location, obtaining at least one time series of top view images of the specified well location, in which each top view image has a date corresponding to a day of acquisition of the top view image, processing the time series of top view images to detect at least one top view image showing the apparition of a well pad and/or showing drilling activity and/or showing fracturing activity, exporting the date corresponding to the acquisition day of the top view image showing the apparition of the well pad and/or drilling activity and/or fracturing activity, providing, based on export date, an information of pad construction date and/or drilling starting date and/or fracturing starting date and/or a full production forecast for the specified well location.