Seismic Source Vehicle Path Control for 4D Survey Repeatability
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Solution Overview
Problem
4D seismic surveys face inaccuracies due to truck-mounted seismic sources deviating from pre-calculated paths due to obstacles, leading to geographic discrepancies in shooting positions, which are critical for time-lapse reservoir monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A control device on the seismic source vehicle receives and modifies the path in real-time by tracking deviations from the original path, updating it when encountering obstacles, and storing the new path for subsequent surveys to ensure consistent shooting locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a pre-calculated path is used for the seismic source vehicle, then the shooting positions are determined in advance, but the vehicle cannot avoid obstacles and must deviate from the path, causing geographic discrepancies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static pre-calculated path into a dynamic adaptive path by continuously tracking the vehicle's actual position using GPS and comparing it with the intended path. When deviations exceeding a threshold are detected, the system automatically updates the path to match the actual trajectory, enabling the system to adapt to obstacles while maintaining shooting position accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the actual vehicle position is continuously monitored and fed back to the control device. This feedback loop allows the system to detect path deviations caused by obstacles and automatically update the given path to correct the discrepancies, ensuring consistent shooting positions across multiple surveys
2Ease of operation
If the driver manually deviates from the given path to avoid obstacles, then the vehicle can navigate around obstacles, but the shooting positions become inconsistent across different surveys
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures the driver's manual deviation from the given path and uses this information to update the path for future surveys. By feeding back the actual trajectory to the control device, the system ensures that the same deviation is replicated in subsequent surveys, maintaining shooting position consistency while preserving obstacle avoidance capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calculates the appropriate path deviation by analyzing the actual trajectory followed during the first survey. This preliminary analysis allows the system to establish an updated given path that incorporates the obstacle avoidance maneuver, ensuring that the same path is followed in subsequent surveys for consistent shooting positions
3Manufacturing precision
If the given path is updated based on actual trajectory, then shooting position consistency is improved, but additional path processing is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual path calculation and adjustment with an automated electronic system. The control device automatically processes the actual trajectory data, compares it with the given path, and generates updated path information without requiring manual intervention, thereby reducing the complexity burden despite the additional processing requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A method for improving a 4-dimensional (4D) repeatability by modifying a given path to be followed by a source during a seismic survey. The method includes receiving the given path at a control device associated with a vehicle that caries the source; following the given path during a first seismic survey that is a baseline survey for the 4D seismic survey; deviating from the given path to follow a new path when encountering an obstacle on the given path; and updating the given path, based on the new path, to obtain an updated given path when a deviation condition is met.