Seismic Streamer Tilt Compensation via Remote Sensor Interpolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multi-component seismic acquisition systems for hydrocarbon exploration face challenges in determining the orientation of particle motion sensors without additional tilt sensors, leading to biased responses, increased cable weight and size, and noise performance issues.
Innovation Solution
The system employs two tilt sensors located remotely along the streamer, interpolating their tilt measurements to determine the effective orientation of directional sensors, eliminating the need for additional sensors and reducing cable weight and size, while using an algorithm to estimate orientation based on the first received wavefield.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a tilt sensor is added at the particle motion sensor location to determine sensor orientation, then measurement precision of sensor orientation is improved, but device complexity and cable weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses tilt sensors positioned at remote locations along the streamer to measure cable orientation, then interpolates these measurements to determine the orientation at the particle motion sensor location. This copying approach allows orientation data to be obtained without placing a tilt sensor directly at the particle motion sensor, reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces tilt sensors at intermediate positions along the streamer as mediators to indirectly determine the orientation at the particle motion sensor location. These intermediate tilt sensors provide orientation data that is interpolated to the sensor location, serving as a mediator between direct measurement and the actual sensor orientation needed.
2Device complexity
If remote tilt sensors with interpolation are used to determine sensor orientation, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent copies orientation information from remote tilt sensor locations to the particle motion sensor location through interpolation algorithms. This copying method maintains measurement precision by mathematically deriving the orientation at the sensor location from multiple remote measurements, compensating for the distance between sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from multiple remote tilt sensors to continuously monitor and interpolate cable orientation along the streamer. This feedback mechanism allows the system to account for variations in cable orientation and provide accurate orientation determination at the particle motion sensor location despite using remote sensors.
3Measurement precision
If additional tilt sensors and wiring are added to the cable, then sensor orientation can be determined, but cable weight and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent copies orientation data from remotely positioned tilt sensors to the particle motion sensor location through interpolation, eliminating the need for additional wiring and power connections at the sensor location. This approach determines sensor orientation while avoiding the weight penalty of additional cables and components.
Solution Approach 2:
The remote tilt sensors serve multiple functions: they measure cable orientation at their locations and simultaneously provide interpolated orientation data for particle motion sensors at different locations. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of sensors needed and decreases cable weight compared to placing individual tilt sensors at each particle motion sensor location.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach improves particle motion response, reduces cable weight and size, and maintains data quality by accurately determining sensor orientation without additional sensors, enhancing seismic data acquisition efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a co-located tilt sensor, with a known orientation compared to this base. The tilt measurement is then used to recover the vertical, crossline, or the inline component of the particle motion wave.
Implementation Method 2
geophysical data are obtained by applying acoustic energy to the earth from an acoustic source and detecting seismic energy reflected from interfaces between different layers in subsurface formations
Implementation Method 3
at least one particle motion sensor (geophone or accelerometer) or a group of particle motion sensors
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A streamer for seismic prospection comprising directional sensors (20), such as geophones or accelerometers, distributed along the streamer, characterized in that said streamer comprises at least two tilt sensors (30, 40) located in remote positions and in locations distant from the directional sensors (20) and means which determined the effective orientation of each directional sensor (20) by interpolating along the streamer the tilt detected by the two tilt sensors (30, 40). The streamer further comprises auxiliary means for determining the orientation of a first wavefield received on a directional sensor (20) and which determine the effective orientation of each directional sensor (20) from the orientation of this first wavefield.