Structural Earth Models from Borehole Data for Real-Time Geosteering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for constructing structural earth models are time-consuming and labor-intensive, particularly for hydrocarbon fields, and do not adequately account for complex geological formations, leading to suboptimal drilling and reservoir management decisions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for constructing structural earth models using measurement data from boreholes, incorporating hierarchical rules to classify and geometrically project geological features, allowing for automated and efficient modeling of geological projections and interactions, enabling real-time updates and improved geosteering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional manual methods are used to construct structural earth models, then model accuracy can be maintained through expert judgment, but the process becomes time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual geological interpretation and model construction with an automated computer-based system that uses measurement data, hierarchical rules, and geometric projections to generate structural earth models, eliminating the time-consuming manual process while maintaining accuracy through systematic algorithms
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms geological measurement data into structured parameters that feed into automated modeling algorithms, changing the state of raw data into processed information that can be rapidly converted into accurate structural models through computational methods
2Productivity
If simple geological models are used, then model construction is faster and easier, but complex geological formations are not adequately represented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the geological modeling process into distinct hierarchical levels (data structures, geological projections, structural models) that can be processed independently and systematically, allowing complex formations to be represented through multiple scales of detail without overwhelming computational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds the dimension of hierarchical complexity to the modeling process, enabling representations that range from simple to complex geological formations by incorporating multiple levels of structural detail and interaction rules, thus maintaining both efficiency and accuracy
3Loss of information
If detailed geological features are incorporated into the model, then subsurface understanding is improved, but data processing complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary classification and organization of measurement data into standardized data structures before modeling, and pre-defines hierarchical rules for feature interaction, which simplifies subsequent processing while ensuring complete geological information is captured in an organized manner
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces intermediate data structures and hierarchical rule sets that act as mediators between raw measurement data and final structural models, organizing complex geological information into manageable representations that reduce processing complexity while preserving information completeness
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for performing drilling operations in earth formations. The systems and methods include drilling a borehole within the earth formation, receiving data acquired within the borehole in the earth formation, analyzing the data to locate a plurality of data structures formed by the data, the plurality of data structures including a first structure at a first location and a second structure at a second location, projecting the first structure as a first geological projection intersecting the first location, and projecting the second structure as a second geological projection intersecting the second location, classifying the first geological projection and the second geological projection based on a hierarchy of geological feature types to generate a hierarchical classification, and adjusting one or more of the first geological projection and the second geological projection based on the hierarchical classification.