# US 11,898,433 B2 · Guiding drilling operations using a subsurface model based on full waveform inversion of seismic-while-drilling data

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- Number: US 11,898,433 B2
- Document ID: US11898433B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/334,994
- Filed: 2021-05-31
- Published: 2021-12-02
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-06-01
- Assignees: UTI Limited Partnership
- Applicants: Uti Limited Partnership
- Inventors: Nasser Kazemi Nojadeh; Roman Jgorevich Shor; Kristopher Albert Holm Innanen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11898433B2

## CPC

- E21B 44/005: {Below-ground automatic control systems}
- G01V 1/42: using generators in one well and receivers elsewhere or vice versa (G01V1/52 takes precedence)
- E21B 7/04: Directional drilling
- E21B 44/00: Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
- E21B 47/12: Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling
- E21B 49/003: {by analysing drilling variables or conditions (E21B49/005 takes precedence; systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions E21B44/00)}
- G01V 1/282: {Application of seismic models, synthetic seismograms}
- G01V 1/303: {for determining velocity profiles or travel times}
- G01V 1/46: Data acquisition
- G01V 1/48: Processing data
- G01V 1/50: Analysing data
- G01V 20/00: Geomodelling in general
- E21B 2200/20: Computer models or simulations, e.g. for reservoirs under production, drill bits
- G01V 2200/16: Measure-while-drilling or logging-while-drilling
- G01V 2210/121: Active source
- G01V 2210/1216: Drilling-related
- G01V 2210/1295: Land surface
- G01V 2210/1299: Subsurface, e.g. in borehole or below weathering layer or mud line
- G01V 2210/1425: Land surface
- G01V 2210/1429: Subsurface, e.g. in borehole or below weathering layer or mud line
- G01V 2210/614: Synthetically generated data
- G01V 2210/6222: Velocity; travel time
- G01V 2210/66: Subsurface modeling
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)

## Abstract

System and method for guiding a drill using a subsurface model generated by successive full waveform inversions (FWI) on surface data and seismic-while-drilling (SWD) data. A server receives surface data from at least one surface sensor that records elastic energy radiated from surface seismic source and SWD data from at least one surface or at least one subsurface crosswell sensor (i.e., deployed in a nearby well). The server also receives top-drive measurements. A drillbit source signature estimation is performed, on the SWD data, by the server by blind deconvolution or by using drill string modeling and top-drive measurements. The server then performs FWI on the surface data by using the background subsurface velocity obtained by kinematic analysis of surface seismic data, to obtain an updated approximation of the subsurface velocity. The new approximation along with the drillbit source signature is then used when performing FWI on the SWD data.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for guiding a drilling rig using a subsurface model, said drilling rig comprising at least a drill and a drill control unit, the system comprising:
at least one surface sensor positioned on a ground surface at a distance from said drilling rig, wherein said at least one surface sensor is configured to detect surface seismic data;
at least one subsurface sensor coupled to said drill, wherein said at least one subsurface sensor is configured to detect subsurface seismic-while-drilling (SWD data when said drill is in operation; and
a server operatively connected to said at least one surface sensor and to said drill control unit,
and wherein server is configured to process said surface seismic data using a first full waveform inversion (FWI) to thereby produce a first approximation of a subsurface surrounding said drill,
and wherein said server is further configured to process said first approximation, said SWD data, and a drillbit source signature related to said drill using a second FWI, to thereby produce said subsurface model,
and wherein said subsurface model is used to guide said drilling rig.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein instructions are provided to said drill control unit based on said subsurface model.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein said drill comprises a drill string and a drillbit and wherein said drillbit source signature is based on characteristics of at least one of said drill string and said drillbit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein said server removes noise from said surface seismic data and said SWD data before performing FWI.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein said surface seismic data and said SWD data are gathered in the form of at least one of seismic pressure information and seismic particle velocity information.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein said subsurface has a non-uniform composition.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein said drill is used for at least one of: exploratory purposes; extraction purposes; scientific purposes; and commercial purposes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one other subsurface sensor in a nearby well is configured to detect subsurface crosswell seismic-while-drilling (SWD) data when said drill is in operation, and said crosswell SWD data is processed with said SWD data by said server.

### Claim 9

A method for guiding a drilling rig using a subsurface model, wherein said drilling rig comprises at least a drill, a drill support structure, and a drill control unit, and wherein said drill is positioned below a ground surface when said drill is in operation, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining surface seismic data using at least one surface sensor positioned on said ground surface at a distance from said drilling rig;
processing said surface seismic data using a first full waveform inversion (FWI) to thereby produce a first approximation of a subsurface surrounding said drill;
obtaining seismic-while-drilling (SWD) data from at least one subsurface sensor coupled to said drill;
determining a drillbit signature;
processing said first approximation, said drillbit source signature, and said SWD data using a second FWI to thereby produce said subsurface model; and
using said subsurface model to guide said drilling rig.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein instructions are provided to said drill control unit based on said subsurface model.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein said drill comprises a drill string and a drillbit and wherein said drillbit source signature is based on characteristics of at least one of said drill string and said drillbit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of removing noise from said surface seismic data before performing said first FWI.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of removing noise from said SWD data before performing said second FWI.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein said surface seismic data and said SWD data are gathered in the form of at least one of seismic pressure information and seismic particle velocity information.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein said subsurface has a non-uniform composition.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein said drill is used for at least one of: exploratory purposes; extraction purposes; scientific purposes; and commercial purposes.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein said drillbit source signature is determined using said SWD data.

### Claim 18 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein said drillbit source signature is determined using drill string modeling and top-drive measurements.

### Claim 19 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein at least one other subsurface sensor in a nearby well is configured to detect subsurface crosswell seismic-while-drilling (SWD) data when said drill is in operation, and wherein said crosswell SWD data is processed with said SWD data.

### Claim 20

Non-transitory computer-readable media having encoded thereon computer-readable and computer-executable instructions that, when executed, implement a method for guiding a drilling rig using a subsurface model, wherein said drilling rig comprises at least a drill, a drill support structure, and a drill control unit, and wherein said drill is positioned below a ground surface when said drill is in operation, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining surface seismic data using at least one surface sensor positioned on said ground surface at a distance from said drilling rig;
processing said surface seismic data using a first full waveform inversion (FWI) to thereby produce a first approximation of a subsurface surrounding said drill;
obtaining seismic-while-drilling (SWD) data from at least one subsurface sensor coupled to said drill;
determining a drillbit signature;
processing said first approximation, said drillbit source signature, and said SWD data using a second FWI to thereby produce said subsurface model; and
using said subsurface model to guide said drilling rig.