US 2019/0195066 A1 · DETECTING SUB-TERRANEAN STRUCTURES

Abstract

A geologic survey system includes a plurality of acoustic sources spaced at intervals over a target area of a terranean surface. Each of the plurality of acoustic sensors is configured to generate a seismic energy wave. The system also includes a plurality of acoustic sensors positioned in a plurality of boreholes formed in a geologic formation, where the boreholes have a depth sufficient to reach a geologic datum. The system also includes a control system communicably coupled to the plurality of acoustic sensors and configured to perform operations including receiving, from the plurality of acoustic sensors, data associated with reflected acoustic signals generated by the plurality of acoustic sources and received by the plurality of acoustic sensors; determining, based on the received data, a subsurface topology of the geologic formation; and generating a subsurface model of the geologic formation based on the determined subsurface topology.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A geologic survey system comprising:

a plurality of acoustic sources spaced at intervals over a target area of a terranean surface, each of the plurality of acoustic sensors configured to generate a seismic energy wave;
a plurality of acoustic sensors positioned in a plurality of boreholes formed in a geologic formation, the boreholes having a depth sufficient to reach a geologic datum;
and
a control system communicably coupled to the plurality of acoustic sensors and configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from the plurality of acoustic sensors, data associated with reflected acoustic signals generated by the plurality of acoustic sources and received by the plurality of acoustic sensors;
determining, based on the received data, a subsurface topology of the geologic formation;
and
generating a subsurface model of the geologic formation based on the determined subsurface topology.

5 more elements

A method comprising:

positioning a plurality of acoustic sensors into a plurality of boreholes;
positioning a plurality of acoustic sources on or near a terranean surface;
emitting, by the plurality of acoustic sources, an acoustic signal directed into a subsurface geologic formation;
receiving, by the plurality of acoustic sensors, a reflected acoustic signal from the subsurface geologic formation;
determining a subsurface topology of the geologic formation based on receiving the reflected acoustic signal by the plurality of acoustic sensors;
and
creating a subsurface model of the geologic formation based on the determined topology.

4 more elements

A computer-implemented method for generating a subsurface model, comprising:

identifying, with a hardware processor, data associated with reflected acoustic signals generated by the plurality of acoustic sources and received by the plurality of acoustic sensors;
determining, with the hardware processor, a subsurface topology of the geologic formation based on the identified data;
and
generating, with the hardware processors, a subsurface model of the geologic formation based on the determined subsurface topology.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Detecting sub-terranean structures

Life of this patent

Detecting sub-terranean structures

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22