Plume tracking using surface-based source-receiver pair

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• memory accessible to the processor;
• processor-executable instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to instruct the system to:
• i) installing a source at a first location;
• ii) installing a receiver at a second location;
• iii) activating/shooting the source to produce a signal at least one time from the first location through at least one geological stratum to the second location;
• iv) measuring travel time at time one (T1) for the signal traveling from the first location to the second location;
• v) repeating step (iii) to produce a second signal and measuring travel time at time two (T2) of the travel of the second signal from the first location to the second location;
• vi) changing the source to a third location;
• vii) changing the receiver to a fourth location;
• viii) activating/shooting the source at least one time to produce a third signal from the third location to the fourth location;
• ix) measuring travel time of the third signal at time three (T3) from the third location to the fourth location;
• and
• x) repeating step (viii) and measuring travel time at time four (T4) from the third location to the fourth location via the activating/shooting the source of step (viii).

A method comprising:

• i) placing a sound transmitter at a first location at a surface of a geological formation;
• ii) installing a sound receiver at a second location at the surface of the geological formation;
• iii) activating/shooting the sound transmitter to produce a first acoustic signal into the geological stratum;
• iv) receiving the first acoustic signal at the second location;
• v) measuring a travel time at time one (T1) for the first signal traveling from the first location to the second location;
• vi) repeating step (iii) to produce a second acoustic signal and measuring a travel time at time two (T2) of the travel of the second acoustic signal from the first location to the second location;
• vii) placing the transmitter at a third location;
• viii) placing the receiver to a fourth location;
• ix) activating/shooting the source at least one time to produce a third acoustic signal from the third location to the fourth location;
• x) receiving the third acoustic signal;
• xi) measuring travel time of the third acoustic signal at time three (T3) from the third location to the fourth location;
• and
• xii) repeating step (ix) and measuring travel time at time four (T4) from the third location to the fourth location via the activating/shooting the source of step (ix).