Electroseismic surveying in exploration and production environments

A method for monitoring a drilling operation in a subterranean formation, wherein the drilling operation is performed using a drill bit on a drillstring, and wherein the drilling operation generates one or more seismic signals and one or more electromagnetic signals, further wherein the one or more electromagnetic signals are caused by electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the one or more seismic signals, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a time before the drilling operation, first survey data from a first sensor array;
• processing the first survey data to determine one or more properties of the subsurface earth formation;
• and
• wherein the first survey data includes signals generated by a subsurface earth formation in response to a passive-source electromagnetic signal, wherein the electromagnetic signal is generated by an electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the passive-source electromagnetic signal;
• wherein the passive-source electromagnetic signal includes the earth's natural electromagnetic field and wherein the processing the first survey data to determine the one or more properties of the subsurface formation is based, at least in part, on a correlation of the earth's electromagnetic field and the electromagnetic signal generated by the electroseismic or seismoelectric conversion of the earth's natural electromagnetic field;
• and
• during the drilling operation:
• receiving, from the first sensor array, the one or more seismic signals caused by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation;
• receiving, from the first sensor array, the one or more electromagnetic signals generated by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation;
• and
• determining a property of one or more of the drillstring and the subterranean formation based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array.

A system comprising:

• a drillstring for performing a drilling operation in a subsurface formation, the drillstring including a drill bit, wherein the drilling operation generates one or more seismic signals and one or more electromagnetic signals;
• a first sensor array to detect one or more seismic signals and one or more electromagnetic signals;
• a processor;
• a memory comprising non-transitory executable instructions, that, when executed cause the processor to:
• receive, from the first sensor array, the one or more seismic signals caused, at least in part, by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation;
• receive, from the first sensor array, the one or more electromagnetic signals generated by the drilling operation in the subterranean formation;
• determine a property of one or more of the drillstring and the subterranean formation based, at least in part, on the seismic signals and the corresponding electromagnetic signals received from the first sensor array.