Granted Patent B2

US 12,474,494 · App. 18/059,915 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Inventors: Ilya Silvestrov (Dhahran, SA); Andrey Bakulin (Dhahran, SA)

Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY

G01V1/308G01V1/282G01V1/345

Abstract

Claims (79)

1 . A method comprising:

obtaining a time-domain surface seismic dataset for a subterranean region of interest; and

for each drilling depth among a sequence of drilling depths in order:

drilling, using a drill bit, a wellbore to each drilling depth within the subterranean region of interest,

wherein the sequence of drilling depths is arranged in order of increasing depth along the wellbore,

wherein the wellbore follows a wellbore path, and

wherein an orientation of the drill bit is based on the wellbore path,

obtaining, using a plurality of seismic receivers, a seismic dataset comprising a plurality of seismic traces generated by the drill bit,

determining, using a computer processor and using the seismic dataset, a range of seismic velocities, a range of vertical traveltimes, and a geological model, a coherency map comprising a plurality of positions,

wherein each position on the coherency map corresponds to a seismic velocity among the range of seismic velocities and a vertical traveltime among the range of vertical traveltimes; and

wherein each position on the coherency map represents a measure of similarity within the plurality of seismic traces corrected using the seismic velocity, the vertical traveltime, and the geological model,

determining, using the computer processor, a locus from the coherency map,

wherein the locus comprises a plurality of extremums of the measure of similarity,

wherein the locus corresponds to seismic velocities among the range of seismic velocities as a function of vertical traveltimes among the range of vertical traveltimes,

defining an objective function based on the locus and a measured depth interval,

wherein the measured depth interval comprises a difference between two drilling depths among the sequence of drilling depths,

determining, using the computer processor, a unique seismic velocity among the seismic velocities and a unique vertical traveltime among the vertical traveltimes based on an extremum of the objective function,

generating, using the computer processor, an updated vertical traveltime, depth model using the unique seismic velocity for at least two drilling depths among the sequence of drilling depths, the unique vertical traveltime for the at least two drilling depths, and the at least two drilling depths,

determining, using the computer processor, a depth-domain surface seismic dataset using the time-domain surface seismic dataset and the updated vertical traveltime, depth model,

revising, using the computer processor, the wellbore path based on the depth-domain surface seismic dataset, and

revising the orientation of the drill bit based on the revised wellbore path.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the geological model assumes rock layers within the subterranean region of interest are horizontal.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the measure of similarity comprises a semblance.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the coherency map comprises a moveout correction based on a receiver location for each of the plurality of seismic receivers.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the geological model comprises a three-dimensional model.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the seismic velocity comprises a root-mean-square velocity.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the objective function comprises a Dix formula modified to comprise the measured depth interval.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of seismic traces for each drilling depth among the sequence of drilling depths is recorded over a time window.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer processor, perform steps comprising:

receiving a time-domain surface seismic dataset for a subterranean region of interest;

for each drilling depth among a sequence of drilling depths in order:

receiving a seismic dataset comprising a plurality of seismic traces generated by a drill bit drilling a wellbore to each drilling depth within the subterranean region of interest,

wherein the sequence of drilling depths is arranged in order of increasing depth along the wellbore;

wherein the wellbore follows a wellbore path;

wherein an orientation of the drill bit is based on the wellbore path; and

wherein each of the plurality of seismic traces is recorded by each of a plurality of seismic receivers,

determining, using the seismic dataset, a range of seismic velocities, a range of vertical traveltimes, and a geological model, a coherency map comprising a plurality of positions,

wherein each position on the coherency map corresponds to a seismic velocity among the range of seismic velocities and a vertical traveltime among the range of vertical traveltimes; and

wherein each position on the coherency map represents a measure of similarity within the plurality of seismic traces corrected using the seismic velocity, the vertical traveltime, and the geological model,

determining a locus from the coherency map,

wherein the locus comprises a plurality of extremums of the measure of similarity; and

wherein the locus corresponds to seismic velocities among the range of seismic velocities as a function of vertical traveltimes among the range of vertical traveltimes,

forming an objective function based on the locus and a measured depth interval,

wherein the measured depth interval comprises a difference between two drilling depths among the sequence of drilling depths,

determining a unique seismic velocity among the seismic velocities and a unique vertical traveltime among the vertical traveltimes based on an extremum of the objective function,

generating an updated vertical traveltime, depth model using the unique seismic velocity for at least two drilling depths among the sequence of drilling depths, the unique vertical traveltime for the at least two drilling depths, and the at least two drilling depths,

determining a depth-domain surface seismic dataset using the time-domain surface seismic dataset and the updated vertical traveltime, depth model,

revising the wellbore path based on the depth-domain surface seismic dataset, and

revising the orientation of the drill bit based on the revised wellbore path.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9 , wherein the geological model assumes rock layers within the subterranean region of interest are horizontal.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9 , wherein the measure of similarity comprises a semblance.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9 , wherein determining the coherency map comprises a moveout correction based on a receiver location for each of the plurality of seismic receivers.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9 , wherein the geological model comprises a three-dimensional model.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9 , wherein the seismic velocity comprises a root-mean-square velocity.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9 , wherein the objective function comprises a Dix formula modified to comprise the measured depth interval.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of seismic traces for each drilling depth among the sequence of drilling depths is recorded over a time window.

17 . A system comprising:

a computer processor configured to receive a time-domain surface seismic dataset for a subterranean region of interest;

for each drilling depth among a sequence of drilling depths in order:

a drilling system comprising a drill bit and configured to drill, using the drill bit, a wellbore to each drilling depth within the subterranean region of interest,

wherein the sequence of drilling depths is arranged in order of increasing depth along the wellbore,

wherein the wellbore follows a wellbore path, and

wherein an orientation of the drill bit is based on the wellbore path,

a plurality of seismic receivers configured to record a seismic dataset comprising a plurality of seismic traces generated by the drill bit,

wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

receive, from the plurality of seismic receivers, the seismic dataset;

determine, using the seismic dataset, a range of seismic velocities, a range of vertical traveltimes, and a geological model, a coherency map comprising a plurality of positions,

wherein each position on the coherency map corresponds to a seismic velocity among the range of seismic velocities and a vertical traveltime among the range of vertical traveltimes, and

wherein each position on the coherency map represents a measure of similarity within the plurality of seismic traces corrected using the seismic velocity, the vertical traveltime, and the geological model;

determine a locus from the coherency map,

wherein the locus comprises a plurality of extremums of the measure of similarity, and

wherein the locus corresponds to seismic velocities among the range of seismic velocities as a function of vertical traveltimes among the range of vertical traveltimes;

form an objective function based on the locus and a measured depth interval,

wherein the measured depth interval comprises a difference between two drilling depths among the sequence of drilling depths;

determine a unique seismic velocity among the seismic velocities and a unique vertical traveltime among the vertical traveltimes based on an extremum of the objective function;

generate an updated vertical traveltime, depth model using the unique seismic velocity for at least two drilling depths among the sequence of drilling depths, the unique vertical traveltime for the at least two drilling depths, and the at least two drilling depths;

determine a depth-domain surface seismic dataset using the time-domain surface seismic dataset and the vertical traveltime, depth model; and

revise the wellbore path based on the depth-domain surface seismic dataset;

wherein the drilling system is further configured to revise the orientation of the drill bit based on the revised wellbore path.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (24)