Method and process for prediction of subsurface fluid and rock pressures in the earth
US6473696B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 13, 2001 |
| Grant date | Oct 29, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 24, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01V1/32
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of determination of fluid pressures in a subsurface region of the earth uses seismic velocities and calibrations relating the seismic velocities to the effective stress on the subsurface sediments. The seismic velocities may be keyed to defined seismic horizons and may be obtained from many methods, including velocity spectra, post-stack inversion, pre-stack inversion, VSP or tomography. Overburden stresses may be obtained from density logs, relations between density and velocity, or front inversion of potential fields data. The seismic data may be P-P, P-S, or S-S data. The calibrations may be predetermined or may be derived from well information including well logs and well pressure measurements. The calibrations may also include the effect of unloading. The determined pressures may be used in the analysis of fluid flow in reservoirs, basin and prospect modeling and in fault integrity analysis.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.