Detailed Action
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
IDS
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on June 28, 2023, and November 4, 2024 are being considered by the Examiner.
Drawing
The drawing filed June 28, 2023 is accepted by the Examiner.
Specification
The specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim rejection – 35 U.S.C. §102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. §102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-7, 9-11, 13-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (U.S. PAP 2024/0329268, hereon Zhang).
In reference to claim 1: Zhang discloses a method (see Zhang, Abstract), comprising:
obtaining a seismic data (see Zhang, Fig. 6, step 600) regarding a subsurface region of interest, wherein the seismic data comprises a plurality of time-space waveforms (see Zhang, Fig. 3, time- amplitude data, amplitude representing space);
obtaining a seismic velocity model (see Zhang, paragraph [0040], by processing seismic data by seismic processor);
determining a migrated seismic image based on the plurality of time-space waveforms and the seismic velocity model (see Zhang, paragraph [0042]);
generating a filtered seismic image by applying a depth-dependent attenuation operator (i.e., Hilbert transform as noted in equation 11) to the migrated seismic image (see Zhang, [0042]); and
determining a drilling target in the subsurface region based on the filtered seismic image (see Zhang, paragraph [0043], and flow chart in Fig. 3, determining a drilling target in the subsurface region based on the seismic image).
With regard to claim 2. Zhang further discloses that the method further comprising planning, using a wellbore planning system (see Zhang, Fig. 4, wellbore planning system 438), a planned wellbore trajectory to intersect the drilling target (see Zhang, paragraph [0046], drilling target (430), and wellbore trajectory (404)).
With regard to claim 3: Zhang further discloses that the method comprising drilling, using a drilling system, a wellbore guided by the planned wellbore trajectory (see Zhang, Fig. 4 and paragraph [0046]).
With regard to claim 4: Zhang further discloses that the depth-dependent attenuation operator comprises a function that decreases with depth (see Zhang, paragraph [0040], the seismic velocity model varies with vertical depth, and Hilbert transform, equation 22, the value of the wavefield decreases with depth).
With regard to claim 5: Zhang further discloses that generating a filtered seismic image further comprises: generating a transformed seismic image by transforming the migrated seismic image into components of a vertical wavenumber; multiplying the transformed seismic image by a depth-dependent weight; and performing an inverse transform (see Zhang, paragraph [0074] and [0075], and equations 27 and 28).
With regard to claim 6. Zhang further discloses that determining the migrated seismic image comprises performing reverse time migration (see Zhang, paragraph [0042]).
With regard to claim 7. Zhang further discloses that the depth-dependent attenuation operator comprises a power function of a vertical wavenumber (see Zhang, paragraph [0064], note that the power function is defined as kZ’, the wavenumber with a factor or 2).
In reference to claim 9: Zhang discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium (see Zhang, Fig. 12, unit 1209) comprising computer-executable instructions (unit 1206, application) stored thereon that, when executed on a processor (unit 1205, processor), cause the processor to perform:
obtaining a seismic data (see Zhang, Fig. 6, step 600) regarding a subsurface region of interest, wherein the seismic data comprises a plurality of time-space waveforms (see Zhang, Fig. 3, time- amplitude data, amplitude representing space);
obtaining a seismic velocity model (see Zhang, paragraph [0040], by processing seismic data by seismic processor);
determining a migrated seismic image based on the plurality of time-space waveforms and the seismic velocity model (see Zhang, paragraph [0042]);
generating a filtered seismic image by applying a depth-dependent attenuation operator (i.e., Hilbert transform as noted in equation 11) to the migrated seismic image (see Zhang, [0042]); and
determining a drilling target in the subsurface region based on the filtered seismic image (see Zhang, paragraph [0043], and flow chart in Fig. 3, determining a drilling target in the subsurface region based on the seismic image).
With regard to claim 10: Zhang further discloses that the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to perform: generating a transformed seismic image by transforming the migrated seismic image into components of a vertical wavenumber; multiplying the transformed seismic image by a depth-dependent weight; and performing an inverse transform (see Zhang, paragraph [0074] and [0075], and equations 27 and 28).
With regard to claim 11: Zhang further discloses that the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to perform: determining the migrated seismic image by performing reverse time migration (see Zhang, paragraph [0042]).
In reference to claim 13: Zhang discloses a system (see Zhang, Fig. 4 and Abstract), comprising:
a seismic acquisition system configured to record seismic data regarding a subsurface region of interest, wherein the seismic data comprises a plurality of time-space waveforms (see Zhang, Fig. 3, time- amplitude data, amplitude representing space); and
a seismic processor (see Zhang, Fig. 12, unit 1205) to receive the seismic data and to:
obtain a seismic velocity model (see Zhang, paragraph [0040], by processing seismic data by seismic processor);
determine a migrated seismic image based on the plurality of time-space waveforms and the seismic velocity model (see Zhang, paragraph [0042]),
generate a filtered seismic image by applying a depth-dependent attenuation operator (i.e., Hilbert transform as noted in equation 11) to the migrated seismic image (see Zhang, [0042]) to the migrated seismic image, and
determine a drilling target in the subsurface region based on the filtered seismic image see Zhang, paragraph [0043], and flow chart in Fig. 3, determining a drilling target in the subsurface region based on the seismic image).
With regard to claim 14. Zhang further discloses that the system comprising a wellbore planning system configured to plan a planned wellbore trajectory based, at least in part, on the filtered seismic image (see Zhang, paragraph [0083], where the image 330 is filtered through Fourier Transform).
With regard to claim 15: Zhang further discloses that the system comprising a drilling system configured to drill a portion of a wellbore guided by the planned wellbore trajectory (see Zhang, Fig. 4 and paragraph [0046]).
With regard to claim 16. Zhang further discloses that the depth-dependent attenuation operator comprises a function that decreases with depth (see Zhang, paragraph [0040], the seismic velocity model varies with vertical depth, and Hilbert transform, equation 22, the value of the wavefield decreases with depth).
With regard to claim 17: Zhang further discloses that the seismic processor is further configured to: generate a transformed seismic image by transforming the migrated seismic image into components of a vertical wavenumber; multiply the transformed seismic image by a depth-dependent weight; and perform an inverse transform (see Zhang, paragraph [0074] and [0075], and equations 27 and 28).
With regard to claim 18: Zhang further disclose that the seismic processor is further configured to determine the migrated seismic image by performing reverse time migration (see Zhang, paragraph [0042]).
With regard to claim 19: Zhang further discloses that the depth-dependent attenuation operator comprises a power function of a vertical wavenumber (see Zhang, paragraph [0064], note that the power function is defined as kZ’, the wavenumber with a factor or 2).
Claim rejection – 35 U.S.C. §103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 8, 12 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Partyka et al. (U.S. Patent No. 6,131,071, hereon Partyka).
With regard to claim 8. Zhang discloses a method for generating a transformed seismic image from the time domain into frequency domain for better characterization of the power spectrum using a Fourier transform; however, the method and system does not perform a short-window Fourier Transforms.
Partyka discloses a method of processing seismic data (see Partyka, Abstract). The method uses short-window Fourier Transforms in order to provide enhance imaging of thin bed layers (see Partyka, column 8, line 63 to column 9, line 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the method and system of generating a transformed seismic image as taught by Zhang, and adapt or perform a short-window Fourier Transform in order to carry to filter the seismic image with reduces noise and jitter for better characterization of the subsurface and providing a clear three-dimensional view of the subsurface for precise drilling method.
In reference to claims 12 and 20: the instant claims are directed to a non-transitory computer-readable medium and a system are analogous to claim 1 of the method.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Puryear et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,507,042) discloses system and method for constrained least-squares spectral processing and analysis of seismic data.
Short et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,497,381, hereon Short) discloses a method and system for a seismic signal processing for separating a signal into different components.
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/ELIAS DESTA/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857