Patent ID: 11906694
Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 8:
9. A system for estimating a depth profile of a weathering layer in a subterranean formation of a field, comprising:
a seismic survey system configured to obtain seismic uphole survey data,
a gravity survey system configured to obtain gravity survey data of the field;
an analysis and modeling system configured to:
generate an equivalent source density profile based on the gravity survey data, wherein the equivalent source density profile describes a set of equivalent gravitational sources to substitute rock layers of the subterranean formation;
generate an equivalent source gravity response based on the equivalent source density profile, wherein the equivalent source gravity response excludes gravity contribution from the weathering layer;
calculate a separated weathering layer gravity response based on a difference between the gravity survey data and the equivalent source gravity response, wherein the separated weathering layer gravity response corresponds to the gravity contribution from the weathering layer; and
generate a modeled weathering layer depth profile based on the separated weathering layer gravity response; and

a drilling system configured to perform a drilling operation based on the modeled weathering layer depth profile,
wherein the modeled weathering layer depth profile is generated by applying a linear inversion process to the separated weathering layer gravity response,
wherein the linear inversion process is constrained based on the seismic uphole survey data.