Patent ID: 11880007
Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 11:
12. A system for obtaining a high SNR seismic while-drilling data received in response to a drilling device acting as a seismic source at a geological site at which a main well is being formed using the drilling device, the system comprising:
at least one additional well hole positioned in the vicinity of the main well that extends from a surface to a predetermined depth which exceeds 30 meters below the surface;
at least one distributed acoustic fiber optic cable deployed vertically in each additional well hole, at least a portion of the fiber optic cable being positioned at least at the predetermined depth;
first and second seismic data recording stations positioned on the at least one fiber optic cable; and
a processor configured to:
receive first seismic data sensed in response to drilling device activity at a first source depth and recorded at a first recording station;
receive second seismic data sensed in response to drilling device activity at the first source depth and recorded at a second recording station; and
cross-correlate the first seismic data with the second seismic data to generate a first cross-correlation; and
generate a high SNR seismic velocity profile obtained from analysis of the first and second seismic data and the first cross-correlation, from which near-surface hazards at the geological complexities can be assessed.