Patent ID: 9651708
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: G01V

Claim:
1. A method of acquiring gravity information for an earth formation, the method comprising: acquiring the gravity information for the earth formation using at least one gravimeter, the at least one gravimeter being configured to generate multi-component gravity information wherein the multi-component gravimeter information includes discrete estimates for gravity in three-dimensions, wherein each discrete estimate comprises a vector component including a magnitude and a direction, comprising: generating signals with the at least one gravimeter corresponding to gravitational acceleration from each of the vector components of gravity in the earth formation; and converting the signals into the multi-component gravitational information; and estimating a change in a property of the earth formation based, at least in part, on discrete differences in the vector components of the multi-component gravity information over time, where the property includes at least one of: i) density and ii) total mass; estimating fluid movement using the estimated change in the property; using the estimated fluid movement for reservoir monitoring of a reservoir in the earth formation; and performing at least one of: i) using the estimated change for drilling a borehole in the earth formation; and ii) using the estimated change to optimize recovery of at least one hydrocarbon from the earth formation.