Patent ID: 8344721
Filing Date: 2013-01-01
Classification: G01V

Abstract:
1. A method for locating a sub-surface natural resource by use of lightning data for each of a plurality of lightning strikes, the method comprising: determining from the lightning data, for each of the plurality of lightning strikes, one or more respective lightning parameters A associated with the lightning strike, and at least one respective location B determined for the lightning strike; filtering the lightning data, including selecting a sub-set of said plurality of lightning strikes, said step of selecting including a step of comparing, for each of said plurality of lightning strikes, the corresponding one or more lightning parameters A of the lightning strike with either or both (1) the lightning parameters A associated with the remaining others of said lightning strikes, and (2) one or more standards of comparison; identifying, for each of the lightning strikes of said sub-set, the corresponding locations B; associating the lightning strikes of said sub-set with the corresponding locations B to define a mapped area; determining, for at least one first geographical area of said mapped area, one or more first measures relating to one or more of (1) a quantity of the lightning strikes of said sub-set falling within said at least one first geographical area, and (2) one or more of the lightning parameters A associated with the lightning strikes of said sub-set falling within said at least one first geographical area; and identifying said at least one first geographical area as corresponding to at least one target geographical area associated with which the natural resource is relatively likely to be found, at least in part, as a result of determining that said one or more first measures is significant.