JAMES SHELDON RICE
Pilots at Sherbrooke Cyn Ln, Houston, TX

5105391, Apr 14, 1992

Oct 31, 1990

7/606251

James A. Rice - Houston TX
Christine E. Krohn - Houston TX
Louis M. Houston - Houston TX

Exxon Production Research Company - Houston TX

G01V 120

367 58

A method for high-resolution seismic recording with increased bandwidth using detectors planted at shallow depths below the earth's surface. In one embodiment, an optimum depth where the amplitudes of high frequency signals increase relative to that of the noise during high-resolution recording is determined, geophones are then planted at that optimum depth and signals are recorded at that depth. To find this optimum depth, detectors are planted at various depths below the earth's surface in order to record the signals at those various depths. The frequency spectra for each detected signal is generated and a velocity profile of the depths covered by the detectors is also generated from the signals. The bandwidth of the frequency spectra and the velocity profile are used to determine a depth for planting the detectors that is closer to the earth's surface than the depths previously considered.

4932003, Jun 5, 1990

May 19, 1982

6/379684

Graham A. Winbow - Houston TX
James A. Rice - Houston TX

Exxon Production Research Company - Houston TX

G01V 140

367 75

The quadrupole shear wave logging device of this invention includes a logging sonde, means for generating a quadrupole shear wave in the earth formation surrounding a borehole containing fluid, and means for detecting in the fluid the refraction of the quadrupole shear wave. In the preferred embodiment, the generating means comprises four similar sectors of a hollow piezoelectric cylinder. The four cylinders are polarized radially. The four sectors are so connected to the sonde that they are in the form of a split cylinder coaxial with the sonde axis. Electrical pulses of similar waveforms are applied across the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of each sector to vibrate the four sectors. The electrical pulses are of such polarities that, during their initial motions of vibration, two oppositely situated sectors are caused to move outward and the remaining two oppositely situated sectors to move inward substantially simultaneously. Thus, the oppositely situated sectors will vibrate in phase whereas adjacent sectors will vibrate substantially opposite in phase.

4855963, Aug 8, 1989

Jan 6, 1988

7/140871

Graham A. Winbow - Houston TX
James A. Rice - Houston TX

Exxon Production Research Company - Houston TX

G01V 100

367 31

The multipole shear wave logging device of this invention includes a logging sonde, means for generating a 2. sup. n -pole shear wave in an earth formation surrounding a borehole containing liquid where n is an integer greater than 2, and means for detecting in the liquid the refraction of the 2. sup. n -pole shear wave. In the preferred embodiment the generating means comprises six similar sectors of a hollow piezoelectric cylinder. The six sectors are polarized radially and are so connected to the sonde that they are in the form of a split cylinder coaxial with the sonde axis. Electrical pulses of similar wave forms are applied across the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of each sector. The electrical pulses are of such polarities that adjacent sectors vibrate radially in substantially opposite phase. Circumferentially polarized sectors may also be used in the place of radially polarized sectors.

5027331, Jun 25, 1991

Mar 20, 1990

7/496400

Graham A. Winbow - Houston TX
James A. Rice - Houston TX

Exxon Production Research Company - Houston TX

G01V 140

367 75

The quadrupole shear wave logging device of this invention includes a logging sonde, means for generating a quadrupole shear wave in the earth formation surrounding a borehole containing fluid, and means for detecting in the fluid the refraction of the quadrupole shear wave. In the preferred embodiment, the generating means comprises four similar sectors of a hollow piezoelectric cylinder. The four cylinders are polarized radially. The four sectors are so connected to the sonde that they are in the form of a split cylinder coaxial with the sonde axis. Electrical pulses of similar waveforms are applied across the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of each sector to vibrate the four sectors. The electrical pulses are of such polarities that, during their initial motions of vibration, two oppositely situated sectors are caused to move outward and the remaining two oppositely situated sectors to move inward substantially simultaneously. Thus, the oppositely situated sectors will vibrate in phase whereas adjacent sectors will vibrate substantially opposite in phase.

5253219, Oct 12, 1993

Jan 16, 1990

7/465919

Louis M. Houston - Houston TX
Dennis E. Willen - Houston TX
James A. Rice - Houston TX
Roel Arevalo - Stafford TX

Exxon Production Research Company - Houston TX

G01V 122

367 79

A data collection and transmission system for gathering high count vertical seismic data is disclosed using a sequence of vertically aligned seismic receivers, the analog outputs from which are sequentially analog sampled and time multiplexed onto a common pair of data conductors in the support and transmission cable. The data is time demultiplexed at the surface and appears substantially as digital data because of the relatively short sampling times. Such data is converted into analog data with conventional digital-to-analog converter means. A clock signal activates counters for establishing non-overlapping data gates in the respective sondes, the operation of the gates supplying the cable with the respective receiver analog signals in a sequence from bottom to top, simultaneously switching off previously gated signals until a clock reset pulse resets the entire sonde string. Borehole engaging means are locally powered at each sonde and are controlled for engagement and disengagement from above using appropriate control signals therefor. The appropriate coupling by the engagement means at each sonde is monitored by examining the change in motor voltage reflected on the data lines.

5111437, May 5, 1992

Aug 5, 1991

7/739951

James A. Rice - Houston TX

Exxon Production Research Company - Houston TX

G01J 136

367 57

Method and system for creating a vertical seismic profile (VSP) whereby the spacing interval between units, either seismic sources or receivers, in a borehole increase exponentially as their distance from the surface increases, and the spacing interval between units, either seismic sources or receivers, along the surface of the earth decreases exponentially as their distance from the surface intercept of the wellbore increases. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the common depth point (CDP) fold of the data gathered is substantially flattened across the reflectors surveyed.

5234346, Aug 10, 1993

Feb 1, 1991

7/649450

James W. Rice - Houston TX

G09B 500

434316

An educational and training simulator system for use in classrooms, having two or more sets of visual projectors, each angularly shifted so that it is polarized and a three dimensional image may be viewed that appears to float forward of the screen plane A playback device delivers a pre-recorded clock and cue signal to control the sequence of visual projectors, and simultaneously controls audio output and other special effects output that are desired.