Multiple receiver sub-array apparatus, systems, and methods

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatus and systems, as well as methods, may operate to enable moving a drill string through a borehole while acquiring data generated by a plurality of receiver sub-arrays included in a drill string. The sub-arrays may be separated by one or more sources of sonic energy, as well as by a non-aliased receiver spacing distance, a distance associated with a selected aperture of investigation, or a distance associated with a formation slowness. The sonic energy may be received by the sub-arrays at a plurality of stations. Data may be collected at a telemetry receiver.

1 . An apparatus, including: 
 a first sub-array of receivers included in a drill string;    a second sub-array of receivers included in the drill string; and    a source of sonic energy to be received by the first sub-array of receivers and the second sub-array of receivers, wherein the source is included in the drill string and disposed between the first sub-array of receivers and the second sub-array of receivers.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first sub-array of receivers is spaced apart from the second sub-array of receivers by about a non-aliased receiver spacing distance.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including: 
 at least one borehole clamping device attached to the first sub-array of receivers.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including: 
 a telemetry repeater included in the first sub-array of receivers.    
   
   
       5 . An apparatus, including: 
 a first sub-array of receivers included in a drill string;    a second sub-array of receivers included in the drill string and spaced apart from the first sub-array of receivers by about a non-aliased receiver spacing distance; and    a source of surface seismic energy to be received by the first sub-array of receivers and the second sub-array of receivers.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further including: 
 a telemetry repeater included in the first sub-array of receivers.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further including: 
 a third sub-array of receivers included in the drill string and spaced apart from the second sub-array of receivers by about the non-aliased receiver spacing distance.    
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further including: 
 a third sub-array of receivers included in the drill string and spaced apart from the second sub-array of receivers by about a distance associated with a selected aperture of investigation.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further including: 
 a third sub-array of receivers included in the drill string and spaced apart from the second sub-array of receivers by about a distance associated with a formation slowness.    
   
   
       10 . An apparatus, including: 
 a first telemetry repeater to receive and re-transmit data;    a first sub-array of drill string receivers coupled to the first telemetry repeater; and    a first source of sonic energy to be received by the sub-array of drill string receivers.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further including: 
 a borehole clamping device attached to the sub-array of drill string receivers.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further including: 
 a second telemetry repeater to receive and re-transmit the data;    a second sub-array of drill string receivers coupled to the second telemetry repeater; and    a second source of sonic energy to be received by the sub-array of drill string receivers.    
   
   
       13 . An apparatus, including: 
 a first sub-array of receivers included in a drill string;    a first source of sonic energy included in the drill string and located proximate to and separated from a first end of the first sub-array of receivers; and    a second source of sonic energy included in the drill string and located proximate to and separated from a second end of the first sub-array of receivers.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further including: 
 a second sub-array of receivers spaced apart from the first sub-array of receivers by about a non-aliased receiver spacing distance.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the receivers are substantially linearly distributed along the length of the drill string and include at least one device selected from a geophone, a hydrophone, or an accelerometer.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further including: 
 a telemetry repeater included in the first sub-array of receivers.    
   
   
       17 . A system, including: 
 a drill string;    a first sub-array of receivers included in the drill string;    a second sub-array of receivers included in the drill string; and    a source of sonic energy to be received by the first sub-array of receivers and the second sub-array of receivers, wherein the source is included in the drill string and disposed between the first sub-array of receivers and the second sub-array of receivers.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first sub-array of receivers is spaced apart from the second sub-array of receivers by about a non-aliased receiver spacing distance.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 17 , further including: 
 a first telemetry repeater included in the first sub-array of receivers; and    a second telemetry repeater included in the second sub-array of receivers.    
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , further including: 
 a telemetry receiver to receive data from the first telemetry repeater.    
   
   
       21 . A system, including: 
 a drill string;    a first sub-array of receivers included in the drill string;    a second sub-array of receivers included in the drill string and spaced apart from the first sub-array of receivers by no more than a non-aliased receiver spacing distance; and    a source of surface seismic energy to be received by the first sub-array of receivers and the second sub-array of receivers.    
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , further including: 
 a first telemetry repeater included in the first sub-array of receivers; and    a second telemetry repeater included in the second sub-array of receivers.    
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 21 , further including: 
 a third sub-array of receivers included in the drill string and spaced apart from the second sub-array of receivers by no more than the non-aliased receiver spacing distance.    
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 21 , further including: 
 a third sub-array of receivers included in the drill string and spaced apart from the second sub-array of receivers by about a distance associated with one of a selected aperture of investigation or a formation slowness.    
   
   
       25 . A method, including: 
 moving a drill string through a borehole while acquiring data generated by a plurality of receiver sub-arrays included in the drill string and separated by at least one source of sonic energy to be received by at least two of the plurality of receiver sub-arrays at a plurality of stations; and    collecting the data at a telemetry receiver.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , further including: 
 moving the at least one source to generate one of a horizontal profile and a vertical profile of shot positions while substantially continuously recording during the moving.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , further including: 
 sending the data via telemetry through at least two telemetry repeaters co-located with the at least two receiver sub-arrays.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , further including: 
 redundantly collecting the data using a second one of the plurality of receiver sub-arrays to acquire a portion of the data previously acquired by a first one of the plurality of receiver sub-arrays.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 25 , further including: 
 forming a synthetic sub-array by collecting the data from the at least two of the plurality of receiver sub-arrays spaced farther apart from each other than a non-aliased receiver spacing distance.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , further including: 
 predicting pressure-related phenomena based on the data.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 25 , further including: 
 steering the drill string in response to the data.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 25 , further including: 
 substantially successively activating the one source of sonic energy and a second source of sonic energy; and    executing one of a geometric correction or a fore-aft looking application.    
   
   
       33 . An article including a machine-accessible medium having associated information, wherein the information, when accessed, results in a machine performing: 
 collecting data at a plurality of stations in a borehole using a telemetry receiver, wherein a first portion of the data is generated by a first drill string sub-assembly including a first telemetry repeater to receive and re-transmit the first portion of the data, a first sub-array of drill string receivers coupled to the first telemetry repeater, and a first source of sonic energy to be received by the first sub-array of drill string receivers.    
   
   
       34 . The article of  claim 33 , wherein the information, when accessed, results in a machine performing: 
 collecting a second portion of the data in the borehole using the telemetry receiver, wherein the second portion of the data is generated by a second drill string sub-assembly including a second telemetry repeater to receive and re-transmit the second portion of the data, a second sub-array of drill string receivers coupled to the second telemetry repeater, and a second source of sonic energy to be received by the second sub-array of drill string receivers.    
   
   
       35 . The article of  claim 33 , wherein the information, when accessed, results in a machine performing: 
 redundantly collecting the first portion of the data as the second portion of the data.    
   
   
       36 . The article of  claim 33 , wherein the information, when accessed, results in a machine performing: 
 activating a surface source of seismic energy; and    receiving the seismic energy at the first sub-array of drill string receivers.