Patent decision
- BL number
- O/420/17
- Concerning rights in
- GB1313173.5
- Hearing Officer
- Mr H Jones
- Decision date
- 7 September 2017
- Person(s) or Company(s) involved
- Statoil Petroleum AS
- Provisions discussed
- Sections 1(2)(a) and 1(2)(c)
- Keywords
- Excluded fields (refused)
- Related Decisions
- None
Summary
The invention relates to a method of predicting the response of an induction logging tool along an arbitrary trajectory in a 3D earth model. The degree of computation involved in predicting the response of the tool can be reduced significantly without too much sacrifice by confining computations to a limited domain of the geology model surrounding the logging tool. This is said in the application to provide for “real-time” predictive computation in a way that could not be possible with computations in a “full 3D inhomogeneous and anisotropic medium with a full 3D code based on Maxwell equations”.
In construing the claims, the Hearing Officer found that the term “earth model” would be understood by the skilled person to mean a numerical representation of subsurface geology derived in part from geophysical measurements. He identified the contribution as being the faster prediction of induction tool response within the earth model, allowing the modelling to be done in real time. Despite reference to contemporaneous measurements taken from a bore hole, the hearing officer found that there was no disclosure in the application of modifying the initial earth model based on a comparison of these measurements with a predicted response of an induction tool. There was also no disclosure of using the predicted response to control a separate process. Having considered the earlier cases of Halliburton and Vicom, the hearing officer concluded that the contribution made by the invention fell within the categories of computer program and mathematical method and therefore the application was refused.
Full decision O/420/17 
203Kb
