Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110088462 | DOWNHOLE MONITORING WITH DISTRIBUTED ACOUSTIC/VIBRATION, STRAIN AND/OR DENSITY SENSING - Distributed acoustic, vibration, density and/or strain sensing is utilized for downhole monitoring. A method of tracking fluid movement along a wellbore of a well includes: detecting vibration, density, strain (static and/or dynamic) and/or Brillouin frequency shift in the well using at least one optical waveguide installed in the well; and determining the fluid movement based on the detected vibration, density, strain and/or Brillouin frequency shift. Another method of tracking fluid movement along a wellbore of a well includes: detecting a change in density of an optical waveguide in the well; and determining the fluid movement based on the detected density change. | 04-21-2011 |
20110090496 | DOWNHOLE MONITORING WITH DISTRIBUTED OPTICAL DENSITY, TEMPERATURE AND/OR STRAIN SENSING - Distributed density, temperature and/or strain sensing is utilized for downhole monitoring. A method and system for monitoring a rapidly changing parameter in a well includes: detecting gain-based stimulated Brillouin backscattering due to light transmitted through at least one optical waveguide installed in the well, the Brillouin backscattering being dependent upon temperature and strain experienced by the waveguide in the well. The method can include measuring at least one of temperature and strain in the well, with the measurement being performed separately from the step of detecting Brillouin backscattering. | 04-21-2011 |
20110298457 | DOWNHOLE ORIENTATION SENSING WITH NUCLEAR SPIN GYROSCOPE - Downhole orientation sensing with a nuclear spin gyroscope. A downhole orientation sensing system for use in conjunction with a subterranean well can include a downhole instrument assembly positioned in the well, the instrument assembly including an atomic comagnetometer, and at least one optical waveguide which transmits light between the atomic comagnetometer and a remote location. A method of sensing orientation of an instrument assembly in a subterranean well can include incorporating an atomic comagnetometer into the instrument assembly, and installing the instrument assembly in the well. | 12-08-2011 |
20110308788 | CONTROLLING WELL OPERATIONS BASED ON MONITORED PARAMETERS OF CEMENT HEALTH - A method of controlling a well operation can include monitoring at least one parameter of cement lining a wellbore, the monitoring being performed via at least one optical waveguide, and modifying the well operation in response to the parameter being outside of a predetermined acceptable range. A well monitoring system can include at least one optical waveguide which is used to sense at least one parameter of cement lining a wellbore, an optical interrogation system optically connected to the at least one optical waveguide, and a control system which controls operation of at least one item of well equipment in response to information received from the optical interrogation system. | 12-22-2011 |
20120013893 | COMMUNICATION THROUGH AN ENCLOSURE OF A LINE - A communication system can include a transmitter which transmits a signal, and at least one sensing device which receives the signal, the sensing device including a line contained in an enclosure, and the signal being detected by the line through a material of the enclosure. A sensing system can include at least one sensor which senses a parameter, at least one sensing device which receives an indication of the parameter, the sensing device including a line contained in an enclosure, and a transmitter which transmits the indication of the parameter to the line through a material of the enclosure. Another sensing system can include an object which displaces in a subterranean well. At least one sensing device can receive a signal from the object. The sensing device can include a line contained in an enclosure, and the signal can be detected by the line through a material of the enclosure. | 01-19-2012 |
20120014211 | MONITORING OF OBJECTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH A SUBTERRANEAN WELL - Objects are monitored in a subterranean well. A well system can include at least one object having a transmitter, and at least one sensing device which monitors displacement of the object along a wellbore. A method of monitoring at least one object in a subterranean well can include positioning at least one sensing device in a wellbore of the well, and then displacing the object through the wellbore, the sensing device monitoring the object as it displaces through the wellbore. | 01-19-2012 |
20120126993 | Near-Field Electromagnetic Communications Network for Downhole Telemetry - A disclosed downhole telemetry system employs an array of near-field electromagnetic communication devices to relay information along a tubular in a borehole. In some embodiments, the devices are permanently attached to pipe joints without requiring any structural modification of the pipe joints. As the pipe joints are strung together in the normal fashion to form a tubular, the devices automatically establish a wireless communications path between an uphole terminus device and any downhole sensors or tools. The devices can include built-in sensors to provide distributed sensing of parameters such as temperature and pressure. In some embodiments the device array incorporates redundancy to minimize the chance of a communications network failure. The device array has applications for logging-while-drilling, production testing, well completion, reservoir monitoring, and well control. | 05-24-2012 |
20140022537 | COMMUNICATION THROUGH AN ENCLOSURE OF A LINE - A communication system can include a transmitter which transmits a signal, and at least one sensing device which receives the signal, the sensing device including a line contained in an enclosure, and the signal being detected by the line through a material of the enclosure. A sensing system can include at least one sensor which senses a parameter, at least one sensing device which receives an indication of the parameter, the sensing device including a line contained in an enclosure, and a transmitter which transmits the indication of the parameter to the line through a material of the enclosure. Another sensing system can include an object which displaces in a subterranean well. At least one sensing device can receive a signal from the object. The sensing device can include a line contained in an enclosure, and the signal can be detected by the line through a material of the enclosure. | 01-23-2014 |
20140191761 | Fiberoptic Systems and Methods for Subsurface EM Field Monitoring - A disclosed subsurface electromagnetic field monitoring system employs at least one fiberoptic cable to optically communicate measurements from an array of electromagnetic field sensors in a borehole. A data processing system that receives the measurements and responsively models the subsurface electromagnetic field, which in at least some cases is generated by a controlled source such as a downhole electric or magnetic dipole source or a casing that serves as an electrode for injecting a distributed current into the formation. At least some disclosed method embodiments include: receiving measurements from an array of electromagnetic field sensors via a fiberoptic cable in a borehole; modeling a subsurface electromagnetic field based on estimated formation parameters to predict said measurements; adjusting the estimated formation parameters to improve a match between predicted measurements and received measurements; and displaying the estimated formation parameters after matching the predicted measurements to the received measurements. | 07-10-2014 |
20140368201 | Systems and Methods for Downhole Electromagnetic Field Measurement - Sensors, systems and methods for downhole electromagnetic field measurement, including a downhole micro-opto-electro-mechanical system (MOEMS) electromagnetic field sensor that includes a first surface that is at least partially reflective, a second surface that is at least partially reflective and suspended by one or more flexible members to define an optical cavity having a variable distance between the first and second surfaces, a first conductive layer attached to the first surface, and a second conductive layer attached to the second surface. The first and second conductive layers have an electrical potential proportional to an electromagnetic field within a formation surrounding the sensor. The electrical potential produces an electric field that displaces the second surface to alter the variable distance and cause a spectrum variation in light exiting the sensor. | 12-18-2014 |