Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC

David LaBella

Domino Taverner

James R Dunphy

John J Grunbeck

Edward Michael Dowd

Francis X Bostick, Iii

Mark William Baker

Andrew S Kuczma

Michael Lagace

Iii Francis X Bostick

Francis X Bostick Iii

Techniques and apparatus are provided for downhole sensing using optical couplers in a downhole splitter assembly to split interrogating light signals into multiple optical sensing branches. Each optical branch may then be coupled to an optical sensor (e.g., a pass-through or an optical single-ended transducer (OSET)) or to another optical coupler for additional branching. The sensors may be pressure/temperature (P/T) type transducers. Some systems may exclusively use OSETs as the optical sensors. In this manner, if one of the OSETs is damaged, it does not affect light traveling to any of the other sensors, and sensing information from remaining sensors is still returned.

Optical couplers used in a downhole splitter assembly

Methods and apparatus for performing Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) using fiber optics with increased acoustic sensitivity are provided. Acoustic sensing of a wellbore, pipeline, or other conduit/tube based on DAS may have increased acoustic sensitivity through fiber optic cable design and/or increasing the Rayleigh backscatter property of a fiber's optical core. Some embodiments may utilize a resonant sensor mechanism with a high Q coupled to the DAS device for increased acoustic sensitivity.

Fiber optic cable for distributed acoustic sensing with increased acoustic sensitivity

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Higganum, CT, United States of America

David LaBella