Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Services Petroliers Schlumberger

Schlumberger Holdings Limited

Prad Research and Development Limited

Jonathan James Elphick

Ashley Bernard Johnson

Arthur H Hartog

J Ernest Brown

John Mervyn Cook

Paul Simon Hammond

James Ernest Brown

A method and system for acoustic monitoring using a fiber optic cable. The optical fiber is used as a distributed interferometer that may be used to monitor activity, such as activity with respect to a conduit, wellbore or reservoir. The distributed interferometric monitoring provides for accurate detection of acoustic occurrences along the fiber optic cable and these acoustic occurrences may include fluid flow in a pipeline or wellbore, processes taking place in a wellbore or pipeline, fracturing, gravel packing, production logging and/or the like.

Systems and methods for distributed interferometric acoustic monitoring

Acoustic monitoring is carried out using a fiber optic cable. Coherent Rayleigh noise generated by the transmission of a coherent beam of radiation through the fiber optic cable is detected, a phase of the coherent Rayleigh noise is measured and the measured phase is processed to identify an acoustic occurrence along the fiber optic cable. In certain aspects, an optical fiber serves as a distributed interferometer that may be used to monitor a conduit, wellbore or reservoir. The distributed interferometric monitoring provides for accurate detection of acoustic occurrences along the fiber optic cable and these acoustic occurrences may include fluid flow in a pipeline or wellbore, processes taking place in a wellbore or pipeline, fracturing, gravel packing, or production logging.

Acoustic monitoring is carried out using a fiber optic cable. Coherent Rayleigh noise generated by the transmission of a coherent beam of radiation through the fiber optic cable is detected, a phase of the coherent Rayleigh noise is measured and the measured phase is processed to identify an acoustic occurrence along the fiber optic cable. In certain aspects an optical fiber serves as a distributed interferometer that may be used to monitor a conduit, wellbore or reservoir. The distributed interferometric monitoring provides for accurate detection of acoustic occurrences along the fiber optic cable and these acoustic occurrences may include fluid flow in a pipeline or wellbore, processes taking place in a wellbore or pipeline, fracturing, gravel packing, or production logging.

Acoustic monitoring of a conduit, a wellbore or a reservoir associated with hydrocarbon production or transportation and/or carbon dioxide sequestration is carried out using a fibre optic cable extending along or appurtenant to it as a distributed interferometer. Coherent Raleigh noise generated by the transmission of the coherent beam of radiation through the fiber optic is detected and processed to identify an acoustic occurrence.

A method of analyzing a subterranean formation. The method includes specifying a volume of interest in the subterranean formation, specifying an injector wellsite that penetrates the volume of interest, specifying a first producer wellsite and a second producer wellsite, each of which penetrates the volume of interest, calculating a first Injectivity-Productivity Index (IPI) for a first injector-producer wellsite pair which includes the injector wellsite and the first producer wellsite, calculating a second IPI for a second injector-producer wellsite pair which includes the injector wellsite and the second producer wellsite, determining whether the first IPI is substantially equal to the second IPI to obtain an analysis result, and adjusting a wellsite operation based on the analysis result.

Waterflooding analysis in a subterranean formation

A downhole pump, positionable in a fluid column that is substantially separated into an oil portion and a water portion, for selectively lifting the oil to a surface and injecting the water into an injection zone includes a housing having a top wall, and a bottom wall defining a cylinder; a plunger positioned within the cylinder reciprocable through an induction stroke and a production stroke; a piston moveably positioned between the plunger and the top wall separating an oil chamber from a water chamber; an oil intake assembly providing one-way fluid flow from the fluid column to the oil chamber, the oil intake assembly including means for selectively allowing induction of the oil and blocking induction of the water into the oil chamber; an oil exhaust providing one-way fluid flow from the oil chamber to the surface; a water intake providing one-way fluid flow from the fluid column to the water chamber; a flow restriction position in the water intake to substantially balance the pressure drop in the oil intake assembly; and a water discharge providing one-way fluid flow from the water chamber toward the injection zone. On the induction stroke the oil fluid is drawn into the oil chamber and the water is drawn into the water chamber at a pre-selected oil to water ratio, and on the production stroke the oil is produced to the surface and the water is injected into the injection zone if the injection zone pressure is overcome.

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, United Kingdom

Jonathan James Elphick