Optasense Holdings Limited

Patrick Tindell

David John Hill

Magnus McEwen-King

Methods and apparatus for downhole monitoring are provided by interrogating an unmodified optic fiber () arranged along the path of a well bore () to provide a distributed acoustic sensor and sampling data gathered from a plurality of contiguous sensing portions of the fiber. The sampled data is processed to determine one or more well bore parameters. The well bore parameters may comprise a well condition profile, and may be obtained in response to an acoustic stimulus.

Well monitoring by means of distributed sensing means

This application describes methods and apparatus for downhole monitoring in real-time. The method involves interrogating an unmodified optic fiber () arranged along the path of a well bore () to provide a distributed acoustic sensor and sampling data gathered from a plurality of sensing portions of the fiber. The sampled data is then processed to provide a real-time indication of the acoustic signals detected by the sensing portions of the fiber. The real-time indication provides information to an operator or controller of the downwell process with real-time feedback data regarding what is happening during the downwell process which allows the identification of any problems and adjustment of the process parameters.

This application relates to methods and apparatus for monitoring hydraulic fracturing during oil/gas well formation. A fiber optic cable () deployed down a well bore (), which may be the well bore in which fracturing is performed, is interrogated to provide a distributed acoustic sensor. Data is sampled from at least one longitudinal sensing portion of the fiber and processed to provide at least fracturing characteristic. The fracturing characteristic may comprise the characteristics of high frequency transients indicative of fracturing events (). The intensity, frequency, duration and signal evolution of the transients may be monitored to provide the fracturing characteristic. Additionally or alternatively the fracturing characteristic may comprise the longer term acoustic noise generated by fracture fluid flow to the fracture sites. The intensity and frequency of the noise may be analyzed to determine the fracturing characteristic. The method allows real-time control of the fracturing process.

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Dorset, United Kingdom

Patrick Tindell