Optical well logging

• US 10,247,840 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Skinner, Neal G., Samson, Etienne M., Stokely, Christopher L., Barfoot, David A., Maida, Jr., John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Murphy, Jerold B
• Application Number:
  US13/748,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20140203946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,259 Days
• Field of Search: 3408547, 34087028-87029, 385 12- 13
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/114 using light radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 9/004 using fibre optic sensors light guides per se G02B6/00, acousto-optical devices specially adapted for gating or modulating in optical wave guides G02F1/125
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/226 Optoseismic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/44 using generators and receivers in the same well G01V1/52 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/24 using optical fibres

Abstract

A method of logging a well can include conveying an optical waveguide and at least one signal generator with a conveyance into the well, causing the signal generator to generate at least one signal in the well, and receiving the signal as distributed along the optical waveguide. A well logging system can include a conveyance with an optical waveguide, and at least one signal generator which is conveyed by the conveyance into a well with the optical waveguide, whereby the signal generator generates at least one signal received with the optical waveguide.

Claims

1. A method of logging a well, the method comprising:

conveying a well logging assembly and an optical waveguide into the well with a conveyance, the well logging assembly comprising at least one signal generator;

generating a signal in the well with the signal generator;

receiving the signal distributed along the optical waveguide; and

determining flow rates of fluids flowing into or from formation zones along the well using the received signal, wherein determining the flow rates comprises determining a velocity of each fluid along the well by detecting velocities of the generated signal and a reflection of the generated signal based on the received signal, and compensating for pipe compliance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises an acoustic signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises a pressure pulse.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the signal comprises detecting light backscattered in the optical waveguide.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the signal comprises detecting light reflected via the optical waveguide.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a reflection of the signal as distributed along the optical waveguide.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein conveying further comprises conveying more than one signal generator, wherein generating a signal further comprises generating a signal in the well with each signal generator, and wherein receiving the signal further comprises receiving the signals distributed along the optical waveguide.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the signal further comprises transmitting the signal through a gravel packed section of the well.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a hydraulic impedance of the gravel packed section based on the receiving.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the signal comprises any one or combination of striking the conveyance or casing with a hammer impact, detonating a series of explosive devices in the well, detonating a series of exothermic devices other than explosive devices in the well, impacting one component against another component of a logging system in the well, or energizing one or more piezoelectric elements in the well.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein generating further comprises activating an exothermic device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the signal further comprises striking a structure which transmits the signal.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the conveyance comprises a cable with the optical waveguide incorporated therein.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the conveyance comprises a coiled tubing.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the conveying further comprises conveying a reflector with the conveyance into the well.

16. A well logging system for logging a well, comprising:

a conveyance comprising an optical waveguide;

a well logging assembly coupled to the conveyance and comprising a signal generator, the signal generator being conveyable by the conveyance into the well and operable to generate a signal receivable by the optical waveguide;

an optical interrogator in communication with the optical waveguide so as to be able to receive the signal distributed along the optical waveguide; and

a control system connected to the optical interrogator and configured to;

determine velocities of fluids flowing into or from formation zones along the well by detecting velocities of the generated signal and a reflection of the generated signal based on the received signal, and compensating for pipe compliance; and

determine flow rates of fluids flowing along the well using the determined velocities of the fluids.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the signal generator comprises a hammer impact mechanism to strike the conveyance or casing, a series of explosive devices operably actuated in the well by a detonator, a series of exothermic devices other than explosive devices operably actuated in the well by a detonator, components operable to impact against each other component, or one or more piezoelectric elements operably energized in the well.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the received signal is indicative of a velocity of a fluid in the well.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the received signal is indicative of a fluid acoustic velocity in the well.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the conveyance comprises a cable with the optical waveguide incorporated therein.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the conveyance comprises a coiled tubing.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the signal comprises an acoustic signal.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the signal comprises a pressure pulse.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein a reflection of the signal is receivable with the optical waveguide.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the well logging system includes a second signal generator coupled to the conveyance, wherein the second signal generator is operable to generate a second signal receivable by the optical waveguide.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the generated signal is transmittable through a gravel packed section of the well.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the received signal is indicative of a hydraulic impedance of the gravel packed section.