Onshore electromagnetic reservoir monitoring
First Claim
1. An onshore electromagnetic (EM) reservoir monitoring system that comprises:
- a light source that produces an interrogation light beam;
an array of EM sensors positioned above ground or buried underground within an onshore production field and above one or more regions of interest within a subterranean formation, the EM sensors coupled to each other and the light source with at least one optical fiber, wherein at least one of the EM sensors modulates the interrogation light beam in response to an EM signal induced into the subterranean formation by an EM source;
a processor that couples to and controls the light source, and further couples to and processes the modulated light received from the array via the at least one optical fiber, wherein said EM sensors and said processor collect EM data to produce two or more EM surveys, each EM survey based on data sets collected at different times;
wherein each EM sensor is physically isolated from a surrounding environment, the EM sensor comprising two cylindrical electrodes arranged provide sensing surfaces to receive the EM signal, a cylindrical encapsulation layer arranged over the cylindrical electrodes to isolate the cylindrical electrodes from the surrounding environment, an optical transducer arranged within the cylindrical electrodes, and the optical fiber arranged within the optical transducer, wherein the optical transducer is arranged to modulate the interrogation light beam in response to the EM signal induced into the subterranean formation by the EM source; and
wherein the two or more surveys are combined to produce a time-lapse earth model of the one or more regions of interest.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Onshore electromagnetic (EM) reservoir monitoring systems and methods, including a system with a light source producing a light beam and an EM sensor array positioned above ground or buried underground over one or more regions of interest within a subterranean formation, the array coupled to the light source with an optical fiber. An EM sensor modulates the interrogation light beam in response to an EM signal induced into the subterranean formation by an EM source. The system further includes a processor controlling the light source, processing modulated light received from the array, and collecting data with the array to produce EM surveys, each EM survey based on data sets collected at different times. The EM sensor is physically isolated from a surrounding environment. The surveys are combined to produce a time lapse earth model of the regions of interest.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An onshore electromagnetic (EM) reservoir monitoring system that comprises:
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a light source that produces an interrogation light beam; an array of EM sensors positioned above ground or buried underground within an onshore production field and above one or more regions of interest within a subterranean formation, the EM sensors coupled to each other and the light source with at least one optical fiber, wherein at least one of the EM sensors modulates the interrogation light beam in response to an EM signal induced into the subterranean formation by an EM source; a processor that couples to and controls the light source, and further couples to and processes the modulated light received from the array via the at least one optical fiber, wherein said EM sensors and said processor collect EM data to produce two or more EM surveys, each EM survey based on data sets collected at different times; wherein each EM sensor is physically isolated from a surrounding environment, the EM sensor comprising two cylindrical electrodes arranged provide sensing surfaces to receive the EM signal, a cylindrical encapsulation layer arranged over the cylindrical electrodes to isolate the cylindrical electrodes from the surrounding environment, an optical transducer arranged within the cylindrical electrodes, and the optical fiber arranged within the optical transducer, wherein the optical transducer is arranged to modulate the interrogation light beam in response to the EM signal induced into the subterranean formation by the EM source; and wherein the two or more surveys are combined to produce a time-lapse earth model of the one or more regions of interest. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An onshore electromagnetic (EM) reservoir monitoring method that comprises:
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causing a light source to direct a beam of light through at least one optical fiber to an array of EM sensors placed above ground or buried underground within an onshore production field and above one or more regions of interest within a subterranean formation; receiving a modulated version of the beam of light, at least one of the one or more EM sensors modulating the beam of light in response to an EM signal induced within the subterranean formation by an EM source, each EM sensor being physically isolated from a surrounding environment, the EM sensor comprising two cylindrical electrodes arranged provide sensing surfaces to receive the EM signal, a cylindrical encapsulation layer arranged over the cylindrical electrodes to isolate the cylindrical electrodes from the surrounding environment, an optical transducer arranged within the cylindrical electrodes, and the optical fiber arranged within the optical transducer, wherein the optical transducer is arranged to modulate the beam of light in response to the EM signal induced into the surrounding environment by the EM source; collecting EM data based on the received modulated light beam and producing two or more EM surveys, each EM survey based on data sets collected at different time; combining the two or more surveys and producing a time-lapse earth model of the one or more regions of interest; and executing simulations using the time-lapse earth model to predict reservoir behavior and displaying simulation results. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification