System and method for parameter measurement in well

• US 10,450,855 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2016
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sercel Incorporated (CGG)
• Original Assignee: Sercel-Grc Corporation (CGG)
• Inventors: Thornberry, Anthony, Ainslie, John, Covington, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Betsch, Regis J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Delozier, Jeremy A
• Application Number:
  US15/089,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20170284189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/07 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/12 Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/08 Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/0875 determining specific fluid parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B

Abstract

System and method for measuring a parameter within a well. The method includes connecting a gauge to a first end of a cable and connecting a vector network analyzer to a second end of the cable, lowering the gauge inside the well, generating a signal with the vector network analyzer and sending the signal along the cable to the gauge, sweeping a frequency of the signal within a given range while feeding the signal to the gauge, determining a resonance frequency of at least one sensor located within the gauge, and calculating the parameter from the resonance frequency of the at least one sensor.

Claims

1. A method for measuring a parameter within a well, the method comprising:

connecting a gauge to a first end of a cable and connecting a vector network analyzer to a second end of the cable;

lowering the gauge inside the well;

generating a signal with the vector network analyzer and sending the signal along the cable to the gauge;

sweeping a frequency of the signal within a given range while feeding the signal to the gauge;

determining a resonance frequency of at least one sensor located within the gauge; and

calculating the parameter from the resonance frequency of the at least one sensor using a calibration system that includes a polynomial fit calibration engine.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the gauge is free of electronic components except for the at least one sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a reflection coefficient associated with (i) an energy incident along the cable toward the gauge and (ii) an energy reflected from the gauge, along the cable, to the vector network analyzer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the reflection coefficient is calculated as a ratio between (i) a difference of a cable and gauge impedance and a vector network analyzer impedance, and (ii) a sum of the cable and gauge impedance and the vector network analyzer impedance.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

calculating real components and imaginary components of the reflection coefficient for the swept frequencies;

selecting a lowest real component; and

identifying a frequency corresponding to the lowest real component as the resonant frequency of the sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the calculation of the parameter from the resonance frequency is made through a calibration system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, based on frequency calibration data, polynomial curves in the polynomial fit calibration engine that directly relate the frequency to a temperature and/or a pressure experienced by the gauge.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the polynomial fit calibration engine maps the calculated resonance frequency to actual temperatures and/or pressures based on polynomial curves.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cable is not calibrated prior to generating the signal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is a temperature and the gauge only includes a temperature crystal.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is a pressure and the gauge only includes a temperature crystal and a pressure crystal.

12. A system for measuring a parameter within a well, the system comprising:

a vector network analyzer located above ground;

a gauge having at least one sensor having a resonant frequency that changes with the parameter, the gauge being adapted to be located within the well;

a cable connecting the gauge to the vector network analyzer; and

a computing device that calculates a reflection coefficient associated with (i) an energy incident along the cable toward the gauge and (ii) an energy reflected from the gauge, along the cable, to the vector network analyzer, the computing device including a polynomial fit calibration engine that uses frequency calibration data obtained in a controlled environment.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the vector network analyzer generates a signal and sends the signal along the cable to the gauge, sweeps a frequency of the signal within a given range while feeding the signal to the gauge, determines a resonance frequency of the gauge, and calculates the parameter with the polynomial fit calibration engine based on the resonance frequency.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the reflection coefficient is calculated as a ratio between (i) a difference of a cable and gauge impedance and a vector network analyzer impedance, and (ii) a sum of the cable and gauge impedance and the vector network analyzer impedance.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the computing device

calculates real components and imaginary components of the reflection coefficient for the swept frequencies;

selects a lowest real component; and

identifies a frequency corresponding to the lowest real component as the resonant frequency of the sensor.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the computing device generates, based on the frequency calibration data, polynomial curves that directly relate the frequency to a temperature and/or a pressure experienced by the gauge.

17. A computing device for measuring a parameter within a well, the computing device comprising:

an interface connected to a vector network analyzer; and

a processor connected to the interface and configured to

control the vector network analyzer to generate a signal and send the signal along a cable to a gauge located within the well,

control the vector network analyzer to sweep a frequency of the signal within a given range while feeding the signal to the gauge,

determine a resonance frequency of a sensor located within the gauge; and

calculate the parameter with a calibration engine based on the resonance frequency using a calibration system that includes a polynomial fit calibration engine,

wherein the resonance frequency changes with the parameter.