Reservoir management system and method

• US 20030058125A1
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Ciglenec, Reinhart, Tabanou, Jacques R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,943,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/853.1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/00 Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/14 for displacing a cable or a cable-operated tool, e.g. for logging or perforating operations in deviated wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/06 Cutting windows, e.g. directional window cutters for whipstock operations E21B29/005 and E21B29/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/13 Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/01 Devices for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits, pipes, rods or wirelines; Protecting measuring instruments in boreholes against heat, shock, pressure or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/024 of devices in the borehole determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/053 using radioactive markers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/09 Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells , e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes
• 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 47/26 Storing data down-hole, e.g. in a memory or on a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/00 Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/10 using side-wall fluid samplers or testers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/061 the tool shaft advancing relative to a guide, e.g. a curved tube or a whipstock

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for controlling oilfield production to improve efficiency includes a remote sensing unit that is placed within a subsurface formation, an antenna structure for transmitting power and communicating signals to the remote sensing unit and for receiving communication signals from the remote sensor, a casing joint having nonconductive “windows” for allowing an internally located antenna to communicate with the remote sensing unit for those embodiments in which a wireline tool is being used to communicate with remote sensing unit, and a system for obtaining subsurface formation data and for producing the formation data to a central location for subsequent analysis. The remote sensing unit is a standalone sensor that is placed sufficiently far from the wellbore to reduce or eliminate effects that the wellbore might have on formation data samples taken by the remote sensing unit. The remote sensing unit is an active device with the capability of responding to control commands to determine certain subsurface formation characteristics such as pressure or temperature, and transmitting corresponding data values to a wellbore tool. Some embodiments of the remote sensing unit include a battery within its power supply. Other embodiments include a capacitor for storing charge. The embodiments that include the capacitor receive RF power that is converted to a DC signal for storing charge on the capacitor. The charged capacitor then acts as a power source to provide power to the internal circuitry of the remote sensing unit. When the charge is depleted to a specified point, the remote sensing unit stops transmitting to prompt the wellbore tool to transmit additional RF power to recharge the capacitor. This particular embodiment allows the remote sensing unit to be operable well after any charge of a battery would have been depleted rendering the remote sensing unit inoperable. An inventive method therefore includes providing RF power to the remote sensing unit to wake it up and to place it into an operational mode. The method further includes receiving modulated data values from the remote sensing unit that are then transmitted to the surface where operational decisions for the well may be made. In one embodiment of the invention, the subsurface formation data values are transmitted to a central location for analysis.

Claims

1. A system for obtaining data from a subsurface formation, comprising:

a downhole data acquisition system;

an above ground communication network; and

a wellbore communication link coupling the downhole data acquisition system to the above ground communication network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the downhole data acquisition system includes a downhole power and communication signal transceiver system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the downhole data acquisition system includes a remote sensing unit.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the downhole data acquisition system includes an antenna and a power amplifier, the power amplifier for transmitting RF power for the remote sensing unit.

5. The system of claim 4, the remote sensing unit including a charge storage device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the remote sensing unit further includes circuitry for converting RF power to DC for charging the charge storage device.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote sensing unit includes demodulation circuitry for demodulating communication signals transmitted by the downhole power and communication transceiver system.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote sensing unit includes a pressure sensor.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote sensing unit includes a temperature sensor.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote sensing unit includes a sensor for measuring formation resistivity.

11. The downhole power and communication signal transceiver system of claim 2, further including modulation circuitry for modulating communication signals.

12. The downhole power and communication signal transceiver system of claim 2 further including an antenna having at least two antenna coil sections, the at least two antenna coil sections being formed so that current flows in opposite directions.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the above ground communication network includes a central control unit.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the above ground communication network further includes a well control unit.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the well control unit includes transceiver circuitry for transmitting data from a subsurface formation to the central control unit.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the transceiver circuitry includes circuitry for transmitting the subsurface formation data over a wireline network.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the transceiver circuitry includes circuitry for transmitting the formation data over a wireless network.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the transceiver circuitry includes circuitry for transmitting the formation data over a cellular wireless network.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the transceiver circuitry includes circuitry for transmitting the formation data over a satellite based network.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the central control unit includes circuitry for determining well depletion rates based upon received subsurface formation data values and for transmitting control commands responsive thereto.

21. A system for controlling depletion rates of a hydrocarbon field being developed, comprising:

a plurality of well control units for controlling production from a plurality of corresponding wells;

at least one downhole data acquisition system having a remote sensing unit placed within a subsurface formation for gathering formation data, said downhole data acquisition unit being communicatively coupled to a corresponding well control unit of the plurality of well control units; and

a central control unit for receiving the formation data from the corresponding well control unit and for transmitting control commands responsive to the formation data.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the central control unit and at least one corresponding well control unit communicate over a satellite link.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the central control unit and at least one corresponding well control unit communicate over a cellular communication link.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the central control unit and at least one corresponding well control unit communicate over a wired link.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the central control unit and at least one corresponding well control unit communicate over a computer network link.

26. A method for controlling the depletion of a hydrocarbon field, comprising:

establishing a first wireless communication link in a downhole data acquisition system between a remote sensing unit deployed in a subsurface formation and a downhole communication unit wherein the remote sensing unit transmits formation data to the downhole communication unit;

transmitting formation data from the downhole data acquisition system to an above ground communication network; and

establishing a communication link in the above ground communication network to transmit the subsurface formation data to a central controller, whereby the central controller controls production based upon received subsurface formation data.

27. The method of claim 26 further including the step of transmitting RF power from the downhole communication unit to the remote sensing unit to provide power to the remote sensing unit.

28. The method of claim 26 further including the step of transmitting communication signals from the downhole communication unit to the remote sensing unit to provide power to the remote sensing unit.

29. A remote sensing unit for sampling a subsurface formation to obtain formation data, comprising:

a formation interface for communicating with a subsurface formation material;

data acquisition circuitry fluidly coupled to the formation interface for sampling the subsurface formation material to determine subsurface formation data; and

a transceiver coupled to the formation interface for transmitting the subsurface formation data.

30. The remote sensing unit of claim 29 wherein the formation interface comprises a fluid port for fluidly communicating with the subsurface formation material.

31. The remote sensing unit of claim 30 wherein the data acquisition circuitry comprises a pressure sensor for determining subsurface formation pressure.

32. The remote sensing unit of claim 30 wherein the data acquisition circuitry comprises a resistivity sensor for determining the subsurface formation material resistivity.

33. The remote sensing unit of claim 29 wherein the data acquisition circuitry comprises a temperature sensor.

34. The remote sensing unit of claim 29 further comprising a power supply.

35. The remote sensing unit of claim 29 further comprising a battery.

36. The remote sensing unit of claim 29 further comprising a charge storage device.

37. The remote sensing unit of claim 29 further comprising modulation circuitry for modulating subsurface formation data.

38. The remote sensing unit of claim 37 further comprising demodulation circuitry for demodulating control commands received from an external wireless transceiver.

39. The remote sensing unit of claim 30 wherein the data acquisition circuitry comprises a pressure sensor for determining subsurface formation pressure, a resistivity sensor for determining the subsurface formation material resistivity, and a temperature sensor.

40. A method for sampling a subsurface formation to obtain subsurface formation data, comprising:

measuring a subsurface formation characteristic to obtain subsurface formation data; and

transmitting the subsurface formation data over a wireless communication link to a downhole power and communication signal transceiver system.

41. The method of claim 40 further including the step of receiving RF power over a wireless communication link from the downhole power and communication signal transceiver system and converting the RF power to DC to charge a charge storage device.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of transmitting subsurface formation data only occurs if RF power is not being received.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of transmitting subsurface formation data occurs while RF power is being received.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein the subsurface formation data is only transmitted if an amount of charge of the charge storage device exceeds a specified amount.

45. A remote sensing unit for sampling a subsurface formation to obtain subsurface formation data, comprising:

a formation interface for communicating with a subsurface formation material;

data acquisition circuitry fluidly coupled to the formation interface for sampling the subsurface formation material to determine subsurface formation data, the data acquisition circuitry comprising a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor;

a transceiver coupled to the formation interface for transmitting the subsurface formation data;

a power supply having a charge storage device for converting RF power received by the transceiver to a DC signal and for charging the charge storage device with the converted DC signal;

modulation circuitry for modulating the subsurface formation data to be transmitted to the downhole power and communication signal transceiver system; and

demodulation circuitry for demodulating control commands transmitted by the downhole power and communication signal transceiver system.

46. The remote sensing unit of claim 45 further comprising a subsurface formation resistivity sensor.

47. The remote sensing unit of claim 45 further comprising a battery for providing power for the remote sensing unit to sample a subsurface formation and for transmitting subsurface formation data.

48. The remote sensing unit of claim 47, further including a casing formed of a metal portion and of a non-metal portion for allowing electromagnetic signals to be received and transmitted by the transceiver.

49. A remote sensing unit, comprising:

a charge storage device; and

a power supply coupled to the charge storage device for receiving RF power from a wireless communication link and for charging the charge storage device.

50. The remote sensing unit of claim 49 further comprising modulation and demodulation circuitry for modulating and demodulating communication signals transceived over a wireless communication link.

51. The remote sensing unit of claim 50 further including a temperature sensor.

52. The remote sensing unit of claim 50 further including a pressure sensor.