FRACTURE SENSING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20150276969A1
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Donderici, Burkay, Rodney, Paul F., Ersoz, Haluk Vefa
• Granted Patent: US 10,436,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/26 by forming crevices or fractures
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/026 of penetrated ground layers
• 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 47/092 by detecting magnetic anomalies
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/11 using tracers; using radioactivity
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/26 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified either by the surrounding earth formation or by the detecting device with electromagnetic waves G01V3/30

Abstract

A fracture sensing system and method is disclosed herein. The method may include positioning a transmitter and a receiver in a borehole and magnetizing a casing disposed within the borehole to magnetically saturate the casing. The transmitter and receiver may be located inside or outside of the casing. The method may also include inducing with the transmitter an electromagnetic field in a formation surrounding the borehole. The method may also comprise receiving the induced electromagnetic field at the receiver. The induced electromagnetic field may identify a fracture within the formation based, at least in part, on a contrast agent within the fracture.

Claims

1. A fracture sensing method, comprising:

positioning a transmitter and a receiver in a borehole;

magnetizing a casing disposed within the borehole;

inducing with the transmitter an electromagnetic field in a formation surrounding the borehole while the casing is magnetized; and

receiving the induced electromagnetic field at the receiver, wherein the induced electromagnetic field identifies a fracture within the formation based, at least in part, on a contrast agent within the fracture.

2. The fracture sensing method of claim 1, wherein magnetizing the casing comprises positioning a tool comprising a magnet within the borehole.

3. The fracture sensing method of claim 1, wherein magnetizing the casing comprises mechanically activating a magnet positioned proximate to the casing.

4. The fracture sensing method of claim 1, wherein positioning the transmitter and the receiver in a borehole comprises positioning the transmitter and the receiver in a cement layer between the casing and a borehole wall.

5. The fracture sensing method of claim 1, wherein positioning the transmitter and the receiver in a borehole comprises positioning a tool comprising the transmitter and the receiver within the borehole.

6. The fracture sensing method of claim 1, wherein the transmitter and the receiver each comprise at least one of a magnetic dipole or an electric dipole.

7. The fracture sensing method of claim 1, further comprising the casing and injecting the contrast agent into the fracture.

8. The fracture sensing method of claim 7, wherein the contrast agent comprises a nanomaterial.

17. The fracture sensing method of claim 1 or 15, further comprising determining a temperature of the formation based, at least in part, on the first induced electromagnetic field.

9. A fracture sensing system disposed within a borehole, comprising:

an electromagnet;

a transmitter;

a receiver; and

a control unit coupled to the electromagnet, the transmitter, and the receiver, wherein the control unit;

causes the electromagnet to magnetize a casing disposed within the borehole;

causes the transmitter to induce an electromagnetic field in a formation surrounding the borehole while the casing is magnetized; and

receives the induced electromagnetic field through the receiver, wherein the induced electromagnetic field identifies a fracture within the formation based, at least in part, on a contrast agent within the fracture.

10. The fracture sensing system of claim 9, further comprising an fracturing system coupled to the control unit, wherein the fracturing system injects the contrast agent into the fracture.

11. The fracture sensing system of claim 10, wherein the contrast agent comprises a proppant.

12. The fracture sensing system of claim 9, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are positioned in a cement layer between the casing and a borehole wall.

13. The fracture sensing system of claim 12, further comprising an insulative layer positioned between at least one of the transmitter and the receiver and the casing.

14. The fracture sensing method of claim 9, wherein the transmitter and the receiver each comprise at least one of a magnetic dipole or an electric dipole.

15. A fracture sensing method, comprising:

positioning a transmitter and a receiver in a borehole;

demagnetizing a casing disposed in the borehole;

injecting a contrast agent into a fracture extending from the borehole;

magnetizing the casing;

inducing with the transmitter a first electromagnetic field in a formation surrounding the borehole;

receiving the first induced electromagnetic field at the receiver; and

determining a fracture characteristic of the fracture based, at least in part, on the first induced electromagnetic field.

16. The fracture sensing method of claim 15, wherein the fracture characteristic comprises at least one of a fracture orientation, a fracture height, a fracture width, a fracture length, and a fracture shape.

18. The fracture sensing method of claim 15, further comprising:

repositioning the transmitter and the receiver;

inducing with the transmitter a second electromagnetic field in the formation;

receiving the second induced electromagnetic field at the receiver; and

determining a fracture characteristic of the fracture based, at least in part, on the first induced electromagnetic field and the second induced electromagnetic field.

19. The fracture sensing method of claim 15, further comprising:

inducing with the transmitter a second electromagnetic field in the formation at a pre-determined time after inducing the first electromagnetic field;

receiving the second induced electromagnetic field at the receiver; and

determining a fracture characteristic of the fracture based, at least in part, on the first induced electromagnetic field and the second induced electromagnetic field.

20. The fracture sensing method of claim 19, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are positioned in a cement layer between the casing and a borehole wall.