Apparatus and Method for Monitoring Fluid Flow in a Wellbore Using Acoustic Signals

• US 20150354351A1
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Morrow, Timothy I., Keller, Stuart R., Deffenbaugh, Max, Disko, Mark M., Stiles, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,480,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 47/10 Locating fluid leaks, intrusions or movements
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/14 using acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/16 through the drill string or casing , e.g. by torsional acoustic waves
• 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 49/08 Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells

Abstract

An electro-acoustic system for downhole telemetry employs a series of communications nodes spaced along a string of casing within a wellbore. The nodes allow wireless communication between transceivers residing within the nodes and a receiver at the surface. The transceivers provide node-to-node communication up a wellbore at high data transmission rates for data indicative of fluid flow within the wellbore. A method of monitoring the flow of fluid within a wellbore uses a plurality of data transmission nodes situated along the casing string sending signals to a receiver at the surface. The signals are then analyzed.

Claims

1. An electro-acoustic telemetry system for monitoring fluid flow in a wellbore, comprising:

a tubular body disposed in a wellbore;

a topside communications node placed proximate a surface of the wellbore;

a plurality of subsurface communications nodes spaced along the wellbore and attached to a wall of the tubular body, the subsurface communications nodes configured to transmit acoustic waves from node-to-node up the wellbore and to the topside communications node;

one or more sensors along the wellbore for measuring a parameter indicative of fluid flow within the wellbore; and

a receiver at the surface configured to receive signals from the topside communications node;

wherein each of the subsurface communications nodes comprises;

a sealed housing;

an electro-acoustic transducer and associated transceiver also residing within the housing, with the transceiver being designed to relay signals from node-to-node up the wellbore, with each signal representing a packet of information that comprises an identifier for the subsurface communications node that originally transmitted the signal, and an acoustic waveform representing fluid flow data; and

an independent power source residing within the housing providing power to the transceiver.

2. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein the surface is an earth surface or a production platform offshore.

3. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein the tubular body is one or more strings of casing, a string of production tubing, or a string of injection tubing.

4. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein the subsurface communications nodes are spaced apart such that each joint of pipe supports at least one subsurface communications node.

5. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein the subsurface communications nodes are spaced at about 10 to 100 foot (3.0 to 30.5 meter) intervals.

6. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein the subsurface communications nodes transmit data in acoustic form at a rate exceeding about 50 bps.

7. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein each of the transceivers is designed to receive acoustic waves at a first frequency, and then transmit the acoustic waves at a second different frequency up the wellbore to a next subsurface communications node.

8. The electro-acoustic system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more sensors placed along the wellbore, the sensors being any of fluid flow measurement devices, temperature sensors, fluid identification sensors, and pressure sensors; and

wherein the subsurface communications nodes are configured to receive and relay acoustic signals indicative of readings taken by the sensors up to the surface.

9. The electro-acoustic system of claim 8, wherein:

the one or more sensors reside within the housings of selected subsurface communications nodes; and

the electro-acoustic transducers within the selected subsurface communications nodes convert signals from the sensors into acoustic signals for the associated transceivers.

10. The electro-acoustic system of claim 8, wherein:

the one or more sensors reside adjacent to the housings of selected subsurface communications nodes;

each of the one or more sensors is in electrical or optical communication with a corresponding selected subsurface communications node; and

the electro-acoustic transducers within the selected subsurface communications nodes convert signals from the sensors into acoustic signals for the associated transceivers.

11. The electro-acoustic system of claim 8, wherein a frequency band for the acoustic wave transmission by the transceivers is about 25 KHz wide.

12. The electro-acoustic system of claim 8, wherein a frequency band for the acoustic wave transmission by the transceivers operates from about 100 kHz to 125 kHz.

13. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 8, wherein the acoustic waves provide data that is modulated by (i) a multiple frequency shift keying method, (ii) a frequency shift keying method, (iii) a multi-frequency signaling method, (iv) a phase shift keying method, (v) a pulse position modulation method, or (vi) an on-off keying method.

14. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein:

a well head is placed above the wellbore; and

the topside communications node is placed (i) on an outer surface of the well head, or (ii) on the outer surface of an uppermost joint of the tubular body.

15. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 14, wherein the signal from the topside communications node to the receiver is transmitted via a Class I, Division I conduit or a wireless transmission.

16. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein the subsurface communications nodes are attached to the outer wall of the tubular body by (i) an adhesive material, (ii) welding, or (iii) one or more mechanical fasteners.

17. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein:

each of the subsurface communications nodes is attached to the tubular body by one or more clamps; and

each of the one or more clamps comprises;

a first arcuate section;

a second arcuate section;

a hinge for pivotally connecting the first and second arcuate sections; and

a fastening mechanism for securing the first and second arcuate sections around an outer surface of a pipe joint.

18. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein:

the receiver comprises a processor; and

the processor is programmed to identify amplitude values generated by each subsurface communications node and convert those into numerical values for graphing or for review.

19. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more sensors are fluid flow measurement devices spaced along the wellbore proximate a subsurface formation, with each fluid flow measurement device being in electrical communication with a selected subsurface communications node;

the selected subsurface communications node being designed to generate acoustic signals that correspond to fluid flow measurement readings taken by the respective fluid flow measurement devices; and

the fluid flow data in the acoustic waveforms comprises fluid flow measurement data.

20. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more sensors are temperature sensors spaced along the wellbore proximate a subsurface formation, with each temperature sensor being in electrical communication with a selected subsurface communications node;

the selected subsurface communications node being designed to generate acoustic signals that correspond to temperature readings taken by the respective temperature sensors; and

the fluid flow data in the acoustic waveforms comprises temperature data.

21. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more sensors are pressure sensors spaced along the wellbore proximate a subsurface formation, with each pressure sensor being in electrical communication with a selected subsurface communications node;

the selected subsurface communications node being designed to generate acoustic signals that correspond to pressure readings taken by the respective pressure sensor; and

the fluid flow data in the acoustic waveforms comprises pressure data.

22. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more sensors are fluid identification sensors spaced along the wellbore proximate a subsurface formation, with each fluid identification sensor being in electrical communication with a selected subsurface communications node;

the selected subsurface communications node being designed to generate acoustic signals that correspond to fluid identification readings taken by the respective fluid identification sensors; and

the fluid flow data in the acoustic waveforms comprises fluid identification data.

23. A method of monitoring fluid flow along a wellbore, comprising:

running joints of a pipe into the wellbore, the joints being connected by threaded couplings to form a pipe string;

placing a topside communications node along the wellbore;

attaching a series of subsurface communications nodes to the joints of pipe according to a pre-designated spacing, wherein the subsurface communications nodes are configured to communicate by acoustic signals transmitted through the joints of pipe, and wherein each of the subsurface communications nodes comprises;

a sealed housing;

an electro-acoustic transducer and associated transceiver residing within the housing configured to relay signals, with each signal representing a packet of information that comprises an identifier for the subsurface communications node originally transmitting the signal, and an acoustic waveform; and

an independent power source also residing within the housing for providing power to the transceiver;

sending signals from one or more sensors placed along the wellbore to selected sensor communications nodes, the signals being indicative of one or more fluid flow parameters;

sending acoustic signals from the sensor communications nodes to a receiver at a surface via the series of subsurface communications nodes and the topside communications node, node-to-node; and

analyzing the signals to evaluate fluid flow within the wellbore.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the surface is an earth surface or production platform offshore.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the subsurface communications nodes are spaced apart such that each joint of pipe supports at least one subsurface communications node.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the subsurface communications nodes are spaced at about 10 to 100 foot (3.0 to 30.5 meter) intervals.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the tubular body comprises one or more strings of casing, a string of production tubing, or a string of injection tubing; and

the housing for each of the intermediate communications nodes is fabricated from a steel material, with the steel material of the housing having a resonance frequency within a width of the resonance frequency of the acoustic waves transmitted through the joints of pipe.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the subsurface communications nodes transmit data representing the waveforms at a rate exceeding about 50 bps.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

placing the one or more sensors along the wellbore, the sensors the sensors being any of fluid flow measurement devices, temperature sensors, fluid identification sensors, and pressure sensors; and

wherein the subsurface communications nodes are configured to receive and relay acoustic signals indicative of readings taken by the sensors up to the surface.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein:

the one or more sensors reside within the housings of the sensor subsurface communications nodes; and

the electro-acoustic transducers within the sensor communications nodes convert signals from the sensors into acoustic signals for the associated transceivers.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein:

the one or more sensors reside adjacent to the housings of sensor communications nodes;

each of the one or more sensors is in electrical or optical communication with a corresponding sensor communications node; and

the electro-acoustic transducers within the sensor communications nodes convert signals from the sensors into acoustic signals for the associated transceivers.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein a frequency band for the acoustic wave transmission by the transceivers is about 25 KHz wide.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein a frequency band for the acoustic wave transmission by the transceivers operates from about 100 kHz to 125 kHz.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the acoustic waves provide data that is modulated by (i) a multiple frequency shift keying method, (ii) a frequency shift keying method, (iii) a multi-frequency signaling method, (iv) a phase shift keying method, (v) a pulse position modulation method, or (vi) an on-off keying method.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein:

a well head is placed above the wellbore; and

the topside communications node is placed (i) on an outer surface of the well head, or (ii) on the outer surface of an uppermost joint of the pipe string.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the topside communications node is in electrical communication with the receiver by means of a Class I, Division I conduit or a wireless transmission.

37. The method of claim 23, wherein each of the subsurface communications nodes is attached to an outer wall of a joint of pipe by (i) an adhesive material, (ii) welding, or (iii) one or more mechanical fasteners.

38. The method of claim 23, wherein:

each of the subsurface communications nodes is attached to a joint of pipe by one or more clamps; and

the step of attaching the communications nodes to the joints of pipe comprises clamping the communications nodes to an outer surface of the joints of pipe.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein:

the housing of each of the subsurface communications nodes comprises a first end and a second opposite end; and

each of the one or more clamps comprises a first clamp secured at the first end of the housing, and a second clamp secured at the second end of the housing.

40. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the one or more sensors are fluid flow measurement devices spaced along the wellbore proximate a subsurface formation, with each fluid flow measurement device being in electrical communication with a selected subsurface communications node;

the selected subsurface communications node being designed to generate acoustic signals that correspond to fluid flow measurement readings taken by the respective fluid flow measurement devices; and

the fluid flow data in the acoustic waveforms comprises fluid flow measurement data.

41. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the one or more sensors are temperature sensors spaced along the wellbore proximate a subsurface formation, with each temperature sensor being in electrical communication with a selected subsurface communications node;

the selected subsurface communications node being designed to generate acoustic signals that correspond to temperature readings taken by the respective temperature sensors; and

the fluid flow data in the acoustic waveforms comprises temperature data.

42. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the one or more sensors are pressure sensors spaced along the wellbore proximate a subsurface formation, with each pressure sensor being in electrical communication with a selected subsurface communications node;

the selected subsurface communications node being designed to generate acoustic signals that correspond to pressure readings taken by the respective pressure sensor; and

the fluid flow data in the acoustic waveforms comprises pressure data.

43. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the one or more sensors are fluid identification sensors spaced along the wellbore proximate a subsurface formation, with each fluid identification sensor being in electrical communication with a sensor communications node;

the sensor communications node being designed to generate acoustic signals that correspond to fluid identification readings taken by the respective fluid identification sensors; and

the fluid flow data in the acoustic waveforms comprises fluid identification data.

44. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

identifying a sensor communications node sending signals indicative of a need for remedial action; and

actuating an inflow control device proximate the sensor communications node to adjust fluid flow into or out of the wellbore.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the need for remedial action is prompted by water breakthrough, gas break through, or a loss of pressure.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of actuating an inflow control device comprises sending an acoustic signal down the subsurface communications nodes and to the sensor communications nodes, where an electrical signal is then sent to the inflow control device.

47. A method of monitoring fluid flow along a wellbore, comprising:

receiving signals from a wellbore, each signal defining a packet of information having (i) an identifier for a sensor communications node originally transmitting the signal, and (ii) an acoustic waveform for the sensor communications node originally transmitting the signal, the acoustic waveform being indicative of a wellbore flow condition;

correlating sensor communications nodes to their respective locations in the wellbore; and

analyzing the waveforms to evaluate fluid flow conditions within the wellbore.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein:

signals are transmitted from the sensor communications nodes to the receiver through a series of subsurface communications nodes, with each of the subsurface communications nodes being attached to an outer wall of a tubular body along the wellbore according to a pre-designated spacing.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein:

the subsurface communications nodes are configured to communicate by acoustic signals transmitted through the tubular body, and

each of the subsurface communications nodes comprises;

a sealed housing;

an electro-acoustic transducer and associated transceiver residing within the housing; and

an independent power source also residing within the housing for providing power to the transceiver.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the tubular body is a string of production tubing, a string of injection tubing, or a string of casing.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein the fluid flow conditions are any of (i) fluid flow volume, (ii) fluid identification, (iii) pressure, (iv) temperature, (v) sound waves, or (vi) combinations thereof.

52. An electro-acoustic telemetry system for obtaining a fluid profile in a wellbore, comprising:

a tubing string disposed in a wellbore;

a topside communications node placed proximate a surface of the wellbore;

a plurality of subsurface communications nodes spaced along the wellbore and attached to a wall of the tubular body, the subsurface communications nodes configured to transmit acoustic waves from node-to-node up the wellbore and to the topside communications node;

one or more sensors along the wellbore for measuring a parameter indicative of fluid composition within the wellbore; and

a receiver at the surface configured to receive signals from the topside communications node;

wherein each of the subsurface communications nodes comprises;

a sealed housing;

an electro-acoustic transducer and associated transceiver also residing within the housing, with the transceiver being designed to relay signals from node-to-node up the wellbore, with each signal representing a packet of information that comprises an identifier for the subsurface communications node that originally transmitted the signal, and an acoustic waveform representing fluid flow data; and

an independent power source residing within the housing providing power to the transceiver.

53. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 52, wherein the surface is an earth surface or a production platform offshore.

54. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 52, wherein the subsurface communications nodes are spaced apart such that each joint of pipe supports at least one subsurface communications node.

55. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 52, wherein the subsurface communications nodes transmit data in acoustic form at a rate exceeding about 50 bps.

56. The electro-acoustic telemetry system of claim 52, wherein each of the transceivers is designed to receive acoustic waves at a first frequency, and then transmit the acoustic waves at a second different frequency up the wellbore to a next subsurface communications node.

57. The electro-acoustic system of claim 52, wherein:

the one or more sensors comprises any of (i) temperature sensors, (ii) fluid identification sensors, (iii) amp meters or volt meters that measure an electrical current that is passed along a body of a subsurface communications node, (iv) an electrical device that measures a capacitance of fluid, (v) a microphone, (vi) a device for measuring fluid density, and (vii) a device for measuring rheology of fluid density in proximity to a corresponding subsurface communications node; and

the subsurface communications nodes are configured to receive and relay acoustic signals indicative of readings taken by the sensors up to the surface.