Monitoring of Hydraulic Fracturing Operations
First Claim
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1. A method of monitoring a hydraulic fracturing operation comprising using a distributed optical fibre sensor to detect an acoustic signature of washout of cement surrounding a casing of a wellbore.
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Abstract
There are disclosed methods and apparatus for monitoring hydraulic fracturing operations, using a distributed optical fibre sensor to detect relevant acoustic signatures, such as acoustic signatures of cement washout and of events involving a valve drive component.
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Citations
57 Claims
- 1. A method of monitoring a hydraulic fracturing operation comprising using a distributed optical fibre sensor to detect an acoustic signature of washout of cement surrounding a casing of a wellbore.
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17. Apparatus for monitoring a hydraulic fracturing operation comprising:
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a distributed optical fibre sensor comprising a sensor optical fibre disposed along a wellbore; and a washout detector arranged to receive an acoustic signal from the distributed optical fibre sensor and to detect from the acoustic signal an acoustic signature of washout of cement surrounding a casing of a wellbore. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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- 20. A method of monitoring a hydraulic fracturing operation in a wellbore, the hydraulic fracturing operation including delivering a valve drive component along the wellbore to a valve arranged to permit fracturing fluid to egress from the wellbore, comprising using a distributed optical fibre sensor having one or more sensing fibres disposed along the wellbore to detect an acoustic signal from the wellbore, and identifying from the acoustic signal an acoustic signature of the valve drive component.
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33. Apparatus for monitoring a hydraulic fracturing operation comprising:
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a distributed optical fibre sensor comprising a sensor optical fibre disposed along a wellbore; and a valve drive component detector arranged to receive an acoustic signal from the distributed optical fibre sensor and to detect from the acoustic signal an acoustic signature of the valve drive component. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. (canceled)
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42. (canceled)
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43. A method of monitoring a hydraulic fracturing operation in a wellbore within a rock formation, the method comprising:
using a distributed optical fibre sensor having one or more sensing fibres disposed along the wellbore to detect a seismic signature of a fracture event in the rock formation, the fracture event resulting from the hydraulic fracturing operation. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. (canceled)
Specification