Determing fluid levels in wells with flow induced pressure pulses

• US 5,715,890 A
• Filed: 12/13/1995
• Issued: 02/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lufkin Industries LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Kenneth B. Nolen
• Inventors: Nolen, Kenneth B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hoang C.
• Application Number:
  US08/571,412
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 166/250.03, 73/290 V, 73/152.01, 73/152.55, 367/99, 367/908
• US Class Current: 166/250.03
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/047 Liquid level measuring depth or liquid level using radioactive markers E21B47/053
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/908 Material level detection, e.g. liquid level

Abstract

An acoustic method is disclosed for measuring fluid level in producing wells and other inaccessible cavities. The method uses flow induced pressure phenomena to locate the fluid level. Simplified equipment is involved and acoustic velocities can be measured externally from the well. The method applies to known uses for fluid levels such as well productivity, lift equipment design, and reservoir studies.

Claims

1. A method for measuring the speed of sound in a gaseous medium existing in the annulus between the casing and production tubing in a producing well said method comprising:

filling a section of small tubing with a representative sample of gas obtained from the annulus;

measuring the temperature and pressure of said sample of gas;

creating a pressure wave in said sample of gas by quickly venting a small portion of the gas from one end of the tubing;

measuring the time of origination of said pressure wave at the emitting end;

measuring the time of arrival of the reflected pressure wave after it has traveled the length of the small tubing and has returned to the point of origination;

determining the round trip travel time of the pressure wave by subtracting the time of origination from the time of arrival of the reflected wave;

calculating the speed of sound within the gaseous medium by dividing twice the linear length of the small tubing by the round trip time so measured; and

storing the measured speed of sound for later use in determining the fluid level in the well.

2. A method of measuring the fluid level in a well, said well having a casing and a production tubing string disposed within the casing, the annulus between the casing and tubing being filled with a gaseous mixture at the top and fluid at the bottom:

closing the well casing;

measuring the temperature and pressure of said gaseous mixture in the annulus at the surface;

computing the temperature and pressure of gas in the annulus at a selected depth in the well;

adjusting the speed of sound obtained using the method of claim 1 for temperature and pressure conditions in the well annulus at the selected depth;

creating a pressure wave in said annulus by quickly venting a small portion of the gas from the annulus to the atmosphere;

measuring the time of origination of said pressure wave;

measuring the time of arrival of the reflected pressure wave after it has traveled to the top of the fluid in the annulus and has returned to the point of origination;

determining the round trip travel time of the pressure wave by subtracting the time of origination from the time of arrival of the reflected wave;

calculating the distance from the point of origination of the pressure wave to the top of fluid in the annulus by multiplying one half the round trip time by the aforecomputed speed of sound; and

storing the fluid level so measured for later use in operating the well optimally.

3. A method of measuring the fluid level in a well, said well having casing and a production tubing string disposed within the casing, at the annulus between the casing and tubing being filled with a gaseous mixture at the top and fluid at the bottom:

closing the well casing;

measuring the temperature and pressure of the gaseous mixture in the well annulus at the surface;

creating a pressure wave in said gaseous mixture by quickly venting a small portion of the gaseous mixture from the casing to the atmosphere;

measuring the time of origination of said pressure wave;

measuring the time of arrival of a pressure wave after it has reflected from a known or assumed marker the depth of which is known or assumed and has returned to the point of origination;

determining the round trip travel time of the pressure wave by subtracting the time of origination from the time of arrival of the reflected wave;

calculating the velocity of sound by dividing twice the known or assumed depth by the measured round trip time;

comparing the velocity of sound obtained using the method of claim 1 with the calculated velocity and adjusting the velocity of sound obtained using the method of claim 1 to correct for temperature and pressure; and

, storing the adjusted velocity of sound so determined for used in later fluid level measurements.

4. A method of measuring the fluid level in a well said well having a casing and a production tubing disposed within the casing, the annulus between the casing and tubing being filled with a gas at the top and fluid at the bottom, said method comprising:

closing the well casing;

measuring the temperature and pressure of said gas in the well annulus at the surface;

computing the temperature and pressure of gas in the annulus at a multiplicity (n+1) of depths D_i (i=0,1,2, . . . n) spaced dD feet apart in the well;

adjusting the speed of sound obtained using the method of claim 1 for temperature and pressure variations in the well annulus at the multiplicity of depths D_i (i=0,1,2, . . . n), the speeds of sound at said depths being V_i (i=0,1,2, . . . n);

creating a pressure wave in said casing gas by quickly venting a small portion of the gas from the casing to the atmosphere;

measuring the time of origination (T_o =J_o dT) of said pressure wave wherein dT is the time between pressure wave samples;

measuring the time of arrival (T_a =J_a dT) of the reflected pressure wave after it has traveled to the top of the fluid in the annulus and has returned to the point of origination;

calculating the distance X from the surface point of origination of the pressure wave to the top of fluid in the well considering variation of velocity with depth from

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">X=0.5 (J-J.sub.o) dT V (J=J.sub.o,J.sub.o+1, . . . J.sub.a)

wherein V is chosen to be V_k accordingly if

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">D.sub.k-1 <

X<

D.sub.k ;

and

storing the fluid level so measured for later use in operating the well optimally.

5. A method of measuring the depth to fluid in a well having a casing and a production tubing disposed in the annulus between the casing and tubing being filled with gas at the top and fluid at the bottom, said method comprising:

closing the well casing;

measuring the temperature and pressure of said gas in the well casing at the surface;

computing the temperature and pressure of gas in the casing at at least one selected depth;

adjusting the speed of sound obtained using the method of claim 1 for temperature and pressure variations in the well casing at at least one depth;

creating a pressure wave in the casing by discharging compressed gas into the well casing;

measuring the time of origination of said pressure wave;

measuring the time of arrival of the reflected pressure wave after it has traveled to the top of the fluid in the casing and has returned to the point of origination;

determining the round trip travel time of the pressure wave by subtracting the time of origination from the time of arrival of the reflected wave;

calculating the distance from the surface to the top of fluid in the well; and

storing the fluid level so measured for later use in operating the well optimally.

6. A method for measuring the speed of sound in a gaseous medium existing in the annulus between the casing and production tubing in a producing well, said method comprising:

filling a section of small tubing with a representative sample of gas obtained from the annulus;

measuring the temperature and pressure of said sample of gas;

creating a pressure wave in said sample of gas at one end of said tubing;

measuring the time of origination of said pressure wave at the one end of said tubing;

measuring the time of arrival of the reflected pressure wave after it has traveled the length of the small tubing and has returned to the one end of said tubing;

determining the round trip travel time of the pressure wave by subtracting the time of origination from the time of arrival of the reflected wave;

calculating the speed of sound within the gaseous medium by dividing twice the linear length of the small tubing by the round trip time so measured; and

storing the measured speed of sound for later use in determining the fluid level in the well.