Method and system for monitoring and controlling production and injection wells having permanent downhole formation evaluation sensors

• US 6,006,832 A
• Filed: 05/15/1997
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Richardson, Frank D., Jones, Kevin, Tubel, Paulo, Mullins, Albert A. II
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHOEPPEL, ROGER J
• Application Number:
  US08/856,656
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 166/64, 166/113, 166/65.1, 166/243, 166/250.01, 166/250.02, 166/250.07, 166/250.15, 166/254.1
• US Class Current: 166/250.01
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1275 inflated by down-hole pumping means operated by a down-hole drive
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 37/06 using chemical means for preventing or limiting , e.g. eliminating, the deposition of paraffins or like substances
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/02 in situ inhibition of corrosion in boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/12 Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/00 Survey of boreholes or wells monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/017 Protecting measuring instruments
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/107 using acoustic means
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/11 using tracers; using radioactivity
• 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: G01V 1/40 specially adapted for well-logging
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/42 using generators in one well and receivers elsewhere or vice versa G01V1/52 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/46 Data acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/52 Structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 7/08 using balances

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring a formation surrounding a borehole in a production well. The method encompasses the use of a downhole sensor permanently mounted in the well to sense at least one downhole formation parameter which is not normally present within the wellbore. The system includes a formation evaluation sensor permanently located downhole in a production well having at least two boreholes, wherein at least one of the boreholes is a branch borehole, the sensor sensing a formation parameter which is not normally present within the borehole.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a formation surrounding a borehole in a well, the borehole including a completion string for receiving a produced fluid or for injecting an injection fluid, comprising:

at least one downhole formation evaluation sensor for sensing parameters in the formation surrounding the well, said at least one downhole formation evaluation sensor being permanently located downhole for sensing a downhole formation parameter in an area associated with at least a portion of said completion string wherein said sensed downhole formation parameter constitutes a parameter which is not normally present with the wellbore and wherein said at least one downhole formation evaluation sensor senses parameters in the formation surrounding the well while fluid is being produced or is being injected.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

said formation evaluation sensor is selected from the group consisting of neutron, gamma ray and resistivity sensors.

3. The system of claim 1 including:

a downhole wireless data transmission device for transmitting said sensed downhole formation parameters to the surface.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

said downhole formation evaluation sensor communicates with a downhole processor, said downhole processor being adapted to process raw data sensed by said downhole formation evaluation sensor to derive processed data, said processed data being selectively transmitted to the surface.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein:

said downhole formation evaluation sensor includes at least one source of seismic energy permanently located downhole for transmitting seismic energy into the formation.

6. A system for monitoring a formation surrounding a borehole in a production well, comprising:

a production well having a borehole;

a completion string in said borehole for producing a fluid from the formation surrounding the borehole;

at least one downhole formation evaluation sensor for sensing parameters in the formation surrounding the well, said at least one downhole formation evaluation sensor being permanently located downhole for sensing a downhole formation parameter in an area associated with at least a portion of said completion string wherein said sensed downhole formation parameter constitutes a parameter which is not normally present within the wellbore;

wherein said sensed parameters are processed, at least in part, downhole using appropriate algorithms resulting in derived data for transmission to the surface.

7. A method for controlling at least one downhole tool in a well having a downhole formation evaluation sensor permanently located downhole in the well, including:

sensing at least one downhole formation parameter from the formation surrounding the well using the downhole formation evaluation sensor to define at least one sensed formation parameter wherein said sensed downhole formation parameter constitutes a parameter which is not normally present within the wellbore; and

controlling at least one downhole tool in response to the sensed parameter.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein:

said formation evaluation sensor is selected from the group consisting of neutron, gamma ray and resistivity sensors.

9. The method of claim 7 including:

a downhole wireless data transmission device for transmitting said sensed downhole formation parameters to the surface.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein:

said downhole formation evaluation sensor communicates with a downhole processor, said downhole processor being adapted to process raw data sensed by said downhole formation evaluation sensor to derive processed data, said processed data being selectively transmitted to the surface.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein:

said downhole formation evaluation sensor includes at least one source of seismic energy permanently located downhole for transmitting seismic energy into the formation.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein:

said at least one downhole formation evaluation sensor senses parameters in the formation surrounding the well while fluid is being produced or is being injected.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein said well has a borehole and including:

a completion string in said borehole for injecting a fluid.

14. A system for monitoring a formation surrounding a borehole in a production well comprising:

a production well having at least two boreholes, each of said boreholes including at least one production zone, each of said production zones including a completion string for producing a fluid from the formation surrounding the borehole and wherein at least one of said two boreholes comprises a branch borehole; and

at least one downhole formation evaluation sensor permanently located downhole for sensing a downhole formation parameter in an area associated with at least a portion of said completion string wherein said sensed downhole formation parameter constitutes a parameter which is not normally present within the wellbore.

15. A system for monitoring a formation surrounding a borehole in a well comprising:

a well having at least two boreholes, at least one of said two boreholes comprising a branch borehole; and

at least one downhole formation evaluation sensor permanently located downhole for sensing a downhole formation parameter in an area associated with at least one of said boreholes wherein said sensed downhole formation parameter constitutes a parameter which is not normally present within the borehole.

16. The system of claim 15 including:

a completion string in said branch borehole for injecting a fluid.

17. The system of claim 15 including:

a completion string in said branch borehole for producing a fluid.

18. A system for monitoring a formation surrounding a borehole in a production well, comprising:

a production well having a borehole;

a completion string in said borehole for producing a fluid from the formation surrounding the borehole;

at least one downhole formation evaluation sensor for sensing parameters in the formation surrounding the well, said at least one downhole formation evaluation sensor being permanently located downhole for sensing a downhole formation parameter in an area associated with at least a portion of said completion string wherein said sensed downhole formation parameter constitutes a parameter which is not normally present within the wellbore;

wherein said sensed parameters are processed, at least in part, downhole for determining reservoir parameters related to the formation surrounding the production well.