Method of obtaining improved geophysical information about earth formations

• US 6,302,204 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2000
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• 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: Reimers, Nils, Tubel, Paulo S., Harrell, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHOEPPEL, ROGER J
• Application Number:
  US09/604,138
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 166/250.01, 166/250.03, 166/401, 166/402, 166/272.2, 166/271, 166/269, 166/273, 735/89, 735/92, 735/98, 340/856.1, 340/853.1, 181/108, 181/112, 367/37-39, 367/56, 367/57
• US Class Current: 166/250.03
• 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 41/0035 Apparatus or methods for multilateral well technology, e.g. for the completion of or workover on wells with one or more lateral branches
• 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 43/16 Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/20 Displacing by water
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/25 Methods for stimulating production by vibrating earth formations E21B43/003
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/017 Protecting measuring instruments
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/07 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/107 using acoustic means
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/11 using tracers; using radioactivity
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/113 using electrical indications; using light radiations
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/135 using light waves, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet 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 49/006 Measuring wall stresses in the borehole
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/008 by injection test; by analysing pressure variations in an injection or production test, e.g. for estimating the skin factor measuring pressure E21B47/06
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/08 Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/268 using optical fibres G01D5/28 - G01D5/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/31 : Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry G01N21/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/24 : Recording seismic data
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 7/16 : specially adapted for use on moving platforms, e.g. ship, aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/02 : Prospecting

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for forming wellbores. In one method, one or more wellbores are drilled along preplanned paths based in part upon seismic surveys performed from the surface. An acoustic transmitter conveyed in such wellbores transmits acoustic signals at a one or more frequencies within a range of frequencies at a plurality of spaced locations. A plurality of substantially serially spaced receivers in the wellbores and/or at surface receive signals reflected by the subsurface formations. The sensors may be permanently installed in the boreholes and could be fiber optic devices. The receiver signals are processed by conventional geophysical processing methods to obtain information about the subsurface formations. This information is utilized to update any prior seismographs to obtain higher resolution seismographs. The improved seismographs are then used to determine the profiles of the production wellbores to be drilled. Borehole seismic imaging may then be used to further improve the seismographs and to plan future wellbores. Crosswell tomography may be utilized to further update the seismographs to manage the reservoirs. The permanently installed sensors may also be used to monitor the progress of fracturing in nearby wells and thereby provide the necessary information for controlling fracturing operations.

Claims

1. A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a production wellbore producing hydrocarbons from a formation comprising:

(a) injecting a fluid in an injection wellbore spaced apart from the production wellbore to make a fluid/hydrocarbon interface in the formation;

(b) permanently installing a plurality of seismic sensors in a survey wellbore;

(c) transmitting seismic signals into the formation from a plurality of source locations;

(d) detecting said seismic signals by the seismic sensors in the survey wellbore;

(e) determining a parameter of interest relating to the fluid/hydrocarbon interface from the detected seismic signals; and

(f) operating a downhole tool at at least one location selected from (i) the production wellbore, and, (ii) the injection well, in response to the determined parameter of interest to control the flow of hydrocarbons into the production wellbore.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the downhole tool is selected from a group consisting of flow control devices and formation isolation tools.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the survey wellbore is the production wellbore.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of source locations includes at least one location in the injection wellbore.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid being injected is selected from the group consisting of steam, water and gas.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbons comprise a gas and the fluid is water.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the parameter of interest is a location of the gas-fluid interface.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbons comprise oil and the fluid is selected from the group consisting of (A) water, (B) steam, (C) CO₂, and, (D) gas.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining said parameter of interest further comprises updating a model of a reservoir in the formation producing said hydrocarbons.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the survey wellbore is a side well.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said seismic signals are transmitted at a location selected from (A) a wellbore, and, (B) the surface of the earth.

12. A method of recovering hydrocarbons from a production wellbore producing hydrocarbons from a formation comprising:

(a) injecting a fluid in an injection wellbore spaced apart from the production wellbore to make a fluid/hydrocarbon interface in the formation;

(b) permanently installing a plurality of seismic sensors within production tubing in the production wellbore;

(c) transmitting seismic signals into the formation from a plurality of source locations;

(d) detecting said seismic signals by the seismic sensors in the production wellbore;

(e) determining a parameter of interest relating to the fluid/hydrocarbon interface from the detected seismic signals; and

(f) operating a downhole tool at at least one location selected from (i) the production wellbore, and, (ii) the injection well, in response to the determined parameter of interest to control the flow of hydrocarbons into the production wellbore.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the downhole tool is selected from a group consisting of flow control devices and formation isolation tools.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the plurality of source locations includes at least one location in the injection wellbore.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the fluid being injected is selected from the group consisting of steam, water and gas.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the seismic sensor is selected from the group consisting of geophone, accelerometer, hydrophone and fiber optic sensor.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the hydrocarbons comprise a gas and the fluid is water.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the parameter of interest is a location of the gas-fluid interface.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the hydrocarbons comprise oil and the fluid is selected from the group consisting of (A) water, (B) steam, (C) CO₂, and, (D) gas.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein determining said parameter of interest further comprises updating a model of a reservoir in the formation producing said hydrocarbons.

21. The method of claim 12 wherein the survey wellbore is a side well.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein said seismic signals are transmitted at a location selected from (A) a wellbore, and, (B) the surface of the earth.