Reservoir management system and method

• US 6,943,697 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Ciglenec, Reinhart, Tabanou, Jacques R.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US10/157,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20030058125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 340/853.1, 340/853.3, 175/50, 166/250.01, 731/525.9, 731/524.6, 731/522.4
• US Class Current: 340/853.1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/00 Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/14 for displacing a cable or a cable-operated tool, e.g. for logging or perforating operations in deviated wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/06 Cutting windows, e.g. directional window cutters for whipstock operations E21B29/005 and E21B29/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/13 Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
• 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 47/024 of devices in the borehole determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/053 using radioactive markers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/09 Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells , e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/12 Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/26 Storing data down-hole, e.g. in a memory or on a record carrier
• 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 49/10 using side-wall fluid samplers or testers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/061 the tool shaft advancing relative to a guide, e.g. a curved tube or a whipstock

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for controlling oilfield production to improve efficiency includes a remote sensing unit that is placed within a subsurface formation, an antenna structure for transmitting power and communicating signals to the remote sensing unit and for receiving communication signals from the remote sensor, a casing joint having nonconductive “windows” for allowing an internally located antenna to communicate with the remote sensing unit for those embodiments in which a wireline tool is being used to communicate with remote sensing unit, and a system for obtaining subsurface formation data and for producing the formation data to a central location for subsequent analysis. The remote sensing unit is a standalone sensor that is placed sufficiently far from the wellbore to reduce or eliminate effects that the wellbore might have on formation data samples taken by the remote sensing unit. The remote sensing unit is an active device with the capability of responding to control commands to determine certain subsurface formation characteristics such as pressure or temperature, and transmitting corresponding data values to a wellbore tool. Some embodiments of the remote sensing unit include a battery within its power supply. Other embodiments include a capacitor for storing charge. The embodiments that include the capacitor receive RF power that is converted to a DC signal for storing charge on the capacitor. The charged capacitor then acts as a power source to provide power to the internal circuitry of the remote sensing unit. When the charge is depleted to a specified point, the remote sensing unit stops transmitting to prompt the wellbore tool to transmit additional RF power to recharge the capacitor. This particular embodiment allows the remote sensing unit to be operable well after any charge of a battery would have been depleted rendering the remote sensing unit inoperable. An inventive method therefore includes providing RF power to the remote sensing unit to wake it up and to place it into an operational mode. The method further includes receiving modulated data values from the remote sensing unit that are then transmitted to the surface where operational decisions for the well may be made. In one embodiment of the invention, the subsurface formation data values are transmitted to a central location for analysis.

Claims

1. A system for controlling depletion rates of a hydrocarbon field being developed, comprising:

a plurality of well control units for controlling production from a plurality of corresponding wells;

at least one downhole data acquisition system having a remote sensing unit placed within a subsurface formation for gathering formation data wherein the data acquisition unit provides RE power to the sensing unit, said downhole data acquisition unit being communicatively coupled to a corresponding well control unit of the plurality of well control units; and

a central control unit for receiving the formation data from the corresponding well control unit and for transmitting control commands responsive to the formation data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the central control unit and at least one corresponding well control unit communicate over a satellite link.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the central control unit and at least one corresponding well control unit communicate over a cellular communication link.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the central control unit and at least one corresponding well control unit communicate over a wired link.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the central control unit and at least one corresponding well control unit communicate over a computer network link.

6. A method for controlling depletion of a hydrocarbon field, comprising:

establishing a first wireless communication link in a downhole data acquisition system between a remote sensing unit deployed in a subsurface formation and a downhole communication unit wherein the remote sensing unit transmits formation data to the downhole communication unit;

transmitting formation data from the downhole data acquisition system to an above ground communication network; and

establishing a communication link in the above ground communication network to transmit the subsurface formation data to a central controller, whereby the central controller controls production based upon received subsurface formation data.

8. The method of claim 6 further including the step of transmitting RF communication signals from the downhole communication unit to the remote sensing unit to provide power to the remote sensing unit.

7. A method for controlling depletion of a hydrocarbon field, comprising:

establishing a first wireless communication link in a downhole data acquisition system between a remote sensing unit deployed in a subsurface formation and a downhole communication unit wherein the remote sensing unit transmits formation data to the downhole communication unit;

transmitting RF power from the downhole communication unit to the remote sensing unit to provide power to the remote sensing unit;

transmitting formation data from the downhole data acquisition system to an above ground communication network; and

establishing a communication link in the above ground communication network to transmit the subsurface formation data to a central controller, whereby the central controller controls production based upon received subsurface formation data.