Fiber optic sensing systems and methods

• US 8,961,006 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WellDynamics BV (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: WellDynamics BV (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Gleitman, Daniel D.
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN VERBITSKY, GAIL
• Application Number:
  US12/034,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20080137711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,561 Days
• Field of Search: 374/136, 374/137, 374/141, 374/142, 374/120, 374/29, 374 43- 44, 374/57, 374/135, 374/16, 374/24, 374/54, 374/17, 374130-132, 374/161, 356/43, 250/269.1, 702/11, 702/12
• US Class Current: 374/136
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/07 Temperature
• 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: G01K 13/02 for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7786 Fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/71 thermally excited
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/77 by observing the effect on a chemical indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/16 using optical fibres

Abstract

Fiber optic sensing systems and methods. In a described embodiment, a fiber optic sensing system includes an optical fiber transmitting energy to a chemical vapor deposited diamond material proximate a substance in a well. The diamond material is deposited as a coating on a substrate. The substrate and coating are heated when the energy is transmitted by the optical fiber. This heats the substance in the well, which is detected to determine a property of the substance. In another embodiment, light energy is transmitted through the diamond material.

Claims

1. A fiber optic sensing system for use in detecting at least one property of a substance or heat transfer characteristic of a location proximate to the substance in a subterranean well, the sensing system comprising:

an optical fiber connected to a sensing device in the subterranean well, wherein a surface of the sensing device is in contact with the substance, and wherein the surface is disposed on a substrate;

an energy converter which converts light energy transmitted by the optical fiber into heat energy in the substrate, whereby the surface of the sensing device is heated; and

a first temperature sensor which detects a temperature of the substance as heated by the surface.

2. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a fluid, and wherein the first temperature sensor detects the temperature of the fluid proximate the surface.

3. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a fluid, and wherein the first temperature sensor detects the temperature of the fluid downstream from the surface.

4. The sensing system according to claim 1, further comprising a second temperature sensor positioned remote from the first temperature sensor.

5. The sensing system according to claim 4, wherein the first temperature sensor detects the temperature of the substance proximate the surface, and the second temperature sensor detects a temperature of the substance remote from the surface.

6. The sensing system according to claim 5, wherein the second temperature sensor is downstream from the first temperature sensor.

7. The sensing system according to claim 5, wherein the second temperature sensor is upstream from the first temperature sensor.

8. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the surface comprises a diamond material.

9. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the energy converter is a black body interface.

10. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a tubular string material, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the tubular string material.

11. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a fluid in the well, and wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a thermal property of the fluid.

12. The sensing system according to claim 1, further comprising a laser transmitting the energy through the optical fiber.

13. The sensing system according to claim 12, wherein the laser is positioned at the earth'"'"'s surface.

14. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a fluid within a tubular string in the well.

15. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a fluid external to a tubular string in the well.

16. The sensing system according to claim 15, wherein the fluid is disposed in an annulus between the tubular string and casing in the well.

17. The sensing system according to claim 15, wherein the tubular string is casing, and wherein the fluid is formation fluid.

18. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a hardenable material positioned in an annulus between a wellbore and casing in the well.

19. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a formation intersected by a wellbore of the well.

20. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a solid structure in the well.

21. The sensing system according to claim 20, wherein the structure is a tubular string.

22. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the sensing system includes multiple sensing devices distributed circumferentially about a tubular string in the well.

23. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a physical level of an interface between different fluids flowing through a tubular string in the well.

24. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the sensing system includes multiple sensing devices distributed longitudinally along a tubular string in the well.

25. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a physical level of an interface between different fluids in a formation intersected by the well.

26. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a hardenable material installed external to a tubular string in the well, and wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a quality of installation of the hardenable material.

27. The sensing system according to claim 26, wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a presence of a fluid in the hardenable material.

28. The sensing system according to claim 26, wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a presence of a void in the hardenable material.

29. The sensing system according to claim 26, wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a presence of a crack in the hardenable material.

30. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a direction of flow of the substance through a tubular string in the well.

31. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a rate of flow of the substance through a tubular string in the well.

32. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a property indicative of an identity of the substance in the well.

33. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a phase change in the substance in the well.

34. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a ratio between different fluids included in the substance in the well.

35. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a tubular string material, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the tubular string material.

36. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a formation, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the formation.

37. The sensing system according to claim 36, wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of a fluid in the formation.

38. The sensing system according to claim 36, wherein the sensing system detects a location of a fluid in the formation.

39. The sensing system according to claim 36, wherein the sensing system detects a presence of a fracture in the formation.

40. The sensing system according to claim 36, wherein the sensing system detects a location of a fracture in the formation.

41. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein detection of the substance temperature by the sensing system is used to determine a heat transfer characteristic of a local well environment.

42. The sensing system according to claim 41, wherein the heat transfer characteristic is a heat capacity of the local well environment.

43. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the substance is a hardenable material positioned external to a tubular string, and wherein the temperature of the substance as detected by the first temperature sensor is used to determine a thermal property of the hardenable material.

45. The sensing system according to claim 12, wherein the laser is positioned in the well.

44. A fiber optic sensing system for use in detecting at least one property of a substance or heat transfer characteristic of a location proximate to the substance in a subterranean well, the sensing system comprising:

an optical fiber which transmits energy to a surface of a sensing device, the surface being heated as a result of the energy transmitted by the optical fiber; and

a temperature sensor which detects a temperature of the substance as heated by the surface, wherein the energy transmitted by the optical fiber heats a substrate on which the surface is disposed, and wherein the surface comprises a diamond material attached to the substrate, the diamond material having greater thermal conductivity than the substrate.