Detecting broadside and directional acoustic signals with a fiber optical distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) assembly

• US 9,080,949 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shell USA Incorporated (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Mestayer, Jeffery Joseph, Wills, Peter Berkeley
• Primary Examiner(s): Stahl, Mike
• Application Number:
  US13/518,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20130211726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,666 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 9/004 using fibre optic sensors light guides per se G02B6/00, acousto-optical devices specially adapted for gating or modulating in optical wave guides G02F1/125
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/044 Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2418 using optoacoustic interaction with the material, e.g. laser radiation, photoacoustics photoacoustic cells G01N21/1702; measuring characteristics of vibrations by using radiation-sensitive means G01H9/00; acousto-optical conversion techniques for short-range imaging G01S15/8965; sound-producing devices using laser bundle G10K15/046

Abstract

A Distributed Acoustic Sensing(DAS) fiber optical assembly comprises adjacent lengths of optical fiber A, B with different directional acoustic sensitivities, for example by providing the first length of optical fiber A with a first coating 35, such as acrylate, and the second length of optical fiber B with a second coating 36, such as copper, wherein the first and second coatings 35 and 36 may be selected such that the Poisson'"'"'s ratio of the first length of coated fiber A is different from the Poisson'"'"'s ratio of the second length of coated fiber B. The different Poisson'"'"'s ratios and/or other properties of the adjacent lengths of optical fiber A and B improve their directional acoustic sensitivity and their ability to detect broadside (radial) acoustic waves.

Claims

1. A Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) fiber optical assembly comprising at least two lengths of adjacent optical fiber with different directional acoustic sensitivities wherein the at least two lengths of adjacent optical fiber comprise a first length of optical fiber with a first ratio between its axial and radial acoustic sensitivity and a second length of optical fiber with a second ratio between its axial and radial acoustic sensitivity, wherein the second ratio is different from the first ratio.

2. The DAS assembly of claim 1, wherein the first ratio is between 100 and 300 and the second ratio is between 300 and 700.

3. The DAS assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least two lengths of adjacent optical fiber comprise a first length of coated fiber having a first coating and a second length of coated fiber having a second coating, wherein the first and second coatings are selected such that one of the Young'"'"'s Modulus and the Poisson'"'"'s ratio of the first length of coated fiber is less than the corresponding property of the second length of coated fiber.

4. The DAS assembly of claim 1, wherein the first length of optical fiber has an acrylate coating and the second length of optical fiber has a copper coating.

5. The DAS assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least two lengths of adjacent optical fiber comprise a first length of optical fiber with a first diameter and a second length of optical fiber with a second diameter.

6. The DAS assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least two lengths of adjacent optical fiber comprise adjacent sections of a single fiber optic cable having a coating with at least one property that varies along the length of the cable, the at least one property being selected from the group consisting of Poisson'"'"'s ratio and Young'"'"'s modulus.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first ratio is between 1 and 300 and the second ratio is between 300 and 700.

7. A directionally sensitive Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) method, the method comprising deploying a DAS fiber optical assembly comprising at least two lengths of adjacent optical with different directional acoustic sensitivities wherein the at least two lengths of adjacent optical fiber comprise a first length of optical fiber with a first ratio between its axial and radial acoustic sensitivity and a second length of optical fiber with a second ratio between its axial and radial acoustic sensitivity, wherein the second ratio is different from the first ratio.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method is used for creating an image of a subsurface and comprises the steps of:

a) deploying a fiber optic cable comprising a first fiber having a first coating and a second fiber having a second coating, wherein the first and second coatings are selected such that the Poisson'"'"'s ratio of the first coated fiber is less than the Poisson'"'"'s ratio of the second coated fiber;

b) transmitting a seismic signal into the subsurface;

c) recording a first data set on the first fiber and a second data set on the second fiber, said data sets including signals received as a result of the seismic signal in step b);

d) adjusting at least a portion of the first data set with at least a portion of the second data set so as to obtain an output data set that is indicative of portions of received signals travelling through the subsurface in an axial and radial direction with respect to the cable;

e) using the output data set to create an image of the subsurface.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein step a) comprises deploying the cable in a deviated borehole.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein a portion of the borehole is deviated at least 45 degrees from vertical and at least a portion of the cable is deployed in the deviated portion.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one coating has at least one property that varies along the length of the cable, the at least one property being selected from the group consisting of Poisson'"'"'s ratio and Young'"'"'s modulus.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the first ratio is between 1 and 300 and the second ratio is between 300 and 700.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the first ratio is between 100 and 300 and the second ratio is between 300 and 700.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the first length of optical fiber has an acrylate coating and the second length of optical fiber has a copper coating.