Methods of employing and using a hybrid transponder system for long-range sensing and 3D localizaton
First Claim
1. A method of determining a size, extent, and orientation of a hydraulic fracture of a reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
- injecting a fluid carrying a plurality of transponders into a hydraulic fracture through a wellbore, the fluid injected through casing perforations and at least one fracture aperture;
actuating each of the plurality of transponders by a reader to provide an acoustic return signal to the reader, the plurality of transponders each comprising a radiofrequency (RF) identification circuit including an RF antenna and an acoustic transmitter, the reader comprising an RF antenna to actuate the plurality of transponders, and a pair of spaced apart acoustic receivers, the actuating including selectively activating one or more transponders defining a subset of the plurality of transponders, with a remainder of the plurality of transponders located outside an extent of primary portions of a RF radiation pattern associated with the RF antenna of the reader, remaining unactivated;
receiving at least portions of the acoustic return signal from each respective transponder of the subset of the plurality of transponders, the receiving at least portions of the acoustic return signal performed by each of the pair of spaced apart acoustic receivers responsive to;
determining a three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of transponders responsive to receiving the at least portions of the acoustic return signal by each of the pair of acoustic receivers; and
determining characteristics of the hydraulic fracture responsive to the determining the three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of transponders.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods of employing and using a hybrid transponder system to determine the size, extent, and orientation of a hydraulic fracture of a reservoir, are provided. An exemplary method can include the steps of inserting a plurality of transponders into a fluid, injecting the fluid carrying the transponders through casing perforations and at least one fracture aperture in a wellbore and into a hydraulic fracture, actuating each of the transponders by a reader to provide an acoustic return signal to the reader, determining a three-dimensional position of each of the transponders, mapping the location of the each of the transponders, and determining characteristics of the hydraulic fracture responsive to the three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of transponders. The method can be implemented utilizing a reader including an RF transmitter and one or more acoustic receivers along with typically a substantial plurality of transponders each containing an RF receiver and an acoustic transmitter.
48 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of determining a size, extent, and orientation of a hydraulic fracture of a reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
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injecting a fluid carrying a plurality of transponders into a hydraulic fracture through a wellbore, the fluid injected through casing perforations and at least one fracture aperture; actuating each of the plurality of transponders by a reader to provide an acoustic return signal to the reader, the plurality of transponders each comprising a radiofrequency (RF) identification circuit including an RF antenna and an acoustic transmitter, the reader comprising an RF antenna to actuate the plurality of transponders, and a pair of spaced apart acoustic receivers, the actuating including selectively activating one or more transponders defining a subset of the plurality of transponders, with a remainder of the plurality of transponders located outside an extent of primary portions of a RF radiation pattern associated with the RF antenna of the reader, remaining unactivated; receiving at least portions of the acoustic return signal from each respective transponder of the subset of the plurality of transponders, the receiving at least portions of the acoustic return signal performed by each of the pair of spaced apart acoustic receivers responsive to; determining a three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of transponders responsive to receiving the at least portions of the acoustic return signal by each of the pair of acoustic receivers; and determining characteristics of the hydraulic fracture responsive to the determining the three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of transponders. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of determining a size, extent, and orientation of a hydraulic fracture of a reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
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injecting a fluid carrying a plurality of transponders into a hydraulic fracture through a wellbore, the fluid injected through casing perforations and at least one fracture aperture; deploying a reader into the wellbore adjacent the hydraulic fracture; actuating each of the plurality of transponders by the reader to provide an acoustic return signal to the reader, to include; rotating and actuating an RF antenna of the reader to selectively activate one or more transponders defining a subset of the plurality of transponders, with a remainder of the plurality of transponders located outside an extent of primary portions of a corresponding RF radiation pattern remaining unactivated; systematically adjusting a reader transmission power level of a radiofrequency signal transmitted to the one or more transponders defining the subset of the plurality of transponders to thereby selectively activate each respective transponder in the subset of transponders receiving the radiofrequency signal at a threshold radiofrequency signal power level, and each respective transponder of the subset of transponders actuating responsive to receiving the radiofrequency signal at or above the threshold power level, with a remainder of the plurality of transponders receiving the radiofrequency signal at a level below the threshold radiofrequency signal power level remaining unactivated; wherein the step of determining a three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of transponders, to include; comparing the reader transmission power level required to maintain actuation of the respective transponder to a calibrated power-range response model or table to thereby determine a range of the respective transponder, and identifying an approximate center of positive response of the respective transponder responsive to rotation of the antenna of the reader to thereby determine the approximate azimuth of each respective transponder in the subset of transponders; and determining characteristics of the hydraulic fracture responsive to the determining the three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of transponders. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method of determining a size, extent, and orientation of a hydraulic fracture of a reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
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inserting a plurality of transponders into a fluid, each of the plurality of transponders comprising a passive radiofrequency identification circuit including; an RF antenna configured to receive a radiofrequency (RF) signal or signals defining a command RF signal, and an acoustic transmitter configured to transmit one or more acoustic signals defining an acoustic return signal; injecting the fluid carrying the plurality of transponders into a hydraulic fracture through a wellbore, the fluid injected through casing perforations and at least one fracture aperture; deploying a reader within the wellbore, the reader dimensioned to be deployed within the wellbore and comprising;
an RF transmitter operably coupled to an RF antenna and configured to transmit the command RF signal and at least one acoustic receiver configured to receive acoustic return signals;actuating each of the plurality of transponders by the reader to provide an acoustic return signal to the reader, the actuating including selectively actuating each of a plurality of different subsets of the plurality of transponders by the reader, comprising the steps of; selectively activating one or more transponders defining one of the subsets of the plurality of transponders, with a remainder of the plurality of transponders located outside an extent of primary portions of a corresponding radiation pattern remaining unactivated, the step of activating including; transmitting the command RF signal, and rotating the RF antenna of the reader, receiving at least portions of an acoustic return signal transmitted from each transponder of the one or more transponders in response to receiving and being activated by at least portions of the RF command signal, identifying an approximate center of positive response for each transponder of the one or more transponders responsive to the rotating the antenna of the reader and the receiving of respective at least portions of an acoustic return signal transmitted therefrom, determining an approximate azimuth of each of the one or more of the plurality of transponders, repeating performing the steps of rotating the RF antenna of the reader, receiving at least portions of an acoustic return signal, and identifying an approximate center of positive response for each of the one or more transponders of each other subset of transponders until determining the approximate azimuth for each of the plurality of transponders; determining a three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of transponders responsive to determining the approximate azimuth of each of the plurality of transponders; and determining characteristics of the hydraulic fracture responsive to the determining of the three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of transponders. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of determining a size, extent, and orientation of a hydraulic fracture of a reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
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inserting a plurality of transponders into a fluid, each of the plurality of transponders comprising a passive radiofrequency identification circuit including an RF antenna and an acoustic transmitter; injecting the fluid carrying the plurality of transponders into a hydraulic fracture through a wellbore, the fluid injected through casing perforations and at least one fracture aperture; deploying a reader within the wellbore, the reader dimensioned to be deployed within the wellbore and comprising an RF transmitter and at least one acoustic receiver; actuating each of the plurality of transponders by a reader to provide an acoustic return signal to the reader, the actuating including selectively actuating each of a plurality of different subsets of the plurality of transponders by the reader to include; rotating the antenna of the reader to selectively activate one or more transponders defining a subset of the plurality of different subsets of the plurality of transponders, with a remainder of the plurality of transponders located outside an extent of primary portions of a corresponding rotating radiation pattern remaining unactivated, each respective transponder of the subset of transponders actuating responsive to receiving the radiofrequency signal at or above a threshold radiofrequency signal power level, with a remainder of the plurality of transponders receiving the radiofrequency signal at a level below the threshold radiofrequency signal power level remaining unactivated; for each of the plurality of transponders; receiving at least portions of an acoustic return signal from the respective transponder when actuated, identifying an approximate center of positive response of the respective transponder responsive to rotation of the antenna of the reader to thereby determine an approximate azimuth of the respective transponder, systematically adjusting reader transmission power level of the radiofrequency signal being transmitted to thereby selectively activate the respective transponder when receiving the radiofrequency signal at or above the threshold radiofrequency signal power level, and comparing the reader transmission power level required to maintain actuation of the respective transponder to a calibrated power-range response model or table to thereby determine an approximate range of the respective transponder; translating the antenna of the reader axially along a main axis of the wellbore; for each of the plurality of transponders; actuating the respective transponder to provide an acoustic return signal to the reader, receiving at least portions of the acoustic return signal from the respective transponder when actuated, identifying an approximate center of affirmative response of the respective transponder responsive to translation of the antenna of the reader to thereby determine the approximate location of the respective transponder with respect to a reference location along a main axis of the wellbore, and determining a three-dimensional position of the respective transponder responsive to identification of the approximate azimuth, range, and axial location of the respective transponder; and determining an extent and orientation of the hydraulic fracture responsive to the determining the three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of transponders. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification