System and method for making distributed measurements using fiber optic cable

• US 9,234,999 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shell USA Incorporated (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Koelman, Johannes Maria Vianney Antonius, Wills, Peter Berkeley, Molenaar, Menno Mathieu, Cox, Barbara Ellen, Joinson, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah, Akm Enayet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mooney, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/996,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20130294720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 385 12- 13, 250/227.14, 250/227.18
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/353 influencing the transmission properties of an optical fibre
• 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: G02B 6/10 of the optical waveguide type G02B6/02, G02B6/24 take precedence; devices or arrangements for the control of light by electric, magnetic, electro-magnetic or acoustic means G02F1/00; transferring the modulation of modulated light G02F2/00; optical logic elements G02F3/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/562 locatable, e.g. using magnetic means

Abstract

A method for determining the physical location of a fiber optic channel in a fiber optic cable comprises the steps of a) providing at least one location key having a known physical location, b) establishing the location of the location key with respect to the fiber optic channel, and c) using the location information established in step b) to determine the physical location of the channel. The location key may comprises an acoustic source, a section of fiber optic cable that is acoustically masked, or at least one magnetic field source and step b) comprises using a Lorentz force to establish the location of the magnetic field source with respect to the fiber optic channel.

Claims

1. A method for determining the physical location of a fiber optic channel in a fiber optic cable within a well-bore, which comprises the steps of:

a) providing at least one location key having a known physical location;

b) establishing the location of the location key with respect to the fiber optic channel; and

c) using the location information established in step b) to determine the physical location of the channel;

wherein step a) has the location key comprised of the movement of a tool hitting or rubbing against the inside of the well-bore and step b) comprises of the time-depth pairs given by the contractor of the location of the tool with respect to time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic cable follows the well-bore.

3. The method of claim 1, including a step of interpolating depth between total depth and surface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein relying on noise made when the tool hits casing collar locators as the well is logged.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tool comprises gauge collars.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the tool is a wireline tool that is being lowered into the well-bore.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking the tool.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking the position of the tool as a function of time, while recording distributed signals from the fiber optic cable over the same period, and subsequently correlating the distributed signals to the position information of the tool.