Microhydraulic fracturing with downhole acoustic measurement
First Claim
1. A system for measuring acoustic signals during a fracturing operation:
- a downhole toolstring designed and adapted for deployment in a borehole formed within a subterranean rock formation;
a downhole rock fracturing tool forming part of the toolstring, designed and adapted to open and propagate a fracture in the rock formation using borehole fluid;
a first and second member designed and positioned to seal a region between the toolstring and a wall of the borehole such that an annular region is defined by the tool housing, the borehole wall, and the first and second members;
one or more acoustic sources mounted to the toolstring, designed and adapted to transmit acoustic energy into the rock formation and a fluid in the borehole; and
one or more sensors mounted to the toolstring, designed and adapted to measure an acoustic response of the formation and the fluid, indicative of a parameter of the fracture propagating in the rock formation;
wherein at least one of the one or more acoustic sources or the one or more acoustic sensors is mounted outside of the annular region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and related systems are described for measuring acoustic signals in a borehole during a fracturing operation. The system includes a downhole toolstring designed and adapted for deployment in a borehole formed within a subterranean rock formation. A downhole rock fracturing tool opens and propagates a fracture in the subterranean rock formation. Dipole and/or quadrupole acoustic sources transmit acoustic energy into the subterranean rock formation. A receiver array measures acoustic energy traveling through the subterranean rock formation before, during and after the fracture induction. Geophones mounted on extendable arms can be used to measure shear wave acoustic energy travelling in the rock formation. The toolstring can be constructed such that the sources and receivers straddle the fracture zone during the fracturing. Alternatively, the sources or the receivers can co-located axially with the fracture zone, or the toolstring can be repositioned following fracturing such that the fracture zone is between the acoustic sources and receivers.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A system for measuring acoustic signals during a fracturing operation:
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a downhole toolstring designed and adapted for deployment in a borehole formed within a subterranean rock formation; a downhole rock fracturing tool forming part of the toolstring, designed and adapted to open and propagate a fracture in the rock formation using borehole fluid; a first and second member designed and positioned to seal a region between the toolstring and a wall of the borehole such that an annular region is defined by the tool housing, the borehole wall, and the first and second members; one or more acoustic sources mounted to the toolstring, designed and adapted to transmit acoustic energy into the rock formation and a fluid in the borehole; and one or more sensors mounted to the toolstring, designed and adapted to measure an acoustic response of the formation and the fluid, indicative of a parameter of the fracture propagating in the rock formation; wherein at least one of the one or more acoustic sources or the one or more acoustic sensors is mounted outside of the annular region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for measuring acoustic signals during a fracturing operation, comprising:
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positioning a downhole toolstring in a borehole formed within a subterranean rock formation; inducing fracturing in the subterranean rock formation using borehole fluid via a rock fracturing tool forming part of the toolstring, further comprising; sealing an annular region that is a volume bounded by a first sealing member, a second sealing member, the outer surface of the toolstring, and a borehole wall; transmitting acoustic energy into the rock formation and a fluid in the borehole using one or more acoustic sources mounted to the toolstring; and measuring an acoustic response of the formation and the borehole fluid using one or more sensors mounted to the toolstring, indicative of a parameter of the fracture propagating in the formation; wherein at least one of the one or more acoustic sources or the one or more acoustic sensors is mounted outside of the annular region. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification