Mapping and monitoring of hydraulic fractures using vector magnetometers

• US 9,638,821 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2015
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Meyer, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nasir, Taqi
• Application Number:
  US14/659,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20150268373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 324221, 324324, 324333, 324338, 324346, 324351, 324355, 324368, 324372, 324301, 324350, 324389, 32420721, 324244-263, 324307, 507270, 507269, 507279
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/032 using magneto-optic devices, e.g. Faraday or Cotton-Mouton effect
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/081 the magnetic field is produced by the objects or geological structures characterised by the method of magnetic field measurement G01R33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/26 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified either by the surrounding earth formation or by the detecting device with electromagnetic waves G01V3/30

Abstract

A method for mapping and monitoring of hydraulic fracture includes capturing, using an array of sensors, a first magnetic image of a well pay zone. A second magnetic image is captured using the array of sensors, after a well bore is padded with a fluid. A background is established based on the first and the second magnetic images. A third magnetic image is captured using the array of sensors, after a doped proppant is injected into a stage. The third image is processed to subtract the background and to obtain information regarding distribution of the fluid and the proppant in the stage.

Claims

1. A method for mapping and monitoring of hydraulic fracture, the method comprising:

capturing, using an array of sensors, a first magnetic image of a well pay zone, the first magnetic image comprising a baseline magnetic profile including Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, and remnant sources of magnetism in the well pay zone, the first magnetic image comprising a first set of one of more vector measurements using the array of sensors;

injecting a fluid into a well bore;

capturing, using the array of sensors, a second magnetic image after the well bore is padded with the fluid, the second magnetic image comprising a second set of one of more vector measurements using the array of sensors;

establishing a background based on the first and the second magnetic images;

injecting a doped proppant into a stage of the well bore;

capturing, using the array of sensors, a third magnetic image after the doped proppant is injected into the stage, the third magnetic image comprising a third set of one of more vector measurements using the array of sensors; and

processing the third image to subtract the background and to obtain information regarding distribution of the fluid and the proppant in the stage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the array of sensor comprises magnetic sensors, wherein the magnetic sensors comprise diamond nitrogen-vacancy (DNV) sensors.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging at least some sensors of the array of sensors on a surface area of the well pay zone.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning at least some sensors of the array of sensors in locations within or near the well bore.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the background comprises combining the first and the second magnetic images, wherein combining the first and the second magnetic images comprises subtracting the first magnetic image from the second magnetic image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the proppant comprises a magnetic material, wherein the magnetic material comprises a ferromagnetic material, wherein the fluid comprises a fracking fluid.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing the information regarding distribution of the fluid and the proppant in the stage for adjusting fracking parameters before pursuing other stages, wherein fracking parameters comprise a fluid pressure and a time duration of application of the fluid pressure.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising beginning fracking from a first stage located at a toe of the well bore and continuing fracking other stages by moving away from the first stage.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising performing steps of the method after each new stage of the well to obtain updated information regarding distribution of the fluid and the proppant.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising processing images obtained after fracking multiple stages to obtain a distribution map of the fluid and the proppant, wherein the map comprises a three dimensional map.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising obtaining the distribution map of the fluid and the proppant by combining the information from magnetic images with information from other monitoring modalities, wherein the other modalities include micro-seismic mapping.

12. A system for mapping and monitoring of hydraulic fracture, the system comprising:

an array of sensors configured to capture magnetic images, wherein the magnetic images comprises a first magnetic image of a well pay zone, and a second magnetic image comprises a magnetic image captured after a well bore is padded with a fluid, the first magnetic image comprising a baseline magnetic profile including Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, and remnant sources of magnetism in the well pay zone, the first magnetic image comprising a first set of one of more vector measurements using the array of sensors, the second magnetic image comprising a second set of one of more vector measurements using the array of sensors; and

a processor configured to provide a background image based on the first and the second magnetic images,

wherein;

a third magnetic image is captured by the array of sensors after a doped proppant is injected into a stage, the third magnetic image comprising a third set of one of more vector measurements using the array of sensors, and

the processor is configured to process the third magnetic image to subtract the background and to obtain information regarding distribution of the fluid and the proppant in the stage.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the array of sensor comprises magnetic sensors, wherein the magnetic sensors comprise diamond nitrogen-vacancy (DNV) sensors.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein at least some sensors of the array of sensors are arranged on a surface area of a well pay zone, wherein at least some sensors of the array of sensors are positioned in locations within or near the well bore.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to provide the background by combining the first and the second magnetic images, wherein combining the first and the second magnetic images comprises subtracting the first magnetic image from the second magnetic image.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the proppant comprises a magnetic material, wherein the magnetic material comprises a ferromagnetic material, wherein he fluid comprises a fracking fluid.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to utilize the information regarding distribution of the fluid and the proppant in the stage to provide adjusted fracking parameters before pursuing other stages, wherein fracking parameters comprise a fluid pressure and a time duration of application of the fluid pressure.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to process images obtained after fracking multiple stages to obtain a distribution map of the fluid and the proppant, wherein the map comprises a three dimensional map.

19. A method comprising:

capturing a first image of a well pay zone, the first image comprising a baseline magnetic profile including Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, and remnant sources of magnetism in the well pay zone, the first magnetic image comprising a first set of one of more vector measurements;

capturing a second image after a well bore is padded with a fluid, the second image comprising a second set of one of more vector measurements using the array of sensors;

providing a background image based on the first and the second images;

capturing a third image after a doped proppant is injected into a stage, the third image comprising a third set of one of more vector measurements using the array of sensors; and

processing the third image to subtract the background and to obtain information regarding distribution of the fluid and the proppant in the stage,

wherein the first, second, and third images comprise magnetic images.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein capturing the first, second, and third images are performed by using an array of magnetic sensors, wherein the magnetic sensors comprise diamond nitrogen-vacancy (DNV) sensors.