System and method for monitoring fluid flow in a wellbore using acoustic telemetry
First Claim
1. An electro-acoustic telemetry system for monitoring fluid flow in a wellbore, the wellbore penetrating into a subsurface formation, and the telemetry system comprising:
- a production tubing disposed in the wellbore, the production tubing being comprised of threadedly-connected pipe joints;
one or more gas lift valves placed along the production tubing;
at least one sensor disposed along the production tubing adjacent each of the one or more gas lift valves, each sensor designed to measure a parameter indicative of fluid flow within the production tubing adjacent the one or more gas lift valves;
one or more sensor communications nodes associated with and in electrical communication with one of the at least one sensors and configured to receive signals from the associated sensor indicative of fluid flow;
a topside communications node placed along the wellbore proximate a surface;
a plurality of intermediate communications nodes spaced along the wellbore and attached to a pipe string, the intermediate communications nodes including a transceiver in acoustic contact with the production tubing and configured to transmit acoustic waves from node-to-node along the wellbore using the production tubing as a transmission medium for the acoustic waves from the one or more sensor communications nodes to the topside communications node; and
wherein each of the intermediate communications nodes comprises;
a sealed housing;
an electro-acoustic transducer and associated transceiver residing within the housing, with the transceiver being designed to relay signals from node-to-node up the wellbore, with each signal representing a packet of information that comprises an acoustic waveform representing fluid flow data; and
an independent power source residing within the housing providing power to the transceiver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electro-acoustic system for downhole telemetry is provided herein. The system employs a series of communications nodes spaced along a string of production tubing within a wellbore. The nodes allow for wireless communication between transceivers residing within the communications nodes and a receiver at the surface. More specifically, the transceivers provide for node-to-node communication up a wellbore at high data transmission rates for data indicative of fluid flow within the production tubing adjacent gas lift valves. A method of monitoring the flow of fluid gas lift valves is also provided herein. The method uses a plurality of data transmission nodes situated along the production tubing which send signals to a receiver at the surface. The signals are then analyzed to determine gas lift valve operation and fluid flow data.
155 Citations
46 Claims
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1. An electro-acoustic telemetry system for monitoring fluid flow in a wellbore, the wellbore penetrating into a subsurface formation, and the telemetry system comprising:
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a production tubing disposed in the wellbore, the production tubing being comprised of threadedly-connected pipe joints; one or more gas lift valves placed along the production tubing; at least one sensor disposed along the production tubing adjacent each of the one or more gas lift valves, each sensor designed to measure a parameter indicative of fluid flow within the production tubing adjacent the one or more gas lift valves; one or more sensor communications nodes associated with and in electrical communication with one of the at least one sensors and configured to receive signals from the associated sensor indicative of fluid flow; a topside communications node placed along the wellbore proximate a surface; a plurality of intermediate communications nodes spaced along the wellbore and attached to a pipe string, the intermediate communications nodes including a transceiver in acoustic contact with the production tubing and configured to transmit acoustic waves from node-to-node along the wellbore using the production tubing as a transmission medium for the acoustic waves from the one or more sensor communications nodes to the topside communications node; and wherein each of the intermediate communications nodes comprises; a sealed housing; an electro-acoustic transducer and associated transceiver residing within the housing, with the transceiver being designed to relay signals from node-to-node up the wellbore, with each signal representing a packet of information that comprises an acoustic waveform representing fluid flow data; and an independent power source residing within the housing providing power to the transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of monitoring fluid flow along a wellbore, the wellbore penetrating into a subsurface formation, and the method comprising:
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running joints of production tubing into the wellbore to form a pipe string; placing one or more gas lift valves along the pipe string; placing at least one sensor along the pipe string adjacent each of the one or more gas lift valves, each sensor designed to measure a parameter indicative of fluid flow within the wellbore; attaching a sensor communications node to the pipe string adjacent each gas lift valve, each sensor communications node being in electrical communication with an associated sensor and configured to receive signals from the associated sensor indicative of fluid flow; attaching a topside communications node to the pipe string proximate a surface of the wellbore; and attaching a series of intermediate communications nodes to the pipe string according to a pre-designated spacing, the intermediate communications nodes in electrical communication with one of the at least one sensors configured to acoustically transmit acoustic waves from the sensor communications nodes to the topside communications node; and wherein each of the intermediate communications nodes comprises; a sealed housing; an electro-acoustic transducer and associated transceiver residing within the housing configured to relay signals from node-to-node up the wellbore, with each signal representing a packet of information that comprises an acoustic waveform representing fluid flow data; and an independent power source also residing within the housing for providing power to the transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification