SYSTEMS, MACHINES, PROGRAM PRODUCTS, TRANSMITTER ASSEMBLIES AND ASSOCIATED SENSORS TO EXPLORE AND ANALYZE SUBTERRANEAN GEOPHYSICAL FORMATIONS

• US 20150285946A1
• Filed: 06/22/2015
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Kamal, Rami Ahmed, Sanni, Modiu L., Kanj, Mazen Y.
• Granted Patent: US 9,513,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/09 Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells , e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/138 Devices entrained in the flow of well-bore fluid for transmitting data, control or actuation signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/00 Prospecting or detecting by methods combining techniques covered by two or more of main groups G01V1/00 - G01V9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

Systems, methods, and transmitter assemblies for exploring geophysical formations at great depths. In order to explore the formation, transmitter assemblies with a size less than 500 nanometers are inserted into the formation. The transmitter assemblies include sensors and propel through the formation, analyzing fluids and conditions as each moves through the formation. The transmitter assemblies can communicate with a machine on the surface via a series of receivers and transmitters located in the wellbore. The machine on the surface is able to combine and analyze the data from the nanorobots to create a three dimensional map of the formation. The map shows the locations of pathways through the formation, pockets of hydrocarbons within the formation, and the boundaries of the formation.

Claims

1. A system to measure properties in a geophysical formation, the system comprising:

a wellbore lining positioned in a wellbore;

a plurality of fixed radio frequency receivers spaced apart along the longitudinal extent of and connected to the wellbore lining to receive radio frequency transmissions at one or more preselected radio frequencies;

a plurality of transmitter assemblies positioned external to the wellbore lining and at a plurality of substantially horizontally and vertically spaced apart locations within the geophysical formation, each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies including;

a body,

a sensor connected to the body and positioned to detect the presence of one or more hydrocarbons within the geophysical formation, the sensor further detecting one or more of fluid type, temperature, pressure, petrophysical property, transmitter assembly trajectory, and transmitter assembly position;

a radio frequency transmitter connected to the body and configured to transmit positional data and hydrocarbon characteristic data from the geophysical formation when the transmitter assembly is positioned therein, and

a power supply connected to the body to supply power to the transmitter and the sensor;

a machine in communication with each of the plurality of fixed radio frequency receivers, the machine including a processor, a display in communication with the processor, and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored therein, wherein the program instructs the processor to perform the following steps;

receiving positional data from each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies, the positional data indicating the location of the transmitter assemblies at a point in time and comprising interior surface location data received from a plurality of the transmitter assemblies, each of the interior surface location data defining a sensed three-dimensional location of a point on an interior surface within the geophysical formation for the respective transmitter assembly;

plotting, responsive to receipt of the positional data, at least one positional data point for each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies;

combining the positional data from the plurality of transmitter assemblies to create a representation of a three-dimensional physical map of at least a portion of the geophysical formation, the physical map including an indication of a three dimensional location of each of the plurality transmitter assemblies within the interior surface of the geophysical formation;

receiving fluid data from each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies, the fluid data indicating the type and location of fluid located at each of the plurality of substantially horizontally and vertically spaced apart locations within the geophysical formation; and

creating a fluid map on the display by plotting the type and location of fluids onto the physical map, the fluid map comprising pathways through the geophysical formation, pockets of hydrocarbons within the geophysical formation, and interior surface boundaries of the geophysical formation.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the positional data includes the location of a point one or more transmitter assemblies contacted a surface within the geophysical formation.

3. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the positional data includes multiple location points from non-contact sensors.

4. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein the non-contact sensors include one or more of an ultrasonic sensor and a radio frequency sensor located on the transmitter assemblies.

5. A machine including a processor, a display in communication with the processor, and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored therein, wherein the program instructs the processor to perform the following steps:

receiving positional data from each of a plurality of transmitter assemblies, the positional data indicating the location of the transmitter assemblies at a point in time and comprising interior surface location data received from a plurality of the transmitter assemblies, the positional data including the location of a point one or more of the plurality of transmitter assemblies contacted a surface within the geophysical formation, each of the interior surface location data defining a sensed three-dimensional location of a point on an interior surface within a geophysical formation for the respective transmitter assembly;

plotting, responsive to receipt of the positional data, at least one positional data point for each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies;

combining the positional data from the plurality of transmitter assemblies to create a representation of a three-dimensional physical map of at least a portion of the geophysical formation, the physical map including an indication of a three dimensional location of each of the plurality transmitter assemblies within the interior surface of the geophysical formation;

receiving fluid data from each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies, the fluid data indicating the type and location of fluid located at each of the plurality of substantially horizontally and vertically spaced apart locations within the geophysical formation; and

creating a fluid map on the display by plotting the type and location of fluids onto the physical map, the fluid map comprising pathways through the geophysical formation, pockets of hydrocarbons within the geophysical formation, and interior surface boundaries of the geophysical formation.

6. A machine including a processor, a display in communication with the processor, and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored therein, wherein the program instructs the processor to perform the following steps:

receiving positional data from each of a plurality of transmitter assemblies, the positional data indicating the location of the transmitter assemblies at a point in time and comprising interior surface location data received from a plurality of the transmitter assemblies, the positional data including multiple location points from non-contact sensors, each of the interior surface location data defining a sensed three-dimensional location of a point on an interior surface within a geophysical formation for the respective transmitter assembly;

plotting, responsive to receipt of the positional data, at least one positional data point for each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies;

combining the positional data from the plurality of transmitter assemblies to create a representation of a three-dimensional physical map of at least a portion of the geophysical formation, the physical map including an indication of a three dimensional location of each of the plurality transmitter assemblies within the interior surface of the geophysical formation;

receiving fluid data from each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies, the fluid data indicating the type and location of fluid located at each of the plurality of substantially horizontally and vertically spaced apart locations within the geophysical formation; and

creating a fluid map on the display by plotting the type and location of fluids onto the physical map, the fluid map comprising pathways through the geophysical formation, pockets of hydrocarbons within the geophysical formation, and interior surface boundaries of the geophysical formation.

7. A machine including a processor, a display in communication with the processor, and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored therein, wherein the program instructs the processor to perform the following steps:

receiving positional data from each of a plurality of transmitter assemblies, the positional data indicating the location of the transmitter assemblies at a point in time and comprising interior surface location data received from a plurality of the transmitter assemblies, each of the interior surface location data defining a sensed three-dimensional location of a point on an interior surface within a geophysical formation for the respective transmitter assembly;

plotting, responsive to receipt of the positional data, at least one positional data point for each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies;

combining the positional data from the plurality of transmitter assemblies to create a representation of a three-dimensional physical map of at least a portion of the geophysical formation, the physical map including an indication of a three dimensional location of each of the plurality transmitter assemblies within the interior surface of the geophysical formation;

receiving fluid data from each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies, the fluid data indicating the type and location of fluid located at each of the plurality of substantially horizontally and vertically spaced apart locations within the geophysical formation;

creating a fluid map on the display by plotting the type and location of fluids onto the physical map, the fluid map comprising pathways through the geophysical formation, pockets of hydrocarbons within the geophysical formation, and interior surface boundaries of the geophysical formation; and

interpolating fluid data to identify a three-dimensional region filled with a homogenous fluid thereby to define a fluid pocket within the geophysical formation.

8. Program product, stored on a tangible, non-transient computer memory media, operable on a computer, the program product, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to perform the operations of:

receiving positional data from each of a plurality of transmitter assemblies, the positional data indicating the location of the transmitter assemblies at a point in time and comprising interior surface location data received from a plurality of the transmitter assemblies, the positional data including the location of a point one or more of the plurality of transmitter assemblies contacted a surface within the geophysical formation, each of the interior surface location data defining a sensed three-dimensional location of a point on an interior surface within a geophysical formation for the respective transmitter assembly;

plotting, responsive to receipt of the positional data, at least one positional data point for each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies;

combining the positional data from the plurality of transmitter assemblies to create a representation of a three-dimensional physical map of at least a portion of the geophysical formation, the physical map including an indication of a three dimensional location of each of the plurality transmitter assemblies within the interior surface of the geophysical formation;

receiving fluid data from each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies, the fluid data indicating the type and location of fluid located at each of the plurality of substantially horizontally and vertically spaced apart locations within the geophysical formation; and

creating a fluid map on the display by plotting the type and location of fluids onto the physical map, the fluid map comprising pathways through the geophysical formation, pockets of hydrocarbons within the geophysical formation, and interior surface boundaries of the geophysical formation.

9. Program product, stored on a tangible, non-transient computer memory media, operable on a computer, the program product, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to perform the operations of:

receiving positional data from each of a plurality of transmitter assemblies, the positional data indicating the location of the transmitter assemblies at a point in time and comprising interior surface location data received from a plurality of the transmitter assemblies, the positional data including multiple location points from non-contact sensors, each of the interior surface location data defining a sensed three-dimensional location of a point on an interior surface within a geophysical formation for the respective transmitter assembly;

plotting, responsive to receipt of the positional data, at least one positional data point for each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies;

combining the positional data from the plurality of transmitter assemblies to create a representation of a three-dimensional physical map of at least a portion of the geophysical formation, the physical map including an indication of a three dimensional location of each of the plurality transmitter assemblies within the interior surface of the geophysical formation;

receiving fluid data from each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies, the fluid data indicating the type and location of fluid located at each of the plurality of substantially horizontally and vertically spaced apart locations within the geophysical formation; and

creating a fluid map on the display by plotting the type and location of fluids onto the physical map, the fluid map comprising pathways through the geophysical formation, pockets of hydrocarbons within the geophysical formation, and interior surface boundaries of the geophysical formation.

10. Program product, stored on a tangible, non-transient computer memory media, operable on a computer, the program product, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to perform the operations of:

receiving positional data from each of a plurality of transmitter assemblies, the positional data indicating the location of the transmitter assemblies at a point in time and comprising interior surface location data received from a plurality of the transmitter assemblies, each of the interior surface location data defining a sensed three-dimensional location of a point on an interior surface within a geophysical formation for the respective transmitter assembly;

plotting, responsive to receipt of the positional data, at least one positional data point for each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies;

combining the positional data from the plurality of transmitter assemblies to create a representation of a three-dimensional physical map of at least a portion of the geophysical formation, the physical map including an indication of a three dimensional location of each of the plurality transmitter assemblies within the interior surface of the geophysical formation;

receiving fluid data from each of the plurality of transmitter assemblies, the fluid data indicating the type and location of fluid located at each of the plurality of substantially horizontally and vertically spaced apart locations within the geophysical formation;

creating a fluid map on the display by plotting the type and location of fluids onto the physical map, the fluid map comprising pathways through the geophysical formation, pockets of hydrocarbons within the geophysical formation, and interior surface boundaries of the geophysical formation; and

interpolating fluid data to identify a three-dimensional region filled with a homogenous fluid thereby to define a fluid pocket within the geophysical formation.

11. A transmitter assembly, the transmitter assembly comprising:

a body;

a sensor connected to the body and positioned to detect the presence of one or more hydrocarbons within the geophysical formation, the sensor further detecting one or more of fluid type, temperature, pressure, petrophysical property, transmitter assembly trajectory, and transmitter assembly position;

a radio frequency transmitter connected to the body and configured to transmit positional data and hydrocarbon characteristic data from the geophysical formation when the transmitter assembly is positioned therein, the positional data indicating the location of the transmitter assembly at a point in time and comprising interior surface location data, the interior surface location data defining a sensed three-dimensional location of a point on an interior surface within a geophysical formation for the transmitter assembly; and

a power supply connected to the body to supply power to the transmitter and the sensor.

12. A transmitter assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein the non-contact sensors include one or more of an ultrasonic sensor and a radio frequency sensor located on the transmitter assemblies.