System and methods using fiber optics in coiled tubing
First Claim
1. A method of treating a subterranean formation intersected by a wellbore comprising the steps of:
- deploying a fiber optic tether into a coiled tubing, the fiber optic tether having a degree of slack relative to the coiled tubing;
deploying the coiled tubing, a borehole tool and a sensor into the wellbore;
optically connecting the fiber optic tether to the borehole tool and the sensor;
performing a stimulation well treatment operation with the borehole tool, wherein the stimulation well treatment operation comprises at least one adjustable parameter;
operating the sensor to obtain a measured property related to the stimulation well treatment operation;
using the fiber optic tether to convey the measured property; and
adjusting the least one adjustable parameter of the stimulation well treatment operation in real time based on the measured property.
1 Assignment
2 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus having a fiber optic tether disposed in coiled tubing for communicating information between downhole tools and sensors and surface equipment and methods of operating such equipment. Wellbore operations performed using the fiber optic enabled coiled tubing apparatus includes transmitting control signals from the surface equipment to the downhole equipment over the fiber optic tether, transmitting information gathered from at least one downhole sensor to the surface equipment over the fiber optic tether, or collecting information by measuring an optical property observed on the fiber optic tether. The downhole tools or sensors connected to the fiber optic tether may either include devices that manipulate or respond to optical signal directly or tools or sensors that operate according to conventional principles.
147 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method of treating a subterranean formation intersected by a wellbore comprising the steps of:
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deploying a fiber optic tether into a coiled tubing, the fiber optic tether having a degree of slack relative to the coiled tubing; deploying the coiled tubing, a borehole tool and a sensor into the wellbore; optically connecting the fiber optic tether to the borehole tool and the sensor; performing a stimulation well treatment operation with the borehole tool, wherein the stimulation well treatment operation comprises at least one adjustable parameter; operating the sensor to obtain a measured property related to the stimulation well treatment operation; using the fiber optic tether to convey the measured property; and adjusting the least one adjustable parameter of the stimulation well treatment operation in real time based on the measured property. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of performing an operation in a subterranean wellbore comprising:
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deploying a non-cable fiber optic tether into a coiled tubing; deploying the coiled tubing, a borehole tool and a sensor into the wellbore; optically connecting the fiber optic tether to the borehole tool and the sensor; operating the sensor to obtain a measured property related to the operation; sending the measured property to a control system over the fiber optic tether; and transmitting control signals from the control system to the borehole tool over the fiber optic tether to adjust the operation based on the measured property. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for performing an operation in a wellbore, comprising:
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coiled tubing adapted to be disposed in a wellbore; surface control equipment; a borehole tool connected to the coiled tubing and comprising a measurement device for measuring a property related to the operation; and a fiber optic tether installed in the coiled tubing and optically connected to each of the borehole tool, the measurement device and the surface control equipment, the fiber optic tether comprising a first optical fiber for transmission of signals from the measurement device to the surface control equipment and a second optical fiber for transmission of signals from the surface control equipment to the borehole tool to adjust the operation based on the measured property. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification