Cluster Uniformity Index via Remote Acoustic Sensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for evaluating perforation cluster performance in hydraulic fracturing wells face challenges due to high costs, labor-intensive deployment of traditional optical fiber cables, and signal strength issues from remote monitoring wells, which hinder accurate assessment of fluid flow and cluster uniformity.

Innovation Solution

A system utilizing a distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) system with disposable optical fiber cables in monitoring wells, enhanced by introducing a pressure pulse or modifying the treatment fluid's enthalpy of vaporization to increase acoustic emissions, allowing for remote measurement of fluid flow through perforation clusters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional optical fiber cable is used for acoustic sensing, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to additional materials and labor requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacoustic sensing precisionVSAvoiddeployment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs disposable optical fiber cables that are deployed inside the monitoring well casing and discarded after use. This eliminates the need for expensive traditional optical fiber cables and their associated mounting hardware, while still providing accurate acoustic sensing data for determining the cluster level uniformity index.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Ease of operation

If monitoring well is placed at remote location, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to low signal strength

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonitoring well accessibilityVSAvoidacoustic signal detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a pressure pulse into the treatment fluid flowing through the perforation clusters. This pressure pulse temporarily increases the intensity of acoustic emissions from the perforation clusters, thereby enhancing the acoustic signal strength detected by the optical fiber cable in the remotely located monitoring well, enabling accurate measurement despite the distance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If disposable optical fiber cable is used in hydraulic fracturing well, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to fluid flow and proppant degradation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptical fiber deployment simplicityVSAvoidoptical fiber cable integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the optical fiber cable from the hydraulic fracturing well environment and places it inside a separate monitoring well casing. This separation removes the optical fiber cable from exposure to the degrading fluid flow and proppant in the hydraulic fracturing well, thereby protecting it while still enabling acoustic sensing of the perforation clusters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Measurement precision

If pressure pulse is introduced to enhance acoustic emissions, then measurement precision is improved, but use of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacoustic emissions detection accuracyVSAvoidpressure pulse energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure pulse is introduced temporarily and periodically rather than continuously. This allows the acoustic emissions to be enhanced only when needed for measurement, reducing overall energy consumption while still achieving accurate determination of the cluster level uniformity index.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables accurate determination of cluster level uniformity index and real-time adjustments to hydraulic fracturing operations, improving the effectiveness of fluid flow and fracture creation in hydraulic fracturing wells.

Implementation Method 1

intensity of acoustic emissions produced by pressurized fluid flowing outward through a plurality of perforations

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic emissions: Acoustic Emission

Implementation Method 2

temporarily increase an intensity of acoustic emissions produced by pressurized fluid flowing outward through a plurality of perforations

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure pulse: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentUS12123298B1Determining cluster level uniformity index in hydraulic fracturing wells

Publication Date: 2024.10.22 HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES INC

AI summary

A system for evaluating the flow of pressurized fluid flowing through perforation clusters in a wellbore casing of a hydraulic fracturing wellbore. The system can temporarily increase an intensity of acoustic emissions produced by the pressurized fluid flowing through the perforation clusters and can employ an optical fiber-based acoustic sensing system disposed on or in a monitoring well residing in the formation but remotely from the hydraulic fracturing well to measure the acoustic emissions while the intensity of the acoustic emissions is temporarily increased. The measured acoustic emissions can be converted into a total flow rate of the pressurized fluid flowing through the perforation clusters, which can in turn be used to calculate a cluster level uniformity index for the hydraulic fracturing well.