Downhole Optical Deposit Analysis System
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Solution Overview
Problem
In oil and gas exploration, characterizing downhole fluid compositions to identify clogging deposits is time-consuming and inefficient, often requiring multiple chemical trials and non-productive time due to the inability to determine the deposit's composition without extracting a sample.
Innovation Solution
An Integrated Computational Element (ICE) combined with a downhole camera in an intelligent coiled tubing system for real-time, wide-field chemical analysis, capable of distinguishing between various substances like Iron Sulfide, Calcium Carbonate, and hydrates without sample extraction, using electromagnetic radiation and multivariate optical elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional sample extraction and laboratory analysis methods are used to identify deposit composition, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical sample extraction and laboratory analysis with an optical detection system that uses electromagnetic radiation (UV, visible, infrared) to identify deposit composition in situ. The detector captures reflected or emitted radiation from the deposit, and a processor analyzes the spectral information to determine chemical composition, eliminating the need for physical sample removal and transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electromagnetic radiation as an intermediary between the deposit and the analysis system. The radiation interacts with the deposit molecules, and the modified radiation (absorbed, reflected, or emitted) carries information about the deposit composition to the detector, enabling non-contact chemical identification.
2Reliability
If multiple chemical solutions are cycled through to dissolve deposits, then reliability of deposit removal is improved, but loss of time and chemical usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary identification of the deposit composition using optical detection before initiating chemical removal. By determining the chemical makeup of the deposit in advance, the system can select the appropriate chemical solution from the beginning, avoiding multiple trial cycles and enabling immediate effective treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses real-time optical detection to provide feedback on deposit composition and monitors the removal process. This feedback loop allows dynamic adjustment of the chemical treatment strategy, ensuring the most effective solution is applied and enabling early termination when removal is complete, thus reducing overall time and chemical usage.
3Measurement precision
If wireline or slickline jobs are run to obtain samples, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and loss of time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary information (deposit composition data) directly from the wellbore environment using optical detection, rather than extracting physical samples that require complex retrieval operations. The electromagnetic radiation penetrates to the deposit and returns information without needing to physically remove material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical wireline or slickline sample retrieval systems with a simpler optical detection system that uses electromagnetic radiation to obtain compositional information. This substitution eliminates the need for physical sample transport through complex wellbore equipment.
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 real-time identification of multiple chemical types, reducing non-productive time and chemical usage by directly analyzing deposits in situ, facilitating effective chemical selection for removal and preventing tool damage during operations.
Implementation Method 1
optically interacting the electromagnetic radiation with a surrounding downhole environment within a field of view of interest to generate reflected radiation having a reflection spectrum
Implementation Method 2
optically interacting the reflected radiation with an optical filter located in the optical train to generate filtered radiation signal in the optical train, the optical filter having a transmission function that corresponds to a chemical species of interest
Implementation Method 3
receiving the filtered radiation signal with an image sensor in the optical train, the filtered radiation signal being detected at a pixel of a coordinate map associated with the image sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A system for conducting real-time chemical analysis of deposits is provided. The system includes an electromagnetic radiation source positioned on a downhole tool that emits electromagnetic radiation to a surrounding downhole environment within a field of view of interest. The system also includes a multivariate optical element positioned on the downhole tool that has optical filters configured to receive reflected radiation from the field of view of interest and generate respective filtered radiation signals. Each of the optical filters has a different transmission function that corresponds to a respective chemical species of interest. The system also includes an image sensor positioned on the downhole tool that detects each of the respective filtered radiation signals from the multivariate optical element. The image sensor provides image information of the field of view of interest that indicates a presence of at least one chemical species of interest located in the surrounding downhole environment.