Optical Fiber Helix Control for Wellbore Sensing

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for deploying optical fibers in tubes for oil and gas exploration face challenges such as excessive fiber length variation, leading to macro and microbend losses, and tendril perversion reversals, which degrade the quality of distributed temperature and acoustic sensing measurements.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a controlled deployment method where the optical fiber is twisted during tubing to form a single-handed helix, allowing for precise control of excess fiber length and eliminating reversals, thereby reducing bend-induced losses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If optical fiber is deployed in tube using conventional methods, then deployment is simple, but excessive fiber length variation occurs leading to macro and microbend losses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiber length controlVSAvoiddeployment process

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-twisting the optical fiber at a controlled rate before deployment into the tube. This pre-applied twist creates a predetermined helical configuration that compensates for expected fiber length variations during deployment, thereby controlling excess fiber length and preventing macro and microbend losses before they occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameter of the optical fiber by applying a controlled twist rate during deployment. This parameter change transforms the fiber from a straight configuration to a helical one, allowing precise control over the amount of excess fiber length within the tube and eliminating reversals that cause bend-induced losses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If optical fiber is deployed without controlled twist, then deployment process is simple, but tendril perversion reversals occur degrading sensing quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensing measurement qualityVSAvoidfiber deployment control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-twisting the optical fiber at a controlled rate before deployment into the tube. This pre-applied twist creates a predetermined helical configuration that compensates for expected fiber length variations during deployment, thereby controlling excess fiber length and preventing macro and microbend losses before they occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameter of the optical fiber by applying a controlled twist rate during deployment. This parameter change transforms the fiber from a straight configuration to a helical one, allowing precise control over the amount of excess fiber length within the tube and eliminating reversals that cause bend-induced losses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10795109B2Excess optical fiber deployment control

Publication Date: 2020.10.06 HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES INC

AI summary

Various embodiments include methods and apparatus structured to increase efficiencies of a drilling operation. These efficiencies may be realized with a fiber cable located in a wellbore at a well site, where the fiber cable can include an optical fiber disposed as a single handed helix in the fiber cable, where the optical fiber is disposed in the cable without having helix hand reversal. Construction of such fiber cables may include applying a twist to the optical fiber during insertion of the optical fiber into the fiber cable in a tubing process in which control of an amount of the twist to form a portion of the optical fiber can control excess fiber length in the tube. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods can be implemented in a variety of applications.