Downhole Fiber Optic Orientation Model for Safe Perforation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining the orientation of fiber optic cables wrapped around casing strings in wellbores are inaccurate, time-consuming, and expensive, posing a risk of damage during perforation operations.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising sensor devices deployed along the casing string that transmit acoustic signals to a supervisory computing device, which builds a model of the fiber optic cable's orientation to determine a target orientation for perforating guns, ensuring safe perforation without damaging the cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If logging operations are performed to identify fiber optic cable orientation, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time and increase in cost occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by deploying sensor devices along the casing string before perforation operations to capture acoustic signals that encode fiber optic cable orientation information. This advance data collection eliminates the need for time-consuming post-deployment logging operations while ensuring accurate orientation knowledge is available before perforation occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces traditional mechanical logging operations with an acoustic signal-based measurement system. Sensor devices transmit acoustic signals along the fiber optic cable, and the returned signals are processed to determine cable orientation, substituting manual mechanical logging with automated acoustic field-based measurement.
2Reliability
If traditional methods are used to determine fiber optic cable orientation, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to inaccurate measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the measurement task by deploying multiple sensor devices at different locations along the casing string. Each sensor device independently measures acoustic signals at its location, and the collective data from all sensors provides comprehensive orientation information throughout the wellbore, improving reliability through distributed measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The fiber optic cable itself serves as an intermediary medium for measurement. Acoustic signals are transmitted through the fiber optic cable, which acts as both the sensing element and the transmission medium. This eliminates the need for separate complex measurement instruments, improving reliability while controlling device complexity.
3Reliability
If accurate fiber optic cable orientation modeling is performed, then safety during perforation is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs orientation modeling as a preliminary action by processing acoustic signal data from deployed sensor devices before perforation operations begin. This advance modeling ensures that accurate cable orientation information is ready in advance, improving safety while minimizing time delays during the actual perforation operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from acoustic signal measurements to continuously refine the fiber optic cable orientation model. The measured acoustic signals provide feedback information about cable position and orientation, which is fed back into the modeling process to improve accuracy, ensuring safe perforation targeting.
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
Accurately models the fiber optic cable's orientation around the casing string, enabling precise targeting of perforating guns to avoid damage, thereby improving the efficiency and safety of perforation operations.
Implementation Method 1
A system can include a fiber optic cable positionable downhole along a length of a wellbore, a plurality of sensor devices positionable in proximity to the fiber optic cable at a plurality of depths in the wellbore
Implementation Method 2
The fiber optic cable can detect the acoustic waves and convey the position information encoded in the acoustic waves to a supervisory computing device at the wellbore surface
Data Source
AI summary
The way in which a fiber optic cable is wrapped around a casing string in a wellbore can be modeled using information from downhole sensor devices. For example, a system can include a fiber optic cable located along a length of a wellbore. The system can also include sensor devices located near the fiber optic cable at various depths to transmit acoustic signals indicating depths and orientations of segments of the fiber optic cable. The system can build a model describing how the fiber optic cable is positioned around the casing string based on the acoustic signals transmitted from the sensor devices. The system can also determine a target position for a perforating gun to perform a perforation operation through the casing string that avoids damaging the fiber optic cable. The system can output the target position for the perforating gun to an electronic device to facilitate the perforation operation.