Through Casing Sensor Placement for Borehole Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for monitoring borehole conditions using downhole sensors are hindered by the casing, which causes attenuation and interference, leading to reduced quality of sensor data, making it difficult to accurately measure subterranean formation characteristics and reservoir conditions.
Innovation Solution
The system involves drilling a casing hole through the borehole casing to position sensors outside or within the casing, establishing power and communication couplings, and sealing the hole with resin to collect high-quality sensor data from the subterranean formation, allowing for improved data collection of casing, formation, and reservoir characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are positioned within the borehole or annulus, then the casing provides structural support and protection, but the casing causes attenuation and interference that reduces sensor data quality
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is extracted from the traditional positions (within borehole or annulus) and repositioned through the casing wall into direct contact with the formation. This removes the sensor from the harmful environment created by the casing, eliminating attenuation and interference while maintaining the casing's structural support function.
Solution Approach 2:
The casing wall itself becomes an intermediary medium through which the sensor passes. By drilling a hole through the casing and positioning the sensor through it, the casing transitions from being a barrier that blocks sensor signals to being a structured pathway that enables direct formation contact while maintaining its protective function.
2Measurement precision
If sensors are positioned through the casing, then direct contact with formation improves measurement precision, but additional drilling and sealing operations increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor placement procedure is merged with the existing casing structure. The hole drilling, sensor positioning, and sealing operations are integrated into a single coordinated process that utilizes the casing as both structural support and sensor pathway, reducing overall system complexity despite the additional steps required.
Solution Approach 2:
The hole through the casing is drilled and the sensor is positioned before final sealing operations. This preliminary positioning allows the sensor to be accurately placed in contact with the formation while the sealing material is then applied to secure the sensor and prevent fluid migration, simplifying the overall sequence.
3Measurement precision
If sensors are positioned through the casing, then accurate data collection is enabled, but power and communication coupling become more difficult to establish
Solution Approach 1:
The power and communication coupling mechanisms are nested within the sensor assembly itself. The transceiver and power coupling components are integrated into the sensor housing, allowing all necessary connections to be established through a single access point through the casing, simplifying the coupling process while maintaining accurate data collection.
Data Source
AI summary
Placing sensors beyond the outer diameter of a casing of a borehole can allow improved sensor data collection of the casing characteristics, such as its bonding to the subterranean formation, of the subterranean formation characteristics such as wettability or porosity, or the reservoir characteristics, such as drainage direction and rate. Sensors can be positioned by drilling a hole through the casing, such as using a drill and inserting the sensor into or through the hole. In some aspects, a sealer, like a resin can be used to fluidly deal the hole. In some aspects, the sensor can be coupled to power or communications located interior of the inner diameter of the casing. In some aspects, the sensor can be wirelessly powered or can wirelessly communicate with other borehole systems. In some aspects, a hole can be made into the subterranean formation to allow sensor placement deeper into the formation.