AU2006284981B2 - A method for gravel or frac packing in a wellbore and for monitoring the packing process - Google Patents
A method for gravel or frac packing in a wellbore and for monitoring the packing process Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- AU2006284981B2 AU2006284981B2 AU2006284981A AU2006284981A AU2006284981B2 AU 2006284981 B2 AU2006284981 B2 AU 2006284981B2 AU 2006284981 A AU2006284981 A AU 2006284981A AU 2006284981 A AU2006284981 A AU 2006284981A AU 2006284981 B2 AU2006284981 B2 AU 2006284981B2
- Authority
- AU
- Australia
- Prior art keywords
- packing
- frac
- location
- workstring
- gravel
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Ceased
Links
- 238000012856 packing Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 59
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 21
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 15
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 38
- 238000013507 mapping Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000002002 slurry Substances 0.000 description 5
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000002706 hydrostatic effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000009530 blood pressure measurement Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000004215 Carbon black (E152) Substances 0.000 description 1
- 208000002193 Pain Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 239000000654 additive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000015556 catabolic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002925 chemical effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000006731 degradation reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229930195733 hydrocarbon Natural products 0.000 description 1
- 150000002430 hydrocarbons Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000013307 optical fiber Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000036407 pain Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001953 sensory effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006467 substitution reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/02—Subsoil filtering
- E21B43/04—Gravelling of wells
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/02—Subsoil filtering
- E21B43/04—Gravelling of wells
- E21B43/045—Crossover tools
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/25—Methods for stimulating production
- E21B43/26—Methods for stimulating production by forming crevices or fractures
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/25—Methods for stimulating production
- E21B43/26—Methods for stimulating production by forming crevices or fractures
- E21B43/267—Methods for stimulating production by forming crevices or fractures reinforcing fractures by propping
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B47/00—Survey of boreholes or wells
- E21B47/06—Measuring temperature or pressure
Abstract
A method for gravel packing or frac packing in a borehole includes running a workstring to a target location, running an optic fiber to the location with the workstring and monitoring the target location with the optic fiber. A method for monitoring at least one parameter at a plurality of discrete locations at a gravel packing or frac packing location in a borehole including running a workstring to the gravel packing or frac packing location running an optic fiber to the gravel packing or frac packing location along with the workstring and monitoring the gravel packing or frac packing location at a plurality of discrete points along the gravel packing or frac packing location.
Description
A METHOD FOR GRAVEL OR FRAC PACKING IN A WELLBORE AND FOR MONITORING THE PACKING PROCESS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to provisional application 60/712,529 filed 5 August 30, 2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND [0002] The hydrocarbon exploration and recovery industry has learned in recent years about the capabilities of optic fibers acting as sensing/monitoring implements in the downhole environment. Typically such fiber is disposed within a control line to 10 protect the fiber itself from the mechanical and chemical effects of the environment yet allow for sensory reception of conditions all along the fiber. Control line containing fiber is permanently installed in the wellbore at a multitude of time frames during well construction but never is it removed from the wellbore unless it has malfunctioned. This is in part because fiber is relatively fragile and handling fiber can 15 lead to its degradation. The art is well aware of this and therefore takes pains to limit the amount of handling to which fiber is subjected. Therefore the benefits of fiber optic sensing/monitoring in the wellbore have been utilized ubiquitously but only for permanently installed assemblies. [0003] Gravel packing and frac packing operations, common to wellbore operations 20 are built with temporary workstrings that are run in the hole to deliver a slurry to an annular section of the borehole. Progress, as is well known to those of skill in the art, is monitored using annulus pressure measured at the surface. The measured pressure is corrected by subtracting the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid column in the borehole. The annulus pressure is thus measured indirectly. Since this practice has 25 been in use for a long time, well operators are familiar with the nuances thereof and can use the process effectively. Unfortunately, such prior art methods are limited in their resolution of useful information and inability for direct measurement. Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the 30 common general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction or that this prior art 2 could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a person skilled in the art. As used herein, except where the context requires otherwise the term 'comprise' and variations of the term, such as 'comprising', 'comprises' and 'comprised', are not 5 intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps. SUMMARY The invention provides a method for monitoring at least one parameter at a plurality of discrete locations at a gravel packing or frac packing location in a borehole comprising: disposing an optic fiber monitor at a workstring in the 10 downhole environment while the workstring is in the downhole environment; measuring at least one parameter of the downhole environment at a plurality of discrete location with the optic fibre monitor; and removing all optic fiber monitors from the downhole environment while the workstring is removed from the downhole environment thereby leaving no fibre optic monitor in the downhole environment. 15 [0004] In one embodiment there is provided a method for gravel packing or frac packing in a borehole which includes running a workstring to a target location, running an optic fiber to the location with the workstring and monitoring the target location with the optic fiber. [0005] In a further embodiment there is provided a method for monitoring at least one 20 parameter at a plurality of discrete locations at a gravel packing or frac packing location in a borehole including running a workstring to the frac packing location running an optic fiber to the gravel packing or frac packing location along with the workstring and monitoring the gravel packing or frac packing location at a plurality of discrete points along the gravel packing or frac packing location. 25 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0006] Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures: 2A [0007] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a section of a borehole where a frac packing operation is taking place illustrating a circulating flow pattern known to the art and a runnable optic fiber at a workstring; and [0008] Figure 2 is a schematic view of the same portion of the well without the 5 workstring after gravel packing or frac packing and completing of the well, illustrating absence of the fiber optic. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0009] The art to which the current disclosure relates is benefited by additional information about the downhole environment. Well operators are all to painfully 10 aware that most of what is done downhole is done by expectation and then judged inferentially by empirical evidence of something related to the target inquiry. Such is the case for gravel packing or frac packing operations. [0010] For frame of reference, Figure 1 illustrates a pack zone 10 in a wellbore with a screen system 12 and packer 14. A workstring 16 is also depicted with a crossover 15 assembly 18. A ball 20 dropped from surface at an appropriate time diverts flow of WO 2007/027627 PCT/US2006/033559 fluid slurry as is known. Flow of slurry is indicated by arrows throughout the drawing and will be recognized by those of skill in the art. [0011] What is distinct about the workstring 16/packing zone 10 is that an optic fiber conduit 22 is run in the hole with the workstring and is not a permanent installation in the downhole environment. In fact, conduit 22 is configured to be run in the hole with the workstring from its own reel and then reeled back out of the hole as the workstring is tripped out of the well. [0012] Prior art packing operations measure pressure inside screens 12 and transmit that pressure reading to surface. The pressure "seen" by a sensor at the locations indicated is the applied fluid pressure from the slurry and the hydrostatic pressure from the column of fluid to surface. In order to determine pack pressure therefore, one must subtract the hydrostatic pressure to deduce rather than directly measure annulus pressure. While this works as noted above, it provides the well operator only a vague idea of the overall picture downhole. By contrast, the method disclosed herein allows the operator to get a picture of the whole of the formation face in the packing area. This is because of the provision of the optic fiber conduit 22 comprising a fiber within a control line. The optic fiber control line arrangement allows for a plurality of discrete parameter measurements along its length such as pressure measurements. By enabling more discretely located pressure measurements, particularly in a gravel packing or frac packing operation, precise areas and ratios of leak off of fluid into the formation can be identified and therefore mapped. Areas of annular bridging during the gravel packing or frac packing process can also be identified in real time. By measuring multiple discrete locations across the face of the formation at the frac packing location over time, for example, a true picture of the fracing activity and the packing of the fractures can be generated. The availability of information of this type allows for real time detennination of the effect of certain parameters of slurry injection and applied pressure at the surface. This gives the operator the insight to adjust pumping parameters to optimize the gravel packing or frac packing operation, thereby improving the specific operation and improving ultimate production in the wellbore. 3 WO 2007/027627 PCT/US2006/033559 [0013] In order to promote the advantages stated, the method herein teaches one to provide a reel of fiber optic conduit 30 (one or more optic fibers inside a control line) at a surface location or other remote location and feed that conduit into the wellbore while tripping the workstring 16 into the hole. The fiber optic conduit is secured to the outside of the workstring 16 above the gravel pack assembly, and washpipe 17 within the screen in pack zone 10 by conventional clamps (not shown) as the workstring 16 and washpipe 17 is run in the hole. The crossover assembly 18 is a feed-through type used to pass the fiber optic conduit through the gravel pack between the upper drill pipe workstring 16 and to a downhole end of the washpipe 17 within the screens. This feed-through is done similarly to passing control lines through production and gravel pack packers. Surface-based-equipment is connected to the optical fiber (laser, controls and interrogation computer) to conduct the optical data gathering operation. The output is displayed on a graphical monitor in real time. The optic fiber conduit 22 is then used to monitor selected parameters above noted. [0014] Upon completion of the frac packing operation, and while the workstring is tripped out of the hole, the conduit 22 is re-reeled for storage and use another day. After removing the workstring 16 and conduit 22, a production tubing string 32 (see Figure 2) is stabbed in and production can ensue. It will be appreciated in Figure 2 that there is no unnecessary obstruction in the well and no openings through the packer as would be the case with permanently installed optic fiber conduits. [0015] It will be understood that an optic fiber within a control line is not itself new and is known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, specific discussion of the optic fiber/control line itself is not required. [0016] While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation. What is claimed is: 4
Claims (6)
1. A method for monitoring at least one parameter at a plurality of discrete locations at a gravel packing or frac packing location in a borehole comprising: disposing an optic fiber monitor at a workstring in the downhole environment 5 while the workstring is in the downhole environment; measuring at least one parameter of the downhole environment at a plurality of discrete locations with the optic fibre monitor; and removing all optic fiber monitors from the downhole environment while the workstring is removed from the downhole environment thereby leaving no fibre optic 10 monitor in the downhole environment.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 further including: packing the gravel packing or frac packing location.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the method further includes mapping the gravel packing or frac packing location using selective monitoring of the plurality of 15 points therealong.
4. A method as claimed in claim I wherein the monitoring includes measuring pressure at the plurality of discrete selected points within the gravel packing or frac packing location.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the monitoring includes measuring 20 temperature at the plurality of discrete selected points within the gravel packing or frac packing location.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the optic fiber monitor is disposed within a control line. 5
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US71252905P | 2005-08-30 | 2005-08-30 | |
US60/712,529 | 2005-08-30 | ||
PCT/US2006/033559 WO2007027627A1 (en) | 2005-08-30 | 2006-08-30 | A method for gravel or frac pacping in a wellbore and for monitoring the packing process |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
AU2006284981A1 AU2006284981A1 (en) | 2007-03-08 |
AU2006284981B2 true AU2006284981B2 (en) | 2011-09-08 |
Family
ID=37517098
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
AU2006284981A Ceased AU2006284981B2 (en) | 2005-08-30 | 2006-08-30 | A method for gravel or frac packing in a wellbore and for monitoring the packing process |
Country Status (6)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20070125535A1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2006284981B2 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2614425A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2441719B (en) |
NO (1) | NO20080225L (en) |
WO (1) | WO2007027627A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2438481B (en) * | 2006-05-23 | 2010-03-31 | Schlumberger Holdings | Measuring a characteristic of a well proximate a region to be gravel packed |
GB2457663B (en) * | 2008-02-19 | 2012-04-18 | Teledyne Ltd | Monitoring downhole production flow in an oil or gas well |
US20100013663A1 (en) | 2008-07-16 | 2010-01-21 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Downhole Telemetry System Using an Optically Transmissive Fluid Media and Method for Use of Same |
US8794323B2 (en) * | 2008-07-17 | 2014-08-05 | Bp Corporation North America Inc. | Completion assembly |
GB0814095D0 (en) * | 2008-08-01 | 2008-09-10 | Saber Ofs Ltd | Downhole communication |
Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20020125008A1 (en) * | 2000-08-03 | 2002-09-12 | Wetzel Rodney J. | Intelligent well system and method |
US6766857B2 (en) * | 1999-08-09 | 2004-07-27 | Schlumberger Technology Corporation | Thru-tubing sand control method and apparatus |
Family Cites Families (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4940093A (en) * | 1988-09-06 | 1990-07-10 | Dowell Schlumberger Incorporated | Gravel packing tool |
US6281489B1 (en) * | 1997-05-02 | 2001-08-28 | Baker Hughes Incorporated | Monitoring of downhole parameters and tools utilizing fiber optics |
US6004639A (en) * | 1997-10-10 | 1999-12-21 | Fiberspar Spoolable Products, Inc. | Composite spoolable tube with sensor |
AU782553B2 (en) * | 2000-01-05 | 2005-08-11 | Baker Hughes Incorporated | Method of providing hydraulic/fiber conduits adjacent bottom hole assemblies for multi-step completions |
US7222676B2 (en) * | 2000-12-07 | 2007-05-29 | Schlumberger Technology Corporation | Well communication system |
US7140437B2 (en) * | 2003-07-21 | 2006-11-28 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Apparatus and method for monitoring a treatment process in a production interval |
US6955218B2 (en) * | 2003-08-15 | 2005-10-18 | Weatherford/Lamb, Inc. | Placing fiber optic sensor line |
-
2006
- 2006-08-30 AU AU2006284981A patent/AU2006284981B2/en not_active Ceased
- 2006-08-30 CA CA002614425A patent/CA2614425A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-08-30 US US11/512,600 patent/US20070125535A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-08-30 WO PCT/US2006/033559 patent/WO2007027627A1/en active Application Filing
- 2006-08-30 GB GB0800326A patent/GB2441719B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2008
- 2008-01-14 NO NO20080225A patent/NO20080225L/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6766857B2 (en) * | 1999-08-09 | 2004-07-27 | Schlumberger Technology Corporation | Thru-tubing sand control method and apparatus |
US20020125008A1 (en) * | 2000-08-03 | 2002-09-12 | Wetzel Rodney J. | Intelligent well system and method |
GB2386625B (en) * | 2002-03-04 | 2005-09-28 | Schlumberger Holdings | Intelligent well system and method |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB0800326D0 (en) | 2008-02-20 |
GB2441719B (en) | 2009-09-30 |
CA2614425A1 (en) | 2007-03-08 |
NO20080225L (en) | 2008-03-27 |
AU2006284981A1 (en) | 2007-03-08 |
WO2007027627A1 (en) | 2007-03-08 |
GB2441719A (en) | 2008-03-12 |
US20070125535A1 (en) | 2007-06-07 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
DA3 | Amendments made section 104 |
Free format text: THE NATURE OF THE AMENDMENT IS: AMEND THE INVENTION TITLE TO READ A METHOD FOR GRAVEL OR FRAC PACKING IN A WELLBORE AND FOR MONITORING THE PACKING PROCESS |
|
FGA | Letters patent sealed or granted (standard patent) | ||
MK14 | Patent ceased section 143(a) (annual fees not paid) or expired |