Using Downhole Fiber Optic Sensing Technology to Monitor, Control and Improve Well Performance

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Using Downhole Fiber Optic Sensing Technology to Monitor, Control and Improve Well Performance

Downhole sensing technology today provide engineers continuous measurements for flow condition diagnosis. The measurements include temperature, pressure, acoustic, and strain, with distributed temperature sensors (DTS) and distributed acoustic sensors (DAS) being more commonly used compared with other measurements. Since the optical fiber technology introduced to the industry, it has advanced dramatically. Many field applications have been proven effective and beneficial. From downhole flow condition characterization, we can diagnose flow problems, monitor, control, and optimize producing and injecting well performance, monitor well stimulation, both matrix acidizing and hydraulic fracturing, and optimize treatment designs. There are rich field application examples to show the potential of the technology.

One of the keys of applying downhole sensing technology is to develop models and methodologies to interpret the senor measurements. This is challenging, because from data collection and processing, to model development, to invert the measured parameters to flow profiles, it is extremely mathematical and computational intensive. Combination of DAS and DTS is a powerful tool to interpret downhole flow condition, especially for multistage fracturing in unconventional reservoirs. In this lecture, we will review current status of downhole sensing technology, explain the available models and approaches for interpretation, and present field application examples for multi-stage hydraulic fracture diagnosis.

Bio:

Dr. Ding Zhu is a Professor at Petroleum Engineering Department at Texas A&M University. She Holds a BS degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Science and Technology, Beijing, China, a MS and PhD degree in Petroleum Engineering, both from the University of Texas at Austin. Her research areas are production engineering, well stimulation, intelligent well modeling and complex well-performance optimization. Dr. Zhu is an author of more than 180 technical papers, a co-author of text books, Petroleum Production Systems (2^nd edition), Multilateral Wells and Modern Completion Technology for Oil and Gas Wells. She has been a committee member and chairperson for many conferences and events with Society of Petroleum Engineers, and is currently an associate editor for SPE Production and Operation Journal. She is a Distinguished Member of SPE.