Systems and methods for delivering detailed information about physical properties, including inflow data, in a downhole of a well to the surface without the need of providing cabling to the downhole are presented. Such information can be based on data captured by sensors placed within the downhole of the well, and subsequently stored into memory of ruggedized buoyant memory modules (RBMMs) that are physically injected into the fluid flow of the well. The RBMMs use the flow of the fluid inside of the well to deliver the data to a location where the data can be extracted. Data stored in the RBMMs can be extracted either directly from the RBMMs or remotely via, for example, a wireless interface.

In one implementation, a method includes generating a manifold predictive model configured to calculate an initial virtual measurement associated with an oil field comprising a plurality of oil wells. The manifold predictive model can be based on one or more predictive models associated with one or more components of the oil field. The method also includes receiving data characterizing one or more pressure measurements and flow measurements obtained in the oil field. The method further includes determining a prospective sensor location of a first prospective sensor in the oil field. The first prospective sensor can be configured to detect an oil field parameter. The manifold predictive model can be configured to receive data characterizing the detected oil field parameter and generate an updated virtual measurement. The method also includes providing the prospective sensor location and the identity of the first prospective sensor.

Systems and methods for formation characterization in a subterranean formation are disclosed. A set of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices may be disposed in a circulating fluid. Each MEMS device in the set may have a machine-scannable designator. A MEMS scanner may be configured to scan the designator of a MEMS device in response to circulation of the circulating fluid in a wellbore surrounded by the formation. A MEMS analysis subsystem communicatively coupled with the MEMS scanner may store the designator of each MEMS device in the set, detect a subset of MEMS device by receiving the designators of MEMS devices from the MEMS scanner, and determine a characteristic of the formation based on the subset of MEMS devices.

Embodiments of the disclosure include an unmanned submersible vehicle for use in surveying subsurface wells. The unmanned submersible vehicle may be inserted into a well and may acquire measurements while traversing the well and at various measurement locations in the well. The unmanned submersible vehicle may include propulsion units having propellers and an arm pivotably attached to a body of the vehicle. The propellers of the propulsion units may be used to measure flow velocity of a fluid when the unmanned submersible vehicle is in a well. The unmanned submersible vehicle may include a measurement unit for measuring temperature, pressure, and gradient.

A device for wirelessly monitoring well conditions includes a power including a first material attached to edges of at least one lever suspended about a central fulcrum, wherein the edges of the at least one lever are free to move about the central fulcrum, a frictionless movable object disposed inside the body of the at least one lever, wherein the frictionless movable object is free to move within the body of the at least one lever, and a second material that is fixed in position relative to the first material, wherein the first material and second material are of opposite polarities.

Systems and methods for deploying a sensor ball into a well are disclosed. The ball is buoyant and can carry sensors within. A dissolvable or otherwise removable weight can be attached to the ball such that the ball can sink to a desired depth and when the weight is removed the ball can passively float back to the surface. As the ball floats past inflow stages an accelerometer in the ball records data, allowing better decisions to be made about which stages are producing and which are not.

A methodology for modeling multi-well communication considering multiple flow regimes for hydrocarbon management is disclosed. Understanding well communication scenarios in unconventional reservoirs may assist in assessing hydrocarbon asset development planning. Typically, well communication is determined by using a suitably-designed interference test, wherein the observation well is kept closed and the choke of a neighboring signal well is manipulated, with the resulting deviation in the pressure trend being used to determine the well communication. The interference test is not suitable due to requiring wells to be closed and to being applicable to only certain types of wells. Thus, a producer-producer connectivity model is used to analyze well communication and to quantify well communication strength. Such as connectivity model may use production data (not requiring wells be kept closed), does not require the building of a reservoir model, and may consider the simultaneous interaction amongst multiple wells through time.

A system for deploying an untethered drone is provided. The system includes a wellbore drone for being deployed into a wellbore, a magazine unit, and a control system. The wellbore drone is configured to perform at least one action based on a control command which is provided from an on-board control system embedded in the wellbore drone. The magazine unit includes one or more chambers. The magazine unit is configured to retain the wellbore drone in a corresponding one of the one or more chambers, prior to deployment of the wellbore drone into the wellbore, and dispense the wellbore drone for being deployed into the wellbore through a launcher unit. The control system includes at least one control interface for controlling at least a part of operations of the wellbore drone and the magazine unit.

A method and a system for collecting data at a fixed point in a wellbore are provided. An exemplary method includes dropping an untethered measurement tool (UMT) in the wellbore, switching a first magnet to drop a ballast from the UMT at a ballast drop condition, switching a second magnet to attach the UMT to a wall of the wellbore at a wall attachment condition. Data is collected in the UMT while the UMT is attached to the wall of the wellbore. The second magnet is switched to release the UMT from the wall of the wellbore at a wall release condition. The UMT is collected from the wellbore and the data is downloaded from the UMT.

Zonal isolation devices including sensing and wireless telemetry and methods of utilizing the same are disclosed herein. The zonal isolation devices include an isolation body, a sensor, and a wireless telemetry device. The zonal isolation devices may be incorporated into a hydrocarbon well that also includes a wellbore and a wireless data transmission network. The methods include methods of conveying a wireless signal within a well. The methods include detecting a property of the well, transmitting a wireless output signal, conveying the wireless output signal, and receiving the wireless output signal.