MONITORING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

Abstract

There are described methods and apparatus for determining the condition of a barrier in a well infrastructure, for example. In some examples, sensor data that has been derived from a sensor arrangement at a barrier positioned at a location in a well infrastructure in received. That sensor data may be associated with measured conditions at the barrier, or the like. Composition data derived from measurements of fluid composition within the well may also be received. Such composition data may be indicative of the location at which fluid has been in the well. Analyzing such received sensor data and composition data may help determine the condition of the barrier. In some examples, there is described well apparatus comprising a barrier for zonal isolation, a sensor arrangement configured to monitor conditions at the location of the barrier; and one or more tracer elements configured to interact with fluid at the location of the barrier so as to impart identifiable properties to the composition of fluid.

Claims

1. A method for determining the condition of a barrier in a well infrastructure, the method comprising: receiving sensor data derived from a sensor arrangement at a barrier positioned at a location in a well infrastructure, that sensor data associated with measured conditions at the barrier; receiving composition data derived from measurements of fluid composition within the well, the composition data being indicative of the location at which fluid has been in the well; and analyzing the received sensor data and composition data to determine the condition of the barrier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data and composition data is received from time to time during installation and/or production from the well.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier is an annular barrier formed between well tubing and the corresponding formation or reservoir.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises pressure and/or temperature data associated with the barrier, or in the location of the barrier, and the composition data comprises data associated with location-based identifiable properties of fluid composition.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the identifiable properties comprise uniquely identifiable markers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the barrier is used to provide zonal isolation, and is configured to isolate a first zone from a second zone so as to prevent or inhibit the movement of fluids or gases from the first zone to the second zone.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises authenticating, or otherwise validating, sensor data associated with the barrier when additionally the composition data confirms the location at which fluid is being produced as being from the first zone.

8. The method of claim 6, comprising discarding sensor data associated with the barrier when the composition data confirms the location at which fluid is being produced as being from the second zone.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising signaling an alert status in the event that composition data confirms the location at which fluid is being produced as being from the first zone.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising initially using received sensor data to determine conditions at the barrier, and then subsequently using composition data to determine conditions at the barrier.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising initially using received sensor data during installation/completion of the well infrastructure and subsequently using composition data during production to determine conditions at the barrier.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is received from a signal path comprising some of the well tubing.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid composition is indicative of the location at which fluid has been in the well by virtue of an interaction, or lack of, of the fluid with one or more tracer elements at the barrier.

14. A method for determining the condition of a barrier in a well infrastructure, the method comprising: collecting sensor data from a sensor arrangement at a barrier positioned at a location in a well infrastructure, that sensor data associated with measured conditions at the barrier; collecting fluid samples of fluid composition within the well in order to provide composition data, the composition data being indicative of the location at which fluid has been in the well; and communicating the collected sensor data and fluid samples and/or corresponding composition data in order to permit subsequent determination of the condition of the barrier using the sensor data and composition data.

15. A monitoring system configured to determine the condition of a barrier in a well infrastructure, the monitoring system configured to receive sensor data derived from a sensor arrangement at a barrier positioned at a location in a well infrastructure, that sensor data being associated with measured conditions at that barrier, and the system being configured to receive composition data derived from measurements of fluid composition within a well, that composition data being indicative of the location at which fluid has been in the well, wherein the monitoring system is configured to analyze received sensor data and composition data to determine the condition of a barrier.

16. A well infrastructure comprising: at least one barrier intended to provide zonal isolation, a sensor arrangement and tracer elements both positioned at the barrier, wherein the sensor arrangement is being configured to monitor conditions at the barrier and communicate sensor data associated with those conditions for subsequent receipt, and the tracer elements are configured interact with fluid at the location of the barrier so as to impart identifiable properties to the composition of the fluid, and further wherein the infrastructure comprises: a monitoring system configured to receive sensor data from the sensor arrangement and to monitor the composition of fluid being produced by the well infrastructure so as to provide composition data associated with the composition of fluid in the well, the monitoring system being further configured to analyze sensor data and composition data to determine the condition of the at least one barrier.

17. The infrastructure of claim 16, wherein the barrier is an annular barrier provided by one or more packers and the barrier is provided together with well-tubing.

18. A well apparatus comprising: a barrier for zonal isolation; a sensor arrangement configured to monitor conditions at the location of the barrier; and one or more tracer elements configured to interact with fluid at the location of the barrier so as to impart identifiable properties to the composition of fluid.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the sensor arrangement is configured to measure pressure and/or temperature at the barrier.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein tracer elements are configured to impart uniquely identifiable properties to the composition of the fluid.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is comprised or otherwise mounted with tubing for use in a well infrastructure.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the sensor arrangement is configured to communicate using a signal path comprising the tubing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] A description is now given, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0050] FIG. 1 shows an example of well infrastructure comprising isolated tubing using barriers and a monitoring system; and

[0051] FIGS. 2A and 2B shows further detail of the tubing/barrier and monitoring system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0052] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary representation of a multi-zonal well infrastructure 100, in which sections of the well infrastructure 100 may be considered to be isolated from one another so as to permit controlled inflow of product or injection of fluids/gases from/to a formation 200.

[0053] For ease of reference, some of the following examples have been described specifically in relation to well infrastructures 100 using non-cemented barriers between casing and formation, and the monitoring of the condition of such barriers. However, a skilled reader will appreciate that in other examples the systems and methods described herein may also be used with monitoring of other barriers, such as those provided between other or multiple well annuli (e.g. barriers between production tubing and casing, or other such tubing). Similarly, while the well infrastructure 100 of FIG. 1 may be considered to show a deviated or horizontal well configuration, it will be appreciated that in other examples, the systems and methods may be used in vertical, or near-vertical sections of well, and indeed in mother bores and/or laterals.

[0054] Further, the examples described have been given with reference to oil and gas production, but of course in other examples, the systems and methods may be used with other fluid being produced and/or injected.

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a simplified representation of the well infrastructure 100 that comprises tubing 110 running from surface to a subterranean hydrocarbon bearing formation 200. At various sections of the infrastructure 100, there may be multiple annuli, as will be appreciated. However, for ease of representation, only a single tubing 110 is shown—albeit this may comprise production tubing, casing, etc. In the examples described below, attention is focused on the use of barriers that may be formed between tubing 110 and the formation. In such examples, such tubing 110 can be considered to be the casing of the well infrastructure, as will be appreciated by the skilled reader.

[0056] In this example, the tubing 110 runs horizontally through a section of the formation 200, as shown, and permits selective flow of product from the formation 200 to the tubing 110 for production to surface 120. In this case, rather than a cemented annulus between the tubing 110 (e.g. casing) and the formation 200, non-cemented annular barriers 130 are provided, which define a plurality of zones 140a, 140b, 104c, along some of the length of the tubing 110, and in this example between the tubing 110 and the formation 200.

[0057] Here, the formation 200 may be considered to be a carbonate formation, or fractured formation, or the like. As will be appreciated, such formations 200 can present particular challenges when achieving effective cement placement and bonding between the tubing (e.g. casing) and formation 200. These challenges are further accentuated where the well infrastructures 100 are deep and have complex trajectories. Problems to achieving effective cement placement include contaminated cement, channeling through the cement, and lost circulation of the cement into fractures in the formation.

[0058] Therefore, in this case, rather than providing conventional cement, alternative non-cemented barriers 130 are provided. Here, each barrier 130 may be considered to comprise swellable packers, configured to expand in the presence of specified fluids, such as water or oil. However, alternative/additional mechanically-actuated packers may be used, that are set by the application of pressure or by other mechanical means.

[0059] During installation and production, each barrier 130 is intended to provide zonal isolation. In doing do, production and/or injection at each zone can be controlled (e.g. using control valves or ports at the tubing 110, as is known). However, for such multi-zone intelligent completions to be effective, then the integrity of the barriers 130 should be maintained, where possible. Otherwise, any breach of the integrity of these barriers 130 may result in the high cost intelligent completion systems being ineffective.

[0060] For at least that reason, it may be helpful to monitor the condition of barriers (and zonal isolation), for example, in order to ensure integrity is being maintained. This may be desirable during early stage installation, production and injection testing and for longer term observation extending over several years.

[0061] Consider now FIG. 2A, which shows a section of tubing 110 from the well infrastructure 100 of FIG. 1. Here, the barriers 130 may be considered to be provided on the outer surface of the tubing 110 (e.g. casing) and are configured to activate from the tubing 110 towards the formation 200 in order to seal one section of the well 100 from another. Here, barriers 130 provide an annular barrier. The barriers may comprise swellable packers or the like, configured to activate in the presence of particular well conditions, such as particular fluid in the annulus formed between tubing 100 and formation 200.

[0062] Here, the barriers 130 are configured to prevent or inhibit fluid from flowing from a first zone 150 at one side of a barrier 130 to a second zone 160 at another side of the barrier 130 (or indeed to a third zone). In this example, the first zone 150 can be considered to be an isolated zone, whereas the second zone 160 can be considered to be a production zone.

[0063] Here, a sensor arrangement 300 is positioned within the first zone 150 and is configured to measure conditions, such as pressure and/or temperature, at the barrier 130 (e.g. at the first zone 150), and provide sensor data accordingly. It will be appreciated that the sensor arrangement 300 may comprise one or more sensors, with each sensor being configured to measure particular conditions at or in the location of the barrier 130/zone 150. In some examples, the sensor arrangement 300 will be provided with well tubing 110 (e.g. integrated with or otherwise affixed to well tubing) prior to running into the well. As shown here, the sensor arrangement 300 is provided on an outer surface of the tubing 110. The sensor arrangement 300 may comprise a power source, such as a battery pack, e.g. for powering a transmitter to communicate signals to surface, or the like.

[0064] In this example, the sensor arrangement 300 is configured for communication to surface using at least a wireless connection across the barrier 130. As such, there is no need to transmit data using a dedicated wired communication path, which may otherwise penetrate or extend through the barrier 130, potentially reducing effectiveness, increasing risk or compromising lifespan of the barrier 130. While many methods of wireless communication may be possible, in this case the sensor arrangement 300 is configured to communicate sensor data using a signal path across the barrier 130 comprising the metallic tubing 110 itself (e.g. the casing and/or production tubing, etc.). In doing so, the sensor arrangement 300 is configured to communicate signals to, or otherwise injected signals into, the metallic tubing 110, for subsequent receipt from the tubing 110.

[0065] In some examples, the signal path may have a wireless connection across the barrier and the remainder, or at least most of the remainder, of the signal path to surface or otherwise may be wired. It will be appreciated that in this context, “wired” can include optical communication paths, or the like, as well as intermediate forms or apparatus for transferring data. In such cases, the signal path may be wired, wireless or combination thereof.

[0066] For example, data may initially be communicated wirelessly from the sensor arrangement located in the annular void, and received at a receiver or pick-up device positioned proximate the sensor arrangement. Subsequently, data may be communicated from the receiver to surface using wireline, or the like (or indeed wireless communication). In such cases, nonetheless, wireless communication can be used across the barrier helping maintain integrity. Of course, in other examples, wireless communication may be used from the barrier 130 to surface 110 (e.g. using the tubing to surface).

[0067] It will be appreciated that data may be communicated in real time, or may be communicated from time to time, and/or in response to a transmit request, for example, initiated from surface. In some cases, the data may be communicated in batch mode.

[0068] In any event, sensor data (i.e. data from the sensor arrangement that is associated with measured conditions at the barrier 130, zone 150) can be readily communicated from an isolated zone 150, for subsequent receipt at surface 120, using the tubing 110. Here, electromagnetic data communications technology, which transmits low frequency electromagnetic signals from downhole to surface, or surface to downhole, using the well's tubing or casing as the transmission medium may be used.

[0069] In use, detailed sensor data regarding conditions, such as pressure and/or temperature can be measured and communicated to surface 120. Such data may be desired when initially setting the barriers to ensure appropriate positioning installment. Also, however, as will be appreciated, certain variations in measured conditions may be linked with a change in barrier integrity over the life of the well, suggesting that in some cases the barrier 130 may have been compromised and that a flow path 400 has been established from the first zone 150 to the second zone 160 (or third zone 170).

[0070] In the event of barrier 130 failure, remedial action may be required, and potentially this action may be considered vitally urgent if the barrier 130 failure could result in loss of control of the well. Therefore, it will be appreciated that accurate monitoring of conditions, and the variations thereof, can be key to identifying barrier 130 failure and expeditiously taking appropriate action.

[0071] However, while conditions varying in the first zone 150 give rise to variations in measured conditions, the inventors have also discovered that, from time to time, variations in production fluids or injection fluids passing through the tubing 110 (or other thermally-driven fluctuation) can lead to measurement readings at the sensor arrangement 300 that spuriously suggest that the barrier 130 integrity may be compromised. In other words, accurate measurement of conditions—which may be required—can be difficult to achieve as the veracity of the data, or the confidence in that data, maybe in question. In some circumstances, this may lead to remedial action being performed that was otherwise not required.

[0072] Consider now therefore, the tubing of FIG. 2A. Here, in addition to the sensor arrangement 300, tracer elements 310 are additionally provided at the location of the tubing 110, at the first or isolated zone 150. Here, the tracer elements 310 are configured to impart identifiable properties to the composition of the fluid. Such identifiable properties may be markers, such as chemical markers, or the like, which may provide uniquely identifiable properties of the composition. It will be appreciated that a section of tubing 110, one or more barriers 130, together with sensor arrangement 300 and tracer elements 310 may be provided as complete sections for deployment in the well (e.g. a part of, or to complement, an intelligent completion system).

[0073] The fluid composition in the tubing 110 (e.g. being produced to surface 120) may be indicative of the location at which fluid has been in the well by virtue of an interaction (or lack of) of the fluid with tracer elements 310 at the barrier 130. In other words, if a barrier 130 has been compromised, then the fluid composition at surface 120 should indicate as much (albeit it may not provide suitably sufficient data regarding that condition, as per the sensor data).

[0074] FIG. 2B shows a monitoring system 500 for use with the sensor arrangement 300 and tracer elements 310 of FIG. 2A. Here, the monitoring system 500 comprises a processor 510 and memory 520, configured in a known manner The system 500 further comprises a receiver 530 for receiving sensor data communicated by the sensor arrangement. In this case, the receiver is configured to extract signals communicated in the metallic tubing 110 itself Of course, in other examples the receiver may be configured to receive signals from wireline (e.g. e-line), or the like, or other signal path, from the sensor arrangement. Additionally, the monitoring system 500 comprises a composition analyzer 540 configured to measure fluid composition within the well, and provide corresponding composition data. That composition data may be indicative of the location at which fluid has been in the well, as will be appreciated.

[0075] While in this example, the monitoring system 500 is configured to receive sensor data and composition data at the well infrastructure 100, in other examples the system 500 may be configured to receive such data remotely from the infrastructure (e.g. received data via a network connection, or the like). In some examples, the sensor data together with composition data may be collected at the well infrastructure 100, and subsequently communicated remotely to the monitoring system 600 for receipt and analysis in order to determine conditions associated with a barrier 130. In some examples sensor data may be collected at the well infrastructure and communicated remotely for subsequent analysis. Similarly, fluid samples of fluid composition within the well may be collected and communicated to a remote location for analysis, or indeed composition data may be collected and communicated to a remote location. In such examples, collected sensor data, fluid samples and/or composition data may be communicated remotely in order to permit subsequent determination of the condition of the barrier using the sensor data and composition data.

[0076] In use, in order to determine the condition of a barrier 130 at a location in a well infrastructure 110, the system 500 (be it remote or local to the infrastructure, or combination thereof) initially receives sensor data associated with measured conditions at the barrier 130, or zone 150. Additionally, composition data of the fluid composition within the well 100 is obtained. The sensor data and/or composition data may be received from time to time, for example, during completion and/or production from the well. The sensor/composition data may be received periodically, e.g. hourly, daily, weekly or the like.

[0077] Here, the system 500 is configured to analyze the received sensor data and composition data to determine the condition of the barrier 130. In some examples, in the event that the sensor data suggests that an isolated zone 150 (e.g. a barrier 130) may be compromised, then the system 500 is configured to authenticate, or otherwise validate, the sensor data associated with that zone/barrier when the received composition data confirms the location at which fluid is being produced as being from the isolated zone (e.g. behind the barrier). In those cases, the system may be further configured to issue or otherwise signal an alert status in the event that composition data confirms the location at which fluid is being produced as being from the first, or isolated, zone. Alternatively, the system may be able to determine from the detailed sensor data that the compromise remains within acceptable limits, and take no immediate action.

[0078] Alternatively still, the system 500 may be configured to discard sensor data associated with the barrier 130 when the composition data confirms the location at which fluid is being produced as being from the second, or production, zone. In such cases, the system 500 may be configured to attribute sensor data associated with the barrier to flow conditions in the well, when the composition data confirms the location at which fluid is being produced as being from the second, or production, zone.

[0079] Additionally or alternatively it will be appreciated that in the above example, that the system 500 may be used for a period of the life of the well infrastructure 110. In doing, however, the power supply for the sensor arrangement 300 may deplete over time. Therefore, in some examples, the system 500 may be configured to initially use essentially the received sensor data to determine conditions at the barrier 130, and then subsequently use essentially composition data to determine conditions at the barrier 130. For example, the system 300 may be configured to use initially essentially received sensor data during installation/completion and subsequently using composition data during production. In doing so, detailed data can be obtained from the well during installation (e.g. detailed sensor data); while long term integrity can be monitored accordingly (using composition data).

[0080] Further, while in the above examples, reference has been made to one zone/barrier, it will readily be appreciated that multiple sensor arrangements/tracer element may be provided, which be associated with multiple isolated zones, or the like. In those cases, each tracer element may provide a unique marker accordingly in order to accurately confirm the sensor data.

[0081] The applicant hereby discloses in isolation each individual feature described herein and any combination of two or more such features, to the extent that such features or combinations are capable of being carried out based on the present specification as a whole in the light of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art, irrespective of whether such features or combinations of features solve any problems disclosed herein, and without limitation to the scope of the claims. The applicant indicates that aspects of the invention may consist of any such individual feature or combination of features. In view of the foregoing description it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that various modifications may be made within the spirit or scope of the invention.