Method and system for determining downhole optical fiber orientation and/or location

    公开(公告)号:US10175384B2

    公开(公告)日:2019-01-08

    申请号:US15784586

    申请日:2017-10-16

    Applicant: SILIXA LTD.

    Abstract: A probe is provided that contacts the inner surface of the casing or other production tubing and imparts energy to the surface at the contact point, for example as heat energy or mechanical energy. Energy is imparted around the circumference of the casing, and a fiber optic distributed sensor located on the outer surface of the casing is used to measure and record the energy that it receives while the probe is moved to impart energy around the circumference. A record of energy versus position of the probe around the circumference can be obtained, from which maxima in the detected energy measurements can then be found. The position around the circumference which gave the maximum measurement should be the position at which the optical fiber of the fiber optic distributed sensor is located. In addition, an ultrasonic arrangement is also described, that relies on ultrasonic sound to provide detection.

    Structure monitoring
    32.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US10145821B2

    公开(公告)日:2018-12-04

    申请号:US13944469

    申请日:2013-07-17

    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring a structure using an optical fiber based distributed acoustic sensor (DAS) extending along the length of the structure. The DAS is able to resolve a separate acoustic signal with a spatial resolution of 1 m along the length of the fibre, and hence is able to operate with an acoustic positioning system to determine the position of the riser with the same spatial resolution. In addition, the fiber can at the same time also detect much lower frequency mechanical vibrations in the riser, for example such as resonant mode vibrations induced by movement in the surrounding medium. By using vibration detection in combination with acoustic positioning then overall structure shape monitoring can be undertaken, which is useful for vortex induced vibration (VIV) visualisation, fatigue analysis, and a variety of other advanced purposes. The structure may be a sub-sea riser.

    Non-Isotropic Acoustic Cable
    33.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20180058916A1

    公开(公告)日:2018-03-01

    申请号:US15804657

    申请日:2017-11-06

    Applicant: Silixa Ltd.

    CPC classification number: G01H9/004 G01L1/242 G01M7/00 G02B6/4405 G02B6/4415

    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address aliasing problems by providing a plurality of discrete acoustic sensors along a cable whereby acoustic signals may be measured in situations where the fibre optic cable has not been secured to a structure or area by a series of clamps. Acoustic sampling points are achieved by selectively enhancing the acoustic coupling between the outer layer and the at least one optical fibre arrangement, such that acoustic energy may be transmitted selectively from the outer layer to the at least one optical fibre arrangement. The resulting regions of acoustic coupling along the cable allow the optical fibre to detect acoustic signals. Regions between the outer layer and the at least one optical fibre arrangement that contain material which is acoustically insulating further this enhancement since acoustic waves are unable to travel through such mediums, or at least travel through such mediums at a reduced rate.

    Non-isotropic acoustic cable
    35.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US09823114B2

    公开(公告)日:2017-11-21

    申请号:US15021319

    申请日:2014-09-04

    Applicant: Silixa Ltd.

    CPC classification number: G01H9/004 G01L1/242 G01M7/00 G02B6/4405 G02B6/4415

    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address aliasing problems by providing a plurality of discrete acoustic sensors along a cable whereby acoustic signals may be measured in situations where the fiber optic cable has not been secured to a structure or area by a series of clamps, as described in the prior art. Acoustic sampling points are achieved by selectively enhancing the acoustic coupling between the outer layer and the at least one optical fiber arrangement, such that acoustic energy may be transmitted selectively from the outer layer to the at least one optical fiber arrangement. The resulting regions of acoustic coupling along the cable allow the optical fiber to detect acoustic signals. Regions between the outer layer and the at least one optical fiber arrangement that contain material which is acoustically insulating further this enhancement since acoustic waves are unable to travel through such mediums, or at least travel through such mediums at a reduced rate.

    Method and system for determining downhole optical fiber orientation and/or location

    公开(公告)号:US09810809B2

    公开(公告)日:2017-11-07

    申请号:US15114496

    申请日:2015-01-30

    Applicant: SILIXA LTD.

    CPC classification number: G01V11/005 G01N21/64 G01N21/68

    Abstract: A probe is provided that contacts the inner surface of the casing or other production tubing and imparts energy to the surface at the contact point, for example as heat energy or mechanical energy. Energy is imparted around the circumference of the casing, and a fiber optic distributed sensor located on the outer surface of the casing is used to measure and record the energy that it receives whilst the probe is moved to impart energy around the circumference. A record of energy versus position of the probe around the circumference can be obtained, from which maxima in the detected energy measurements can then be found. The position around the circumference which gave the maximum measurement should be the position at which the optical fiber of the fiber optic distributed sensor is located. In addition, an ultrasonic arrangement is also described, that relies on ultrasonic sound to provide detection.

    METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING DOWNHOLE OPTICAL FIBER ORIENTATION AND/OR LOCATION
    38.
    发明申请
    METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING DOWNHOLE OPTICAL FIBER ORIENTATION AND/OR LOCATION 有权
    用于确定卧式光纤定向和/或位置的方法和系统

    公开(公告)号:US20160349403A1

    公开(公告)日:2016-12-01

    申请号:US15114496

    申请日:2015-01-30

    Applicant: SILIXA LTD.

    CPC classification number: G01V11/005 G01N21/64 G01N21/68

    Abstract: A probe is provided that contacts the inner surface of the casing or other production tubing and imparts energy to the surface at the contact point, for example as heat energy or mechanical energy. Energy is imparted around the circumference of the casing, and a fiber optic distributed sensor located on the outer surface of the casing is used to measure and record the energy that it receives whilst the probe is moved to impart energy around the circumference. A record of energy versus position of the probe around the circumference can be obtained, from which maxima in the detected energy measurements can then be found. The position around the circumference which gave the maximum measurement should be the position at which the optical fiber of the fiber optic distributed sensor is located. In addition, an ultrasonic arrangement is also described, that relies on ultrasonic sound to provide detection.

    Abstract translation: 提供了一种探针,该探针接触壳体或其他生产管道的内表面,并将能量传递到接触点处的表面,例如作为热能或机械能。 能量被施加在壳体的圆周周围,并且位于壳体的外表面上的光纤分布式传感器用于测量和记录当探头被移动以接收围绕周围的能量时所接收的能量。 可以获得围绕圆周的探头的能量与位置的记录,从而可以从中检测出能量测量中的最大值。 给出最大测量值的围绕圆周的位置应该是光纤分布式传感器的光纤所处的位置。 此外,还描述了依靠超声波提供检测的超声波布置。

    OPTICAL SENSOR AND METHOD OF USE
    39.
    发明申请
    OPTICAL SENSOR AND METHOD OF USE 审中-公开
    光传感器及其使用方法

    公开(公告)号:US20150192436A1

    公开(公告)日:2015-07-09

    申请号:US14662940

    申请日:2015-03-19

    Applicant: Silixa Ltd.

    Abstract: An interferometer apparatus for an optical fibre system and method of use is described. The interferometer comprises an optical coupler and optical fibres which define first and second optical paths. Light propagating in the first and second optical paths is reflected back to the optical coupler to generate an interference signal. First, second and third interference signal components are directed towards respective first, second and third photodetectors. The third photodetector is connected to the coupler via a non-reciprocal optical device and is configured to measure the intensity of the third interference signal component directed back towards the input fibre. Methods of use in applications to monitoring acoustic perturbations and a calibration method are described.

    Abstract translation: 描述了一种用于光纤系统的干涉仪装置及其使用方法。 干涉仪包括光耦合器和限定第一和第二光路的光纤。 在第一和第二光路中传播的光被反射回到光耦合器以产生干涉信号。 首先,第二和第三干扰信号分量指向相应的第一,第二和第三光电探测器。 第三光电检测器通过不可逆的光学装置连接到耦合器,并且被配置成测量指向输入光纤的第三干涉信号分量的强度。 描述了用于监测声学扰动的应用的方法和校准方法。

    Wireline Optical Fiber Sensing
    40.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20230072270A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-03-09

    申请号:US17988290

    申请日:2022-11-16

    Applicant: Silixa Ltd.

    Abstract: The high sensitivity provided by an enhanced DAS system comprising a DAS interrogator and a high reflectivity fiber allows for the deployment of such a high reflectivity fiber as part of a wireline intervention cable which can be temporarily lowered into a well, thus avoiding the need to permanently cement such a high reflectivity optical fiber cable into the well. Instead, such a wireline cable incorporating the high reflectivity optical fiber has been found to be sensitive enough to detect micro-seismic activity and low frequency strain with many more measurement points and channels than conventional wireline deployed geophones and tiltmeters. Additionally, the cable requires no clamping and can be easily and quickly removed from one well and placed in another well.

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