U
sing fibre-optic cable to detect strain, vibration, and temperature
is not new. Distributed sensing techniques such as distributed
temperature sensing (DTS), distributed acoustic sensing DAS),
distributed strain sensing (DSS), and distributed vibration sensing (DVS)
are all commonly used technologies in the energy industry. Over the past
decade, deploying fibre-optic cable intowellbores and along pipelines has
become an industry accepted practice for surveillance, diagnostics, and to
trigger real time alarms of events or condition changes.
In downhole applications, DTS and DAS are themost commonly
used distributed sensing technologies. DTS can be used for production
profiling, casing leak detection, stimulation optimisation and
diagnostics, flowmonitoring and diagnostics, identifying fluid levels,
and steamassisted gravity drainage (SAGD) applications. DAS is used
to provide qualitative data that can be used for casing leak detection,
stimulation diagnostics, frack ball seat engagement confirmation,
production profiling, electronic submersible pump (ESP) diagnostics,
and optimising coiled tubing intervention operations.
Fibre-optic installations range from (a) permanently installed as
part of the well completion, to (b) strapped to tubulars hung off in
the wellbore, or (c) intervention strings that are run into the wellbore
periodically to conduct distributed sensing surveys.
This article will focus on downhole applications of DTS and will
present one case study.
DTS insidethewellbore
Whydistributedsensing?
Noninvasive techniques are key tomeasuring any parameter. Regardless
of the parameter beingmeasured, themeasurement strategy should not
interfere with the parameter of interest.
DEPLOYING
DOWNHOLE
SCOTT SHERMAN, TRICAN WELL SERVICE, CANADA, EXAMINES THE USE
OF DISTRIBUTED TEMPERATURE SENSING (DTS) IN
DOWNHOLE APPLICATIONS.
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