# US 10,246,989 B2 · Pressure sensor arrangement using an optical fiber and methodologies for performing an analysis of a subterranean formation

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- Number: US 10,246,989 B2
- Document ID: US10246989B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/675,505
- Filed: 2017-08-11
- Published: 2018-03-29
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2009-04-22
- Assignees: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
- Applicants: Weatherford Canada Ltd.
- Inventors: Andre R. Vincelette; Jason S. Kiddy; John B. Niemczuk; Christopher S. Baldwin; Paul Lefebvre
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246989B2

## CPC

- E21B 47/06: Measuring temperature or pressure
- E21B 43/2406: {Steam assisted gravity drainage [SAGD]}
- E21B 43/2408: {SAGD in combination with other methods}
- E21B 47/135: using light waves, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet waves
- G01L 1/242: {the material being an optical fibre}
- G01L 1/243: {using means for applying force perpendicular to the fibre axis}
- G01L 1/247: {using distributed sensing elements, e.g. microcapsules (along a single optical fibre G01L1/242)}
- G02B 6/504: {Installation in solid material, e.g. underground}
- Y02E 10/10: Geothermal energy
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A sensor arrangement using an optical fiber and methodologies for performing an analysis of a subterranean formation, such as a subterranean formation containing a hydrocarbon based fluid. The sensor arrangement may be used to measure one or more physical parameters, such as temperature and/or pressure, at a multiplicity of locations in the subterranean reservoir. The sensor arrangement may comprise a sensor array comprising an elongated outer casing for insertion in the subterranean formation and into a fluid in the subterranean formation. The sensor array may comprise an optical fiber defining an optical path that links one or more temperature sensors and one or more pressure sensors and transports measurement data generated by the temperature and pressure sensors. A data processing system may be connected to the sensor array to receive measurements from the sensor array and to compute one or more values of a property of an extraction installation operating on the subterranean formation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sensor cable for measuring pressure in a subterranean formation, the sensor cable, having a pressure sensing segment, comprising:
(a) an elongated outer casing extending along a longitudinal axis,
(b) the elongated outer casing having an outer side face for exposure to fluid in the subterranean formation and an opposite inner side face defining a boundary of an internal cavity extending along the longitudinal axis;
(c) a fluid port on the outer casing; and
(d) a pressure sensor, including:
(i) a partition structure in the cavity defining an internal pressure chamber, the internal pressure chamber being in a fluid communication with the fluid port such that fluid in the subterranean formation can ingress the pressure chamber,
(ii) the partition structure being configured such that a portion of the internal cavity is isolated from the pressure chamber to prevent ingress of fluid in the portion of the internal cavity isolated from the pressure chamber,
(iii) the portion of the internal cavity isolated from the pressure chamber extending between the inner face of the outer casing and the pressure chamber; and
(iv) an optical waveguide extending along the longitudinal axis in the internal cavity, the optical waveguide being responsive to a pressure differential established across the partition structure to encode an optical signal with information conveying the pressure differential.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensor cable of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor includes a resilient component deforming in response to the pressure differential established across the partition structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The sensor cable of claim 2, wherein the resilient component is mechanically coupled to the optical waveguide such as to apply force to the optical waveguide tending to distort the optical waveguide.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The sensor cable of claim 3, wherein the resilient component forms part of the partition structure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The sensor cable of claim 4, wherein the resilient component includes a bellows structure.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The sensor cable of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensing segment is a first pressure sensing segment, the sensor cable also including:
(a) a second pressure sensing segment; and
(b) an interconnection portion extending between the first pressure sensing segment and the second pressure sensing segment.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The sensor cable of claim 6, wherein one of the first pressure sensing segment and the interconnection portion including a projection, the other of the first pressure sensing segment and the interconnection portion including a recess, the projection being received in the recess.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The sensor cable of claim 7, wherein the first pressure sensing segment includes a temperature sensor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sensor cable of claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide includes a grating.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The sensor cable of claim 9, wherein the grating is a Bragg grating.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The sensor cable of claim 1, configured such that the sensor cable can be wound on a reel without damaging the pressure-sensing segment, the reel without the sensor cable wound thereon having a diameter of less than 1.2 meters.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The sensor cable of claim 11, wherein the reel without the sensor cable wound thereon has a diameter of less than 1.1 meters.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The sensor cable of claim 11, wherein the reel without the sensor cable wound thereon has a diameter of less than 0.9 meters.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The sensor cable of claim 11, wherein the sensor cable has a length of at least 100 meters.

### Claim 15

A sensor cable extending along a longitudinal axis for measuring pressure in a subterranean formation at a plurality of spaced apart locations along the longitudinal axis, the sensor cable including:
(a) an elongated casing having a first end portion, a second opposite end portion and a side wall extending along the longitudinal axis between the first and the second end portions;
(b) a first fluid port on the side wall for admitting fluid at a first location in the subterranean formation at which pressure of the fluid is to be measured;
(c) a first pressure sensor in the elongated casing associated with the first fluid port for generating a signal conveying information on fluid pressure at the first location;
(d) a second fluid port on the side wall in a spaced apart relationship with the first fluid port along the longitudinal axis for admitting fluid at a second location in the subterranean formation at which pressure of the fluid is to be measured;
(e) a second pressure sensor in the elongated casing associated with the second fluid port for generating a signal conveying information on the fluid pressure at the second location; and
(f) an optical waveguide in the elongated casing for conveying the signal generated by at least one of the first and second pressure sensors,
(g) the sensor cable having a length of at least 100 meters and being helically wound on a reel, the sensor cable being configured such that bending the sensor cable to helically wind it on the reel would not impair pressure sensing at the first and second locations once the sensor cable is unwound from the reel and inserted in the subterranean formation.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The sensor cable of claim 15, wherein the reel has a diameter of less than 1.2 meters measured without the sensor cable on the reel.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The sensor cable of claim 15, wherein the reel has a diameter of less than 1.1 meters.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The sensor cable of claim 15, wherein the reel has a diameter of less than 0.9 meters.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The sensor cable of claim 15, wherein the reel has a diameter of less than 0.8 meters.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The sensor cable of claim 15, wherein the sensor cable has a length of at least 1 kilometer.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The sensor cable of claim 15, wherein the sensor cable has a length of at least 500 meters.