# US 12,001,067 B2 · Method and system for detecting one or more properties, positioning, and minimizing tension of a waveguide

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- Number: US 12,001,067 B2
- Document ID: US12001067B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/873,933
- Filed: 2022-07-26
- Published: 2024-02-01
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2022-07-26
- Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
- Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
- Inventors: Mikko K. Jaaskelainen; Michel Leblanc; Kwang Il Suh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001067B2

## CPC

- G02B 6/4227: {Active alignment methods, e.g. procedures and algorithms}
- G02B 6/504: {Installation in solid material, e.g. underground}
- E21B 23/08: Introducing or running tools by fluid pressure, e.g. through-the-flow-line tool systems
- E21B 23/14: for displacing a cable or a cable-operated tool, e.g. for logging or perforating operations in deviated wells
- E21B 47/09: Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells {, e.g. the position of an extending arm}; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes
- G02B 6/50: Underground or underwater installation; Installation through tubing, conduits or ducts
- G02B 6/54: using mechanical means, e.g. pulling or pushing devices
- G02B 6/02076: {Refractive index modulation gratings, e.g. Bragg gratings}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

A method, includes: detecting one or more properties of a waveguide having a downhole end and an uphole end; and responsive to the detected one or more properties, positioning into a passage of a wellbore the waveguide to minimize tension thereof.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
detecting, using an interrogator of a distributed acoustic sensing system, one or more properties of a waveguide having a downhole end and an uphole end; and
responsive to the detected one or more properties, positioning into a passage of a wellbore the waveguide while minimizing a tension thereof,
wherein the passage comprises a vertical portion having a heel and a horizontal portion having a toe,
wherein the detecting comprising detecting, using the interrogator of the distributed acoustic sensing system, the one or more properties of the waveguide while the waveguide is being conveyed by fluid flow into the vertical portion and the horizontal portion, and
wherein the waveguide is positioned in the horizontal portion at a constant fluid flow rate by controlling a speed of a fluid displacement device to minimize change in velocity and/or acceleration of the waveguide as the waveguide transitions from a gravity-based deployment to a fluid-propelled deployment.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more waveguide properties comprises dynamic strain, peak tension, distributed tension, waveguide velocity, waveguide acceleration, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving signals of the detected one or more properties at a sensing system, wherein the sensing system comprises:
a processor; and
a controller, wherein the controller sends instructions to regulate positioning of the waveguide in the wellbore to minimize damage thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein one or more waveguide properties are detected with at least one of a strain gauge, a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) inline sensor, distributed strain sensing, or distributed acoustic sensing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein one or more waveguide properties are detected by using at least one of Rayleigh scattering or Brillouin scattering.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the waveguide is coupled to a dart adjacent to the downhole end and a waveguide conveyor adjacent to the uphole end or the downhole end, and wherein the dart is positioned at a first location, a second location, or a third location in the fluid flow path.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning a waveguide conveyor by controlling the speed of the fluid displacement device between a minimum and a maximum velocity for reducing tension in the waveguide.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the fluid displacement device comprises an electric pump including a variable frequency drive.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising positioning a waveguide conveyor by controlling an acceleration of the fluid displacement device between a minimum and a maximum acceleration for reducing tension in the waveguide.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising a second inventory of waveguide, and releasing at least a portion of the second inventory to create slack in the waveguide.

### Claim 11

A method comprising:
deploying a fiber optic within a wellbore;
while deploying, interrogating, using an interrogator of a distributed acoustic sensing system, the fiber optic to determine one or more parameters of the fiber optic; and
responsive to the one or more parameters, controlling the deploying of the fiber optic into a passage of the wellbore, and
wherein the interrogating comprising interrogating, using the interrogator of the distributed acoustic sensing system, the one or more parameters of the fiber optic while the fiber optic is being conveyed by fluid flow into the vertical portion and the horizontal portion, and
wherein the fiber optic is positioned in the horizontal portion at a constant fluid flow rate by controlling a speed of a fluid displacement device to minimize change in velocity and/or acceleration of the fiber optic as the fiber optic transitions from a gravity-based deployment to a fluid-propelled deployment.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein the one or more parameters comprise dynamic strain, peak tension, distributed tension, waveguide velocity, waveguide acceleration, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein the controlling comprises adjusting a deployment rate of the fiber optic in the wellbore with the fluid deployment device.

### Claim 14

A system for minimizing tension in a waveguide having a downhole end and an uphole end deployed in a subterranean formation, comprising:
a sensing system comprising an interrogator;
a waveguide inventory adjacent the uphole end of the waveguide and in communication with the sensing system; and
a waveguide conveyor coupled to the downhole end of the waveguide,
wherein the sensing system is configured to (i) receive a signal regarding one or more properties of the waveguide, and (ii) responsive to the one or more properties, controlling the positioning of the waveguide into a passage of a wellbore to minimize damage thereof,
wherein the passage comprises a vertical portion having a heel and a horizontal portion having a toe,
wherein the one or more properties of the waveguide are determined using the interrogator while the waveguide is being conveyed by fluid flow into the vertical portion and the horizontal portion, and
wherein the waveguide is positioned in the horizontal portion at a constant fluid flow rate by controlling a speed of a fluid displacement device to minimize change in velocity and/or acceleration of the waveguide as the waveguide transitions from a gravity-based deployment to a fluid-propelled deployment.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising an electric pump in fluid communication with the wellbore and in signal communication with the sensing system.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the sensing system receives Rayleigh scattering signals, Brillouin scattering signals, or acoustic strain signals.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the waveguide inventory comprises sufficient waveguide for creating slack in the deployed waveguide.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the sensing system further comprises a processor and a controller.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the waveguide conveyor comprises a dart coupled to one or more swell cups.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the waveguide comprises at least one of a strain gauge or a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) inline sensor.
