# US 12,761,389 B2 · Through casing sensor placement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,761,389 B2 - Document ID: US12761389B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/352,756 - Filed: 2023-07-14 - Published: 2025-01-16 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-14 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Christopher Michael Jones; Ahmed Fouda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12761389B2 ## CPC - G01V 1/52: Structural details - E21B 47/01: Devices for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits, pipes, rods or wirelines; Protecting measuring instruments in boreholes against heat, shock, pressure or the like - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract Placing sensors beyond the outer diameter of a casing of a borehole can allow improved sensor data collection of the casing characteristics, such as its bonding to the subterranean formation, of the subterranean formation characteristics such as wettability or porosity, or the reservoir characteristics, such as drainage direction and rate. Sensors can be positioned by drilling a hole through the casing, such as using a drill and inserting the sensor into or through the hole. In some aspects, a sealer, like a resin can be used to fluidly deal the hole. In some aspects, the sensor can be coupled to power or communications located interior of the inner diameter of the casing. In some aspects, the sensor can be wirelessly powered or can wirelessly communicate with other borehole systems. In some aspects, a hole can be made into the subterranean formation to allow sensor placement deeper into the formation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: one or more sensors capable to collect sensor data; a data receiver capable to receive the sensor data; and one or more processors capable to communicate with the data receiver and the one or more sensors, to direct operations of the one or more sensors, and to analyze the sensor data, wherein the one or more sensors are positioned in a subterranean formation having a borehole and separated from a casing of the borehole, the one or more sensors have a first side facing the casing, and the first side of each sensor in the one or more sensors has one or more flow paths allowing a sealant to flow through at least a portion of each of the one or more sensors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a sealant injection system, capable of filling in a casing hole after the one or more sensors have been positioned to form a fluid seal, and to deliver the sealant to the first side of each sensor in the one or more sensors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each sensor in the one or more sensors has plug or block to prevent the sealant from interfering with the data collection ability of each sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a drilling system, capable of drilling a casing hole through the casing or into the subterranean formation, wherein the one or more sensors are positioned in the subterranean formation through the casing hole. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the drilling system has a first drilling system capable of drilling through the casing and a second drilling system capable of drilling into the subterranean formation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: an induction power system, capable of being coupled to the one or more sensors to provide power to the one or more sensors, and receiving power from a device located within an interior of an inner diameter of the casing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a power junction device, capable of being coupled to the one or more sensors, providing power to the one or more sensors, and located along an inner diameter of the casing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more batteries or one or more capacitors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a communication device, capable of being communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors using a wired or a wireless coupling, and coupled to the data receiver, wherein the communication device is located along an inner diameter of the casing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors and the data receiver are located downhole the borehole as part of downhole tools. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors and the data receiver are located with a surface controller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are wholly positioned within the subterranean formation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are positioned at least one foot outside of an outer diameter of the casing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor data includes data of at least one characteristic of the subterranean formation or at least one characteristic of a reservoir proximate the one or more sensors. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor data includes data of at least one characteristic of the casing or at least one characteristic of a bond between the subterranean formation and the casing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further capable to adjust an operation plan of the borehole or direct operations of borehole equipment utilizing the analysis of the sensor data. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are part of a surface controller, a well site controller, a reservoir controller, or a computing system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors further comprise: a fluid system, capable of injecting into or retrieving a fluid from the subterranean formation, wherein the fluid that is injected is monitored or the fluid that is retrieved is analyzed by the one or more sensors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the fluid is a tracer that is injected into the subterranean formation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are one or more of magnetic resonance sensors, resistivity sensors, acoustic sensors, nuclear sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, or seismic sensors. ### Claim 21 A method, comprising: determining a downhole location where one or more sensors can be positioned in a borehole through a subterranean formation; drilling a hole through a casing of the borehole using a drilling system at the downhole location; positioning the one or more sensors through in the hole and within the subterranean formation, wherein the one or more sensors are separated from the casing of the borehole; establishing a power coupling and a communication coupling between the one or more sensors and one or more devices located within an inner diameter of the casing; filling sealant into the hole to form a fluid seal between the inner diameter of the casing and an outer diameter of the casing, wherein the one or more sensors have a first side facing the casing, and the first side of each sensor in the one or more sensors has one or more flow paths allowing the sealant to flow through at least a portion of each sensor in the one or more sensors; and enabling a collection of sensor data from the one or more sensors at a downhole controller or a surface controller. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the drilling the hole includes drilling into the subterranean formation a specified distance. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the power coupling and the communication coupling utilizes wireless methods. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the downhole controller or the surface controller utilize the sensor data to direct operations of borehole equipment located at the borehole. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the sensor data is at least one of one or more of casing characteristics, one or more casing-subterranean formation bond characteristics, one or more subterranean formation characteristics, or one or more reservoir characteristics. ### Claim 26 A sensor placement system, comprising: a transceiver, capable of communicating with a surface controller; a drilling system, located downhole a borehole through a subterranean formation, wherein the drilling system is capable of drilling a casing hole through a casing of the borehole and drilling into the subterranean formation; one or more sensors, capable of communicating with the transceiver, being positioned within the subterranean formation and separated from the casing of the borehole, and are coupled to a power source located within the borehole and communicatively coupled to a communication device located within the borehole; a sealant injection system, capable of injecting a sealant into the casing hole to fluidly seal an inner diameter of the casing and an outer diameter of the casing, wherein the one or more sensors have a first side facing the casing, and the first side of each sensor in the one or more sensors has one or more flow paths allowing the sealant to flow through at least a portion of each sensor in the one or more sensors; and wherein the drilling system, the transceiver, and the sealant injection system are part of a downhole tool.