Instrumentation for a downhole deployment valve

A method for measuring wellbore or formation parameters, comprising:

• placing a downhole tool within a wellbore, the downhole tool comprising:
• a casing string, at least a portion of the casing string comprising a downhole deployment valve, and
• an optical sensor disposed on the casing string;
• cementing the casing string within the wellbore;
• and
• lowering a drill string into the wellbore while sensing wellbore or formation parameters with the optical sensor.

An apparatus for monitoring conditions within a wellbore or a formation, comprising:

• a casing string cemented in the wellbore, at least a portion of the casing string comprising a downhole deployment valve for selectively obstructing a fluid path through the casing string;
• at least one optical sensor disposed on the casing string for sensing one or more parameters within the wellbore or formation;
• and
• a control line substantially parallel to an optical line connecting a surface monitoring and control unit to the downhole deployment valve, wherein at least a portion of the control line and the optical line are protected by at least one housing disposed around the casing string.

A method for permanently monitoring at least one wellbore or formation parameter, comprising:

• placing a casing string within a wellbore, at least a portion of the casing string comprising a downhole deployment valve with at least one optical sensor disposed therein, wherein the downhole deployment valve is an integral part of the casing string;
• cementing the casing string in the wellbore;
• operating the deployment valve between closed and open positions, wherein the closed position substantially obstructs a bore of the casing string and the open position provides a passageway for a tool to pass through the bore;
• and
• sensing at least one wellbore or formation parameter with the optical sensor.

A method for determining flow characteristics of a fluid flowing through a casing string, comprising:

• providing a casing string cemented within a wellbore, the casing string comprising a downhole deployment valve and at least one optical sensor coupled thereto, wherein the downhole deployment valve is an integral part of the casing string;
• measuring characteristics of fluid flowing through the casing string using the at least one optical sensor;
• and
• determining at least one of a volumetric phase fraction for the fluid and flow rate for the fluid based on the measured fluid characteristics.

An apparatus for downhole monitoring, comprising:

• a casing string cemented in the wellbore, the casing string comprising a downhole deployment valve, the deployment valve comprising:
• a housing having a fluid flow path therethrough;
• a valve member operatively connected to the housing for selectively obstructing the flow path;
• and
• an optical sensor physically connected to the housing, wherein the sensor is adapted to enable sensing a seismic wave.

A method for permanently monitoring at least one wellbore or formation parameter, comprising:

• placing a casing string within a wellbore, at least a portion of the casing string comprising a downhole deployment valve with at least one optical sensor disposed therein;
• cementing the casing string in the wellbore;
• operating the deployment valve between closed and open positions, wherein the closed position substantially obstructs a bore of the casing string and the open position provides a passageway for a tool to pass through the bore;
• and
• sensing at least one wellbore or formation parameter with the optical sensor, wherein a seismic source transmits at least one acoustic wave into the formation for sensing by the at least one optical sensor.

A method for permanently monitoring at least one wellbore or formation parameter, comprising:

• placing a casing string within a wellbore, at least a portion of the casing string comprising a downhole deployment valve with at least one optical sensor disposed therein;
• cementing the casing string in the wellbore;
• operating the deployment valve between closed and open positions, wherein the closed position substantially obstructs a bore of the casing string and the open position provides a passageway for a tool to pass through the bore;
• and
• sensing at least one wellbore or formation parameter with the optical sensor, wherein the at least one wellbore or formation parameter comprises microseismic measurements.

A method for permanently monitoring at least one wellbore or formation parameter, comprising:

• placing a casing string within a wellbore, at least a portion of the casing string comprising a downhole deployment valve with at least one optical sensor disposed therein and a flow meter, wherein the flow meter senses at least one of a flow rate of fluid or a composition of the fluid;
• cementing the casing string in the wellbore;
• operating the deployment valve between closed and open positions, wherein the closed position substantially obstructs a bore of the casing string and the open position provides a passageway for a tool to pass through the bore;
• and
• sensing at least one wellbore or formation parameter with the optical sensor.

A method for determining flow characteristics of a fluid flowing through a casing string, comprising:

• providing a casing string cemented within a wellbore, the casing string comprising a downhole deployment valve and at least one optical sensor coupled thereto;
• measuring characteristics of fluid flowing through the casing string using the at least one optical sensor, wherein the fluid is introduced while drilling into a formation;
• determining at least one of a volumetric phase fraction for the fluid and flow rate for the fluid based on the measured fluid characteristics;
• and
• adjusting the flow rate of the fluid while drilling into the formation.

A method of using a down hole deployment valve (DDV) in a wellbore extending to a first depth, the method comprising:

• assembling the DDV as part of a tubular string, the DDV comprising:
• a valve member movable between an open and a closed position;
• an axial bore therethrough in communication with an axial bore of the tubular string when the valve member is in the open position, the valve member substantially sealing a first portion of the tubular string bore from a second portion of the tubular string bore when the valve member is in the closed position;
• and
• an optical sensor configured to sense a parameter of the DDV, a parameter of the wellbore, or a parameter of a formation;
• running the tubular string into the wellbore;
• and
• running a drill string through the tubular string bore and the DDV bore, the drill string comprising a drill bit located at an axial end thereof;
• and
• drilling the wellbore to a second depth using the drill string and the drill bit.