Passive monitoring system for a liquid flow
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsGary L. Rytlewski, Nitin Y. Vaidya
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A passive liquid flow monitoring system includes a monitoring device made of a liquid-soluble material in which coded transponders are releasably retained. The monitoring device may be deployed proximate a region of interest in a hydrocarbon-producing well. Characteristics of a liquid flow in the region of interest may be determined based upon detection of transponders that are released from the monitoring device when the monitoring device is exposed to the liquid flow.
Claims22
A system to monitor a liquid flow in a hydrocarbon well, comprising:
- a first monitoring device to deploy proximate a region of interest in a wellbore that extends from a surface, the monitoring device comprising a plurality of first transponders releasably retained in a material that is soluble in a first liquid;
- a detection system located at the surface to detect first transponders released from the material in response to exposure of the first monitoring device to a flow of the first liquid in the region of interest;
- and
- a biasing device to maintain a portion of the first monitoring device in the flow of the first liquid when the first monitoring device is exposed to the flow of the first liquid and the material dissolves.
A method of monitoring a liquid flow in a wellbore, comprising:
- deploying a passive monitoring device in a region of interest in the wellbore, the passive monitoring device comprising a plurality of transponders releasably retained in a liquid-soluble material;
- detecting transponders released from the passive monitoring device into a liquid flow in the region of interest;
- determining characteristics of the liquid flow based on detection of the released transponders;
- and
- maintaining an undissolved portion of the passive monitoring device in a liquid flow pathway in the region of interest as transponders are released from the liquid-soluble material.
A method of monitoring a flow of water in a region of interest, comprising:
- controlling release of transponders retained by a water flow monitoring device in response to detection of a flow of water in the region of interest, the water flow monitoring device made of a water-soluble material, wherein controlling release of the transponders comprises exposing only a portion of the water flow monitoring device to the flow of water;
- detecting the released transponders;
- and
- determining characteristics of the flow of water based on the detection of the released transponders.
A passive liquid monitoring device comprising:
- a monitoring strip formed of a material having a first solubility in a first liquid;
- a plurality of transponders releasably retained in the material and arranged between first and second undissolved ends of the monitoring strip, the plurality of transponders including an identifier that corresponds to the monitoring strip in which the transponders are retained;
- and
- a biasing device to exert a force on the first undissolved end of the monitoring strip to maintain the second undissolved end in a liquid flow pathway as the material dissolves and the transponders are released.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.