Pressure management system for well casing annuli
AssigneeSensor Developments AS
InventorOivind Godager
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method to provide monitoring of pressure outside the wellbore casing of a well in which a Wireless Sensor Unit is placed externally of a section of non-magnetic casing. An internal Sensor Energizer Unit is placed inside the wellbore casing. The Wireless Sensor Unit includes one or more sensors to measure the pressure and/or temperature of the surroundings. The Wireless Sensor Unit and the Sensor Energizer Unit communicate using electromagnetic modulation techniques, and the Wireless Sensor Unit may be powered by means of power harvesting from the Sensor Energizer Unit.
Claims35
Apparatus to provide monitoring of pressure outside the wellbore casing of a well, said apparatus comprising:
- a Wireless Sensor Unit (“WSU”) placed outside a section of a non-magnetic casing, said WSU including a sensor device to measure the pressure and/or the temperature of its surroundings, wherein the WSU may be installed or positioned at any elevation of a wellbore and wherein the WSU is powered by Power Harvesting where the frequency of an induction signal is in the range of 10-1000 Hz for deep penetration through the non-magnetic casing;
- and
- an internal Sensor Energizer Unit (“SEU”) for placement inside the wellbore casing, said SEU being used to provide power to and communication with the WSU, wherein the SEU is attached to the well production tubing on a process tubing segment having a thread that allows adjustment of said SEU's elevation, and wherein the SEU converts DC power supplied by a cable from the surface to an alternating electromagnetic field that provides a source of power for the WSU outside the wellbore casing;
- wherein the SEU and the WSU use an electromagnetic modulation technique to provide communication of data therebetween.
A method of monitoring pressure outside a wellbore casing of a well, said method comprising:
- installing a Wireless Sensor Unit (“WSU”) including a sensor device at a location on the outside of a section of a non-magnetic casing of a wellbore;
- installing an internal Sensor Energizer Unit (“SEU”) inside the wellbore casing at an elevation which is the same as the location of the WSU outside the wellbore, wherein the SEU is used for power and communication with the WSU;
- powering the WSU by Power Harvesting where the frequency of an induction signal is in the range of 10-1000 Hz for deep penetration through the non-magnetic casing;
- converting DC power supplied to the SEU by a cable from the surface to an alternating electromagnetic field that provides a source of power for the WSU outside the non-magnetic casing;
- and
- using an electromagnetic modulation technique to provide communication of data between the SEU and the WSU.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.