RFID Tag Tracer Method and Apparatus
A fluid can be tracked in a wellbore utilizing at least one RFID tag entrained in the fluid. An RFID tag reader can be disposed and/or displaced in the wellbore, for example, on a drill string or a casing string. A reader can be utilized to locate the at least one RFID tag in the wellbore. A reader can be housed in a drill string sub. A fluid entrained with at least one RFID tag can be utilized as a tracer fluid. An RFID tag can be entrained in cement or a drilling or fracture fluid.
1 . A method of tracking a fluid in a wellbore comprising:
entraining at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) tag in the fluid; and
locating the at least one RFID tag in the wellbore with at least one reader.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising injecting a slurry of the at least one RFID tag and the fluid into the wellbore.
3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising injecting a slurry of the at least one RFID tag and the fluid into an annulus between an outer surface of a first casing string disposed in the wellbore and at least one of the wellbore and an inner surface of a second casing string circumferential to the first casing string.
4 . The method of claim 3 further comprising determining when the fluid is injected to a desired location in the annulus.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising injecting a slurry of the at least one RFID tag and the fluid into an annulus between an outer surface of a drill string and the wellbore.
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising disposing the at least one reader into the wellbore.
7 . The method of claim 6 further comprising displacing the at least one reader within the wellbore.
8 . The method of claim 6 further comprising disposing the at least one reader in the wellbore on a drill string.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the entraining step comprises entraining a plurality of RFID tags in the fluid.
10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising detecting a fluid loss by locating a concentrated zone of the plurality of RFID tags in the wellbore.
11 . The method of claim 9 further comprising entraining the plurality of RFID tags substantially uniformly in the fluid.
12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising detecting a fluid void by locating a zone in the wellbore substantially devoid of the plurality of RFID tags.
13 . The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting sensor data from the at least one RFID tag to the reader.
14 . The method of claim 1 further comprising writing data to the at least one RFID tag.
15 . A drilling fluid composition comprising:
a drilling fluid; and
at least one RFID tag entrained in the drilling fluid.
16 . A fracturing fluid composition comprising:
a fracturing fluid; and
at least one RFID tag entrained in the fracturing fluid.
17 . A cement composition comprising:
a cement; and
at least one RFID tag entrained in the cement.
18 . The cement composition of claim 17 wherein the cement is fluidic.
19 . The cement composition of claim 17 wherein the cement is solidified.
20 . A tracer slug comprising:
a fluid; and
at least one RFID tag entrained in the fluid.
21 . A system to track a fluid in a wellbore comprising:
at least one RFID tag entrained in the fluid; and
at least one reader disposed within the wellbore.
22 . The system of claim 21 wherein the at least one reader is disposed on a drill string.
23 . The system of claim 21 wherein the at least one reader is disposed on a casing string.
24 . A drill string sub comprising:
a sub body having at least one connection to a drill string; and
at least one RFID tag reader disposed on the sub body.