FIBER OPTIC SENSING SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Fiber optic sensing systems and methods. In a described embodiment, a fiber optic sensing system includes an optical fiber transmitting energy to a chemical vapor deposited diamond material proximate a substance in a well. The diamond material is deposited as a coating on a substrate. The substrate and coating are heated when the energy is transmitted by the optical fiber. This heats the substance in the well, which is detected to determine a property of the substance. In another embodiment, light energy is transmitted through the diamond material.
1 - 65 . (canceled)
66 . A fiber optic sensing system for use in detecting at least one property of a substance in a subterranean well, the sensing system comprising:
a sensor surface configured for transmitting energy to the substance in the well;
an optical fiber for transmitting light energy to the sensor surface, the light energy being transmitted from the optical fiber through the sensor surface and to the substance; and
the light energy causing a response in the substance.
67 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , further comprising a sensor for detecting the substance response.
68 . The sensing system according to claim 67 , wherein the sensor is a spectrometer.
69 . The sensing system according to claim 67 , wherein the sensor is a fluoroscope.
70 . The sensing system according to claim 67 , wherein the substance response is transmitted through the optical fiber to the sensor.
71 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the light energy excites the substance to give off a spectrum indicative of an elemental composition of the substance.
72 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the light energy causes at least a portion of the substance to fluoresce.
73 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the light energy heats the substance.
74 . The sensing system according to claim 73 , wherein the substance undergoes a phase change when the light energy heats the substance.
75 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensor surface is formed on a diamond material.
76 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensor surface is formed on a chemical vapor deposited coating.
77 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , further comprising a laser positioned in the well transmitting the light energy through the optical fiber.
78 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , further comprising a laser positioned at the earth's surface transmitting the light energy through the optical fiber.
79 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the substance is a fluid within a tubular string in the well.
80 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the substance is a fluid external to a tubular string in the well.
81 . The sensing system according to claim 80 , wherein the fluid is disposed in an annulus between the tubular string and casing in the well.
82 . The sensing system according to claim 80 , wherein the tubular string is casing, and wherein the fluid is formation fluid.
83 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the substance is a hardenable material positioned in an annulus between a wellbore and casing in the well.
84 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the substance is a formation intersected by a wellbore of the well.
85 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the substance is a solid structure in the well.
86 . The sensing system according to claim 85 , wherein the structure is a tubular string.
87 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensing system includes multiple sensing devices distributed circumferentially about a tubular string in the well.
88 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a level of an interface between different fluids flowing through a tubular string in the well.
89 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensing system includes multiple sensing devices distributed longitudinally along a tubular string in the well.
90 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a level of an interface between different fluids in a formation intersected by the well.
91 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the substance is a hardenable material installed external to a tubular string in the well, and wherein the sensing system detects a quality of installation of the hardenable material.
92 . The sensing system according to claim 91 , wherein the sensing system detects a presence of a fluid in the hardenable material.
93 . The sensing system according to claim 91 , wherein the sensing system detects a presence of a void in the hardenable material.
94 . The sensing system according to claim 91 , wherein the sensing system detects a presence of a crack in the hardenable material.
95 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a direction of flow of the substance through a tubular string in the well.
96 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a rate of flow of the substance through a tubular string in the well.
97 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects an identity of the substance in the well.
98 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a chemical composition of the substance in the well.
99 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a phase change in the substance in the well.
100 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects fluorescence of the substance in the well.
101 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the sensing system detects a ratio between different fluids included in the substance in the well.
102 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the substance is a tubular string material, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the tubular string material.
103 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the substance is a formation, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the formation.
104 . The sensing system according to claim 103 , wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of a fluid in the formation.
105 . The sensing system according to claim 103 , wherein the sensing system detects a location of a fluid in the formation.
106 . The sensing system according to claim 103 , wherein the sensing system detects a presence of a fracture in the formation.
107 . The sensing system according to claim 103 , wherein the sensing system detects a location of a fracture in the formation.
108 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the substance is a hardenable material positioned external to a tubular string, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the hardenable material.
109 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the substance is a tubular string material, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the tubular string material.
110 . The sensing system according to claim 66 , wherein the substance is a fluid in the well, and wherein the sensing system detects a thermal property of the fluid.
111 - 122 . (canceled)
123 . A method of detecting at least one property of a substance in a subterranean well, the method comprising the steps of:
positioning a sensor surface in the well proximate the substance;
transmitting light energy through an optical fiber to the sensor surface;
transmitting the light energy through the sensor surface to the substance; and
detecting a response of the substance to the transmitted light energy.
124 . The method according to claim 123 , wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting the response as a temperature change in at least one of the substance and the sensor surface.
125 . The method according to claim 123 , wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting the response as a spectral emission from the substance.
126 . The method according to claim 123 , wherein the detecting step further comprises detecting the response as a fluorescence of at least a portion of the substance.
127 . The method according to claim 123 , further comprising the step of forming the sensor surface on a diamond material.
128 . The method according to claim 127 , wherein the forming step further comprises chemical vapor depositing the diamond material.
129 - 140 . (canceled)