IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,661,838
Granted Patent B2
US 11,661,838 · App. 17/039,553 · Granted May 30, 2023

Using active actuation for downhole fluid identification and cement barrier quality assessment

Inventors: John Paul Bir Singh (Kingwood, TX); Mikko Jaaskelainen (Houston, TX); John L. Maida (Houston, TX); Krishna Babu Yerubandi (Houston, TX)
Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
E21B47/005E21B47/06E21B47/07G01V1/40G01V1/52E21B33/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,661,838
App. No.
17/039,553
Granted
May 30, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Aspects of the subject technology relate to systems and methods for determining cement barrier quality of a cementing process. Systems and methods are provided for receiving data from a distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line positioned proximate to cement barrier of a wellbore, determining at least one zonal isolation in the cement barrier based on the data received from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line, and compiling a cement bond log based on the determining of the at least one zonal isolation in the cement barrier.

Claims (47)

1. A method for determining a cement barrier quality of a wellbore, the method comprising:

transmitting acoustic energy from an energy source, wherein at least a portion of the acoustic energy transmitted from the energy source propagates along the wellbore when a hydration level of the wellbore is monitored;

receiving data from a distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line that senses the portion of the transmitted energy based on the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line being positioned proximate to the cement barrier of the wellbore when the hydration level of the cement barrier is monitored;

identifying that a current state of the cement barrier corresponds to a cured state based on the monitoring of the hydration level of the cement barrier, wherein the cement barrier forms a sheath that supports a casing within the wellbore when the state of the cement barrier corresponds to the cured state;

performing an analysis on the data received from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line;

identifying at least one zonal isolation in the cement barrier based on the analysis of the data received from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line identifying a fluctuation in an acoustic signal amplitude;

associating the fluctuation in the acoustic signal amplitude with the zonal isolation;

storing data in a cement bond log after associating the fluctuation in the acoustic signal amplitude with the zonal isolation; and

determining the cement barrier quality based on the stored cement bond log data as the sheath supports the casing within the wellbore.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line includes acoustic signal attenuation data of the cement barrier and wherein the analysis also identifies that the fluctuation in acoustic signal amplitude occurs at a plurality of different frequencies.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line is positioned on an exterior surface of a casing that lines the wellbore.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line is configured to provide data relating to at least one of strain, temperature, and pressure.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one zonal isolation in the cement barrier is a cement defect or a microannulus.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a geometry of the at least one zonal isolation in the cement barrier based on the data received from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a hydration level of the cement barrier in real time based on the data received from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line to identify the state of the cement barrier, wherein the state of the cement barrier corresponds to at least one of an uncured state or the cured state.

8. A system for determining a cement barrier quality of a wellbore, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

at least one computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:

transmit acoustic energy from an energy source, wherein at least a portion of the acoustic energy transmitted from the energy source propagates along the wellbore when a hydration level of the wellbore is monitored;

receive data from a distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line that senses the portion of the transmitted energy based on the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line being positioned proximate to the cement barrier of the wellbore when the hydration level of the cement barrier is monitored;

identify that a current state of the cement barrier corresponds to a cured state based on the monitoring of the hydration level of the cement barrier, wherein the cement barrier forms a sheath that supports a casing within the wellbore when the state of the cement barrier corresponding to the cured state;

perform an analysis on the data received from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line;

identify at least one zonal isolation in the cement barrier based on the analysis of the data received from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line identifying a fluctuation in an acoustic signal amplitude;

associate the fluctuation in the acoustic signal amplitude with the zonal isolation;

store data in a cement bond log after associating the fluctuation in the acoustic signal amplitude with the zonal isolation; and

determine the cement barrier quality based on the stored cement bond log data as the sheath supports the casing within the wellbore.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the data from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line includes acoustic signal attenuation data of the cement barrier.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line is positioned on an exterior surface of a casing that lines the wellbore.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line is configured to provide data relating to at least one of strain, temperature, and pressure.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one zonal isolation in the cement barrier is a cement defect or a microannulus.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to determine a geometry of the at least one zonal isolation in the cement barrier based on the data received from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to determine a hydration level of the cement barrier in real time based on the data received from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:

instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for determining a cement barrier quality of a wellbore, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

transmit acoustic energy from an energy source, wherein at least a portion of the acoustic energy transmitted from the energy source propagates along the wellbore when a hydration level of the wellbore is monitored;

receive data from a distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line that senses the portion of the transmitted energy based on the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line being positioned proximate to cement barrier of the wellbore when the hydration level of the cement barrier is monitored;

identify that a current state of the cement barrier corresponds to a cured state based on monitoring the hydration level of the cement barrier, wherein the cement barrier forms a sheath that supports a casing within the wellbore when the state of the cement barrier corresponds to the cured state;

perform an analysis on the data received from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line;

identify at least one zonal isolation in the cement barrier based on the analysis of the data received from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line identifying a fluctuation in an acoustic signal amplitude;

associate the fluctuation in the acoustic signal amplitude with the zonal isolation;

store data in a cement bond log after associating the fluctuation in the acoustic signal amplitude with the zonal isolation; and

determine the cement barrier quality based on the stored cement bond log data as the sheath supports the casing within the wellbore.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the data from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line includes acoustic signal attenuation data of the cement barrier.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line is positioned on an exterior surface of a casing that lines the wellbore.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line is configured to provide data relating to at least one of strain, temperature, and pressure.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the at least one zonal isolation in the cement barrier is a cement defect or a microannulus.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine a geometry of the at least one zonal isolation in the cement barrier based on the data received from the distributed acoustic sensing fiber optic line.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2021
From: SINGH, JOHN PAUL BIR; JAASKELAINEN, MIKKO; MAIDA, JOHN L.; YERUBANDI, KRISHNA BABU
To: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 055616/0802 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62969027 · Feb 1, 2020
Provisional Application 62968989 · Jan 31, 2020
Provisional Application 62968995 · Jan 31, 2020
Related Publication 20210238978A1 · Aug 5, 2021