Apparatus and methods for monitoring optical fiber system integrity
A monitor for optical fibers includes a housing configured for use in a subsea environment, a light source, an optical sensor, and a controller coupled to the light source and to the optical sensor. In some embodiments, the monitor further includes a power source. In some embodiments, the monitor further includes a transceiver. In some embodiments, the monitor is coupled to an optical fiber system being run into a subsea well. The monitor tests the integrity of the optical fiber system during the running of the optical fiber system while the monitor is subsea. In some embodiments, the monitor is coupled to a subsea tree, and tests the integrity of the optical fiber system after running the optical fiber system into the well. In some embodiments, the monitor sends a signal to indicate the condition of the optical fiber system while the monitor is subsea.
1 . A monitor for monitoring an optical fiber line coupled to a tubular string, the monitor comprising:
a housing configured for use in a subsea environment, the housing containing:
a light source configured to send an input optical signal into the optical fiber line;
an optical sensor configured to detect an output optical signal from the optical fiber line; and
a controller coupled to the light source and to the optical sensor, wherein the controller operates to control the light source to send the input optical signal and to control the optical sensor to detect the output optical signal, wherein the controller comprises instructions that cause a plurality of operations to be conducted when the instructions are executed, the plurality of operations comprising:
receiving a first data signal from the optical sensor based on the output optical signal;
determining, from the first data signal, a condition of the optical fiber line;
generating a synopsis of the condition, wherein the synopsis comprises a classification of integrity of the optical fiber line as being one of at least three categories based on a comparison of an attenuation coefficient or a quantification of signal loss against one or more threshold values; and
sending a second data signal comprising the synopsis; and
a power source.
2 . The monitor of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the condition of the optical fiber line coupled to the monitor includes performing optical time domain reflectometry.
3 . The monitor of claim 1 , wherein the second data signal includes a subset of information contained in the first data signal.
4 . The monitor of claim 1 , wherein sending the second data signal includes transmitting the second data signal via electrical telemetry, electromagnetic telemetry, acoustic telemetry, or optical telemetry.
5 . The monitor of claim 1 , further comprising a memory configured to store information contained in the first data signal.