Bridge plug sensor for bottom-hole measurements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10689971-B2
Application number	US-201515775794-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2015
Priority date	Dec 16, 2015
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

Example apparatus, methods, and systems are described for performing bottom hole measurements in a downhole environment. In an example system, a bridge plug is deployed at a downhole location of a cased well, An optical fiber cable is deployed exterior to the casing of the well. The bridge plug includes a sensor and an acoustic signal generator, which transmits acoustic signals through the casing to the optical fiber cable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for use in casing cemented in a wellbore of a well, comprising:
a bridge plug deployed at a downhole location in the casing, wherein the bridge plug includes a sensor and an acoustic signal generator; and
an optical fiber sensing system coupled to the exterior of the casing to detect acoustic signals from the acoustic signal generator.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor oriented to detect pressures experienced uphole of the bridge plug.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an independent power source to power the sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic signal generator is at a distance from the optical fiber sensing system.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber sensing system transmits a modulated light signal from the well to a surface detector in response to the detected acoustic signals.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bridge plug further comprises a second sensor and a second signal generator.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic signal generator is operable to generate a perturbation to the optical fiber sensing system based on a measurement from the sensor.

8. A method, comprising:
detecting a pressure measurement at a pressure sensor of a bridge plug deployed at a downhole location of a well with casing cemented in place;
converting the pressure measurement into an acoustic signal correlated with the pressure measurement; and
transmitting the acoustic signal to apply acoustic pressure on an optical fiber sensor deployed external to the casing.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising: modulating a light signal within the optical fiber sensor based on the acoustic pressure, wherein the modulated light signal represents the pressure measurement.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising: transmitting the modulated light signal to a surface detector for analyses.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein transmitting the acoustic signal to apply acoustic pressure further comprises perturbing the optical fiber using an acoustic transducer.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising: extracting the acoustic signal correlated with the pressure measurement from the optical fiber using an interrogator.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein extracting the parameter includes extracting a value of the pressure measurement in response to receiving an optical signal backscattered in the optical fiber.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining, using time of flight analysis, that a bridge plug failure event has occurred based on a change in the downhole location at which the acoustic signal is transmitted to the optical fiber sensor.

15. An apparatus, comprising:
a bridge plug including a sensor and an acoustic signal generator, wherein
the acoustic signal generator is configured to convert a measurement from the sensor into an acoustic signal and apply acoustic pressure for transmitting the acoustic signal; and an independent power source to power the sensor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor oriented to detect pressures experienced uphole of the bridge plug.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the acoustic signal generator comprises processing circuitry that is communicably coupled to a transducer.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a second sensor and a second signal generator.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the second sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Smith Kenneth James
• Warpinski Norman R
• Jaaskelainen Mikko
• Park Brian Vandellyn

Classifications

• E21B47/135

  using light waves, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet waves · CPC title

• E21B33/134

  Bridging plugs · CPC title

• E21B43/14

  Obtaining from a multiple-zone well · CPC title

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• E21B47/06 Primary

  Measuring temperature or pressure · CPC title