Downhole thermal anomaly detection for passive ranging to a target wellbore

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10947839-B2
Application number	US-201415316494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2014
Priority date	Jul 7, 2014
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

A method can include measuring temperature along a relief wellbore, thereby detecting a temperature anomaly in an earth formation penetrated by the relief wellbore, and determining a location of an influx into a target wellbore, based on the temperature anomaly detecting. A thermal anomaly ranging system for use with a subterranean well can include a temperature sensor in a relief wellbore that penetrates an earth formation, the temperature sensor detecting a temperature anomaly in the formation, and the temperature anomaly being caused by an influx into a target wellbore. Another method can include measuring optical scattering in an optical waveguide positioned in a relief wellbore, thereby detecting a temperature anomaly in an earth formation penetrated by the relief wellbore, and determining a location of an influx into a target wellbore, based on the temperature anomaly detecting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
measuring temperature along a relief wellbore, thereby detecting a temperature anomaly in an earth formation penetrated by the relief wellbore; and
determining a location of an influx into a target wellbore, based on the temperature anomaly detecting.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature anomaly is produced in response to the influx into the target wellbore.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a flow rate of the influx into the target wellbore, based on the temperature anomaly detecting.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a composition of the influx into the target wellbore, based on the temperature anomaly detecting.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature anomaly comprises a deviation from a geothermal gradient in the formation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring comprises detecting optical scattering in an optical waveguide positioned in the relief wellbore.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising establishing fluid communication between the relief and target wellbores after the determining.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location of the influx is at an open hole portion of the target wellbore.

9. A thermal anomaly ranging system for use with a subterranean well, comprising:
a temperature sensor in a relief wellbore that penetrates an earth formation, wherein the temperature sensor detects a temperature anomaly in the formation, the temperature anomaly being caused by an influx into a target wellbore.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises an optical waveguide.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising an optical interrogator that measures scattering in the optical waveguide.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the temperature anomaly comprises a deviation from a geothermal profile in the formation.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the influx is at an open hole portion of the target wellbore.

14. A method, comprising:
measuring optical scattering in an optical waveguide positioned in a relief wellbore, thereby detecting a temperature anomaly in an earth formation penetrated by the relief wellbore; and
determining a location of an influx into a target wellbore, based on the temperature anomaly detecting.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the temperature anomaly is produced in response to the influx into the target wellbore.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining a flow rate of the influx into the target wellbore, based on the temperature anomaly detecting.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining a composition of the influx into the target wellbore, based on the temperature anomaly detecting.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the temperature anomaly comprises a deviation from a geothermal gradient in the formation.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising establishing fluid communication between the relief and target wellbores after the determining.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the location of the influx is at an open hole portion of the target wellbore.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc
• Halliburton Energy Sendees Inc

Inventors

• Cuthbert Andrew J
• Hess Joseph E
• Cramm Carl J

Classifications

• E21B49/00 Primary

  Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells · CPC title

• E21B47/103 Primary

  using thermal measurements · CPC title

• E21B47/07

  Temperature · CPC title

• E21B47/047

  Liquid level (measuring depth or liquid level using radioactive markers E21B47/053) · CPC title

• E21B47/022 Primary

  of the borehole, e.g. using geomagnetism · CPC title