Ranging using current profiling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016258276-A1
Application number	US-201314421397-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 30, 2013
Priority date	Dec 30, 2013
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods provide a mechanism to provide enhanced features for well ranging. Various embodiments may include generating a current profile for a target well, acquiring magnetic signals at a second well, and determining ranging to the target well with respect to the second well using the magnetic signals and the current profile. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
generating a voltage profile with respect to excitation measured by selected electrodes of a plurality of electrodes deployed along a pipe of a first well; generating an impedance profile with respect to position along the first well using selected electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; generating a current profile using the voltage profile and the impedance profile; and performing a ranging operation to the first well with respect to a second well using the current profile with a measured magnetic field.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first well is a production well.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein performing the ranging operation includes performing a ranging operation with respect to an injector well in a steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) application.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the voltage profile with respect to excitation includes activating an emitter at a surface from which the first well was formed.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the voltage profile with respect to excitation includes activating an emitter at a particular depth in the first well.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein activating the emitter includes using voltage controlled or current controlled activation at frequencies in the range from about 0.02 Hz to about 250 Hz.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the voltage profile includes determining voltage differences between pairs of locations along the pipe of the first well for current injected at a well head of the first well with a current return at a location on a surface from which the first well was formed.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the impedance profile includes injecting current from one electrode of the plurality of electrodes to another electrode of the plurality of electrodes and determining voltage differences between pairs of locations along the pipe between or at the location of the electrodes injecting and receiving the current.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the ranging operation includes performing a ranging operation with respect to the second well after drilling a portion of the second well and after stopping the drilling.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the ranging operation includes determining distance and direction to the second well using a relationship between distance and a ratio of current to measured magnetic field at a depth, the current at the depth taken from the current profile at the depth for current injected at a well head of the first well with a current return at a location on a surface from which the first well was formed.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes repeating generating a voltage profile, generating an impedance profile, and generating a current profile after further drilling of the second well.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second well is a production well.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes performing a ranging operation with respect to one or more wells that are different from the first and second wells.

14 . A machine-readable storage device having instructions stored thereon, which, when performed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations, the operations comprising operations to:
generate a voltage profile with respect to excitation measured by selected electrodes of a plurality of electrodes deployed along a pipe of a first well; generate an impedance profile with respect to position along the first well using selected electrodes of the plurality of electrodes; generate a current profile using the voltage profile and the impedance profile; and perform a ranging operation to the first well with respect to a second well using the current profile with a measured magnetic field.

15 . The machine-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein the first well is a production well.

16 . The machine-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein operations to perform the ranging operation include performance of a ranging operation with respect to an injector well in a steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) application.

17 . The machine-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein operations to generate the voltage profile with respect to excitation includes activation of an emitter at a surface from which the first well was formed.

18 . The machine-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein operations to generate the voltage profile with respect to excitation includes activation of an emitter at a particular depth in the first well.

19 . The machine-readable storage device of claim 17 , wherein activation of the emitter includes use of voltage controlled or current controlled activation at frequencies in the range from about 0.02 Hz to about 250 Hz.

20 . The machine-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein operations to generate the voltage profile includes determination of voltage differences between pairs of locations along the pipe of the first well for current injected at a well head of the first well with a current return at a location on a surface from which the first well was formed.

21 . The machine-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein operations to generate the impedance profile includes injection of current from one electrode of the plurality of electrodes to another electrode of the plurality of electrodes and determination of voltage differences between pairs of locations along the pipe between or at locations of the electrodes injecting and receiving the current.

22 . The machine-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein operations to perform the ranging operation includes performance of a ranging operation with respect to the second well after drilling a portion of the second well and after stopping the drilling.

23 . The machine-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein operations to perform the ranging operation includes determination of distance and direction to the second well by use of a relationship between distance and a ratio of current to measured magnetic field at a depth, the current at the depth taken from the current profile at the depth for current injected at a well head of the first well with a current return at location on a surface from which the first well was formed.

24 . The machine-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein the operations include repetition of the generation of a voltage profile, the generation of an impedance profile, and the generation of a current profile after further drilling of the second well.

25 . The machine-readable storage device of claim 14 wherein the second well is a production well.

26 . The machine-readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein the operations include performance of a ranging operation with respect to one or more wells that are different from the first and second wells.

27 . A system comprising:
an emitter; a plurality of electrodes capable of being deployed along a pipe of a first well; a magnetic sensor capable of being deployed along a second well; a control unit arranged to control excitation to the first well by the emitter, to control collection of voltages at selected electrodes of the plurality of electrodes, to control generation of currents from selected electrodes of the plurality of electrodes and collection of voltages based on the generation of

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Donderici Burkay
• Wu Hsu-Hsiang

Classifications

• E21B43/2406

  Steam assisted gravity drainage [SAGD] · CPC title

• E21B47/024

  of devices in the borehole (determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022) · CPC title

• E21B47/092

  by detecting magnetic anomalies · CPC title

• E21B47/0228 Primary

  using electromagnetic energy or detectors therefor · CPC title

• G01V3/02

  operating with propagation of electric current · CPC title