Casing defect determination using stored defect response information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016290122-A1
Application number	US-201515035155-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 11, 2015
Priority date	Jul 11, 2014
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system comprises a wellbore having a plurality of casings disposed therein and one or more electromagnetic coils disposed within the wellbore. The one or more electromagnetic coils are configured to generate and direct one or more excitation signals toward the plurality of casings and receive one or more response signals based on interactions of the one or more excitation signals with the plurality of casings. The system further comprises a casing evaluation module comprising a processor and memory and communicably coupled to the one or more electromagnetic coils. The casing evaluation module is operable to determine whether defect exists in at least one of the plurality of casings using a first response signal received from the one or more electromagnetic coils and elemental defect information, the elemental defect information comprising a plurality of combinations of small defect information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
a wellbore having a plurality of casings disposed therein; one or more electromagnetic coils disposed within the wellbore and configured to:
generate and direct one or more excitation signals toward the plurality of casings; and
receive one or more response signals based on interactions of the one or more excitation signals with the plurality of casings; and
a casing evaluation module comprising a processor and memory, the casing evaluation module communicably coupled to the one or more electromagnetic coils and operable to:
determine whether a defect exists in at least one of the plurality of casings using a first response signal received from the one or more electromagnetic coils and elemental defect information, the elemental defect information comprising a plurality of combinations of small defect information.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the small defect information indicates an expected response signal for the smallest measurable defect in at least one of the plurality of casings.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the elemental defect information indicates expected response signals for one or more defects in at least one of the plurality of casings.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the casing evaluation module is further configured to determine whether a defect exists in at least one of the plurality of casings by:
comparing the first response signal with the expected response signals of the elemental defect information; and determining, for each expected response signal, whether the difference between the first response signal and the expected response signal falls below a threshold.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein comparing the first response signal with the expected response signals of the elemental defect information comprises comparing the first response signal with combinations of the expected response signals of the elemental defect information.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the casing evaluation module is further configured to determine, using the elemental defect information, one or more characteristics of a defect in at least one of the plurality of casings.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the defect comprises a size of the defect, a shape of the defect, or a combination thereof.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the casing evaluation module is further configured to:
separate the first response signal into portions; assign each portion of the first response signal to a casing of the plurality of casings; and determine, for each casing of the plurality of casings, whether a defect exists in the casing using the assigned portion of the first response signal.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of casings are disposed concentrically within the wellbore.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electromagnetic coils are disposed on a downhole inspection tool disposed within the wellbore.

11 . A method, comprising:
generating and directing, using one or more electromagnetic coils, one or more excitation signals toward a plurality of casings disposed in a wellbore; receiving, from the one or more electromagnetic coils, one or more response signals based on interactions of the one or more excitation signals with the plurality of casings; and determining whether a defect exists in at least one of the plurality of casings using a first response signal and elemental defect information, the elemental defect information comprising a plurality of combinations of small defect information.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the small defect information indicates an expected response signal for the smallest measurable defect in at least one of the plurality of casings.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the elemental defect information indicates expected response signals for one or more defects in at least one of the plurality of casings.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein determining whether a defect exists in at least one of the plurality of casings comprises:
comparing the first response signal with the expected response signals of the elemental defect information; and determining, for each expected response signal, whether the difference between the first response signal and the expected response signal falls below a threshold.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein comparing the first response signal with the expected response signals of the elemental defect information comprises comparing the first response signal with combinations of the expected response signals of the elemental defect information.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining, using the elemental defect information, one or more characteristics of a defect in at least one of the plurality of casings.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the defect comprises a size of the defect, a shape of the defect, or a combination thereof.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
separating the first response signal into portions; assigning each portion of the first response signal to a casing of the plurality of casings; and determining, for each casing of the plurality of casings, whether a defect exists in the casing using the assigned portion of the first response signal.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of casings are disposed concentrically within the wellbore.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electromagnetic coils are disposed on a downhole inspection tool disposed within the wellbore.

21 . A computer-readable medium comprising instructions configured, when executed by a processor, to:
receive, from one or more electromagnetic coils disposed in a wellbore, one or more response signals based on interactions of one or more excitation signals with a plurality of casings disposed in the wellbore; and determine whether a defect exists in at least one of the plurality of casings using a first response signal and elemental defect information, the elemental defect information comprising a plurality of combinations of small defect information.

22 . The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the small defect information indicates an expected response signal for the smallest measurable defect in at least one of the plurality of casings.

23 . The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the elemental defect information indicates expected response signals for one or more defects in at least one of the plurality of casings.

24 . The computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the instructions are further configured to determine whether a defect exists in at least one of the plurality of casings by:
comparing the first response signal with the expected response signals of the elemental defect information; and determining, for each expected response signal, whether the difference between the first response signal and the expected response signal falls below a threshold.

25 . The computer-readable medium of claim 24 , wherein comparing the first response signal with the expected response signals of the elemental defect information comprises comparing the first response signal with combinations of the expected response signals of the elemental defect information.

26 . The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , w

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• San Martin Luis Emilio
• Khalaj Amineh Reza
• Donderici Burkay

Classifications

• E21B47/09

  Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells {, e.g. the position of an extending arm}; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes · CPC title

• E21B47/08 Primary

  Measuring diameters or related dimensions at the borehole · CPC title

• G01V3/28

  using induction coils · CPC title

• E21B47/0006 Primary

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B47/006

  Detection of corrosion or deposition of substances · CPC title