Fiberoptic tuned-induction sensors for downhole use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016334534-A1
Application number	US-201514712758-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 14, 2015
Priority date	May 14, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of sensing electromagnetic (EM) fields downhole may include filtering a voltage signal induced in a coil antenna by an EM field to produce a filtered signal, said filtering being performed by a resonance tuning filter, and applying the filtered signal to a piezoelectric element to modify a strain of an optical fiber. A sensing system may include a cable deployed downhole and coupled to an interface unit. The cable has an optical fiber coupled to an array of downhole sensors, each sensor having a coil antenna coupled by a resonance tuning filter to a piezoelectric element that modifies a strain in the optical fiber in accordance with a signal induced in the coil antenna by an electromagnetic field. The interface unit measures a backscattered light to monitor the signal from each sensor in the array.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electromagnetic sensor for downhole use, the sensor comprising:
a coil antenna that generates a response signal from an electromagnetic field; a resonance tuning filter that converts the response signal into a filtered signal; a piezoelectric element that deforms in response to the filtered signal; and an optical fiber mechanically coupled to the piezoelectric element, wherein the piezoelectric element modifies a strain of the optical fiber in accordance with the filtered signal.

2 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber is coupled to an interface unit that transmits light pulses and measures backscattered light to monitor the filtered signal.

3 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric element is cylindrical, and wherein the optical fiber is wound around the piezoelectric element.

4 . The sensor of claim 3 , wherein the filtered signal is applied as an electrical field parallel to an axis of the piezoelectric element.

5 . The sensor of claim 3 , wherein the filtered signal is applied as an electrical field parallel to a radius of the piezoelectric element.

6 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the coil antenna is wound around a shell containing the piezoelectric element.

7 . The sensor of claim 6 , wherein the shell further includes ferromagnetic material.

8 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the resonance tuning filter comprises a tuning capacitor that adjusts a resonance frequency of the piezoelectric element to a desired frequency.

9 . The sensor of claim 8 , wherein the resonance tuning filter further comprises a damping resistance that adjusts a response bandwidth of the piezoelectric element.

10 . A method of sensing electromagnetic fields downhole, the method comprising:
filtering a voltage signal induced in a coil antenna by an electromagnetic field to produce a filtered signal, said filtering being performed by a resonance tuning filter; and applying the filtered signal to a piezoelectric element to modify a strain of an optical fiber.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
transmitting light pulses via the optical fiber; and deriving an interferometric signal phase from backscattered light to monitor the filtered signal.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the piezoelectric element is cylindrical, and wherein the optical fiber is wound around the piezoelectric element.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said applying includes coupling the filtered signal to electrodes on opposite ends of the piezoelectric element.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said applying includes coupling the filtered signal to radially-separated electrodes of the piezoelectric element.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising inducing the voltage signal with the coil antenna, wherein the coil antenna is wound around a shell containing the piezoelectric element.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said inducing includes concentrating electromagnetic field lines with ferromagnetic material in said shell.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein as part of said filtering, the resonance tuning filter provides the piezoelectric element with a modified resonance frequency.

18 . An electromagnetic sensing system that comprises:
a cable disposed along a borehole, said cable having an optical fiber coupled to an array of downhole electromagnetic field sensors, each sensor having a coil antenna coupled by a resonance tuning filter to a piezoelectric element that modifies a strain in the optical fiber in accordance with a signal induced in the coil antenna by an electromagnetic field; and an interface unit that transmits light pulses along the optical fiber and measures an interferometric signal phase derived from backscattered light to monitor the signal from each sensor in the array.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein each sensor has the coil antenna wound around a shell containing the piezoelectric element, and wherein the shells are anchored to or integrated with the cable.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein each shell includes ferromagnetic material to enhance sensitivity of the sensor's coil antenna.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Mandviwala Tasneem A
• Griffing Matthew Chase

Classifications

• G01V3/34 Primary

  Transmitting data to recording or processing apparatus; Recording data · CPC title

• G01V3/10

  using induction coils · CPC title

• G01V3/28 Primary

  using induction coils · CPC title

• G01V3/30

  operating with electromagnetic waves · CPC title

• G01H9/004 Primary

  using fibre optic sensors (light guides per se G02B6/00, acousto-optical devices specially adapted for gating or modulating in optical wave guides G02F1/125) · CPC title