Cement health monitoring in ccus wells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025283402-A1
Application number	US-202418601202-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 11, 2024
Priority date	Mar 11, 2024
Publication date	Sep 11, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Some implementations include a system comprising an electrical line positioned proximate to one or more subsurface formations; and a permanent downhole sensor array coupled to the electrical line, the permanent downhole sensor array including one or more downhole sensors, each downhole sensor including: a first sensing device configured to detect at least a first component of a downhole fluid.

First claim

1 . A system comprising:
an electrical line positioned in a wellbore proximate to one or more subsurface formations; and a permanent downhole sensor array coupled to the electrical line and positioned within a cemented portion of the wellbore, the permanent downhole sensor array including one or more downhole sensors, each downhole sensor including:
a first sensing device configured to identify at least a first component of a downhole fluid in the cemented portion of the wellbore.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a tubular positioned in the wellbore, wherein the wellbore is part of an injection well drilled through one or more subsurface formations, wherein the electrical line is coupled to the tubular, wherein the tubular and electrical line are cemented within the wellbore, wherein the first sensing device includes a first optical computational element configured to detect and quantify at least the first component of the downhole fluid within the wellbore for a lifetime of the injection well, and wherein the downhole fluid is a pore fluid of the one or more subsurface formations.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flow control device positioned proximate to a fractured zone of the wellbore and communicatively coupled to the first sensing device, wherein the flow control device is configured to close upon detection of the first component by the first sensing device.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a processor; and a computer-readable medium having instructions executable by the processor, the instructions including:
instructions to measure, via the permanent downhole sensor array, a quantity of the first component of the downhole fluid in one or more subsurface formations, wherein the permanent downhole sensor array is cemented in an injection well;
instructions to update a reservoir model configured to model a travel of the first component through at least one of the subsurface formations; and
instructions to alter an injection profile based, at least in part, on the updated reservoir model.

5 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
instructions to assess a health of cement in the wellbore based, at least in part, on the quantity of the first component; and instructions to perform a wellbore operation to mitigate damage to the cement in the wellbore.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each downhole sensor of the permanent downhole sensor array includes an inlet filter configured to allow entry of the downhole fluid and inhibit cement flow into each respective sensing device.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a three-phase flow meter communicatively coupled with the first sensing device.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensing device is configured to detect and to measure at least a second component of the downhole fluid.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each downhole sensor of the permanent downhole sensor array includes the first sensing device and a second sensing device, wherein the second sensing device is configured to detect a presence and measure a quantity of a second component of the downhole fluid.

10 . An apparatus comprising:
a downhole sensor to be positioned within a cemented portion of a wellbore proximate to one or more subsurface formations; and a first sensing device housed within the downhole sensor, the first sensing device configured to identify at least a first component of a downhole fluid in the cemented portion of the wellbore.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the downhole sensor is configured to be cemented in a wellbore of an injection well drilled through the one or more subsurface formations, wherein the first sensing device is configured to measure a quantity of the first component of the downhole fluid for a lifetime of the injection well, and wherein the downhole fluid is a pore fluid of the one or more subsurface formations.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
at least a second sensing device housed within the downhole sensor, wherein the second sensing device is configured to detect a second component of the downhole fluid.

13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first sensing device is configured to detect and to measure at least a second component of the downhole fluid.

14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the downhole sensor includes an inlet filter configured to allow entry of the downhole fluid and inhibit cement flow into the first sensing device.

15 . A method comprising:
measuring, via a permanent downhole sensor array positioned in a cemented portion of a wellbore formed in one or more subsurface formations, a first component of a downhole fluid in the cemented portion of the wellbore; and updating a computerized reservoir model configured to model a travel of the first component through at least one of the subsurface formations based, at least in part, on the measuring of the first component.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
injecting, via a wellbore of an injection well, the first component into the one or more subsurface formations; and altering an injection profile of the injection well based, at least in part, on the updated computerized reservoir model, wherein the permanent downhole sensor array is cemented in the wellbore of the injection well.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein altering the injection profile of the injection well based, at least in part, on the updated computerized reservoir model comprises altering the injection profile in real-time.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein measuring, via the permanent downhole sensor array cemented in the wellbore, the first component of the downhole fluid in the one or more subsurface formations comprises measuring a quantity of the first component using one or more sensing devices for a lifetime of the injection well.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
assessing a health of cement in the wellbore based, at least in part, on the measuring of the first component; and performing a wellbore operation to mitigate damage to the cement in the wellbore.

20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
injecting a second component into the one or more subsurface formations, wherein the second component travels through the one or more subsurface formations faster than the first component; detecting the second component at a location of the permanent downhole sensor array; updating the computerized reservoir model based on the detection of the second component; and predicting a travel path of the first component based on the detection of the second component.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Dave Jalpan P
• Jones Paul J
• Shetty Dinesh Ananda
• Murray Fraser
• Wong David Yan Lap

Classifications

• G01N2201/129

  Using chemometrical methods · CPC title

• G01N21/255

  Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems · CPC title

• G01N21/31

  Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry {(G01N21/72 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E21B47/113

  using electrical indications; using light radiations · CPC title

• E21B47/10

  Locating fluid leaks, intrusions or movements · CPC title