Methods for monitoring the formation and transport of a treatment fluid using opticoanalytical devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9441149-B2
Application number	US-201113198915-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2011
Priority date	Aug 5, 2011
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

In or near real-time monitoring of fluids can take place using an opticoanalytical device that is configured for monitoring the fluid. Fluids can be monitored prior to or during their introduction into a subterranean formation using the opticoanalytical devices. Produced fluids from a subterranean formation can be monitored in a like manner. The methods can comprise providing at least one source material; combining the at least one source material with a base fluid to form a treatment fluid; and monitoring a characteristic of the treatment fluid using a first opticoanalytical device that is in optical communication with a flow pathway for transporting the treatment fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing at least one source material;
combining the at least one source material with a base fluid to form a treatment fluid; and
monitoring a characteristic of the treatment fluid using a first integrated computational element in a first optical computing device that is in optical communication with a flow pathway for transporting the treatment fluid, the first integrated computational element being located on a rotating disc;
wherein the first integrated computational element is configured to optically interact with the fluid and thereby generate optically interacted light so that a portion of the optically interacted light is transmitted through the first integrated computational element;
wherein the first integrated computational element comprises two or more materials deposited in layers such that the first integrated computational element has transmissive, reflective, or absorptive properties that are configured for specifically detecting and analyzing the characteristic of the treatment fluid; and
wherein the first integrated computational element separates electromagnetic radiation related to the characteristic of the treatment fluid from electromagnetic radiation that is not, the electromagnetic radiation that is related to the characteristic of the treatment fluid being received by a detector after separation.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
before combining, monitoring a characteristic of the at least one source material using a second integrated computational element in a second optical computing device that is in optical communication with a flow pathway for transporting the at least one source material;
wherein the second integrated computational element comprises two or more materials deposited in layers such that the second integrated computational element has transmissive, reflective, or absorptive properties that are configured for specifically detecting and analyzing the characteristic of the at least one source material; and
wherein the second integrated computational element separates electromagnetic radiation related to the characteristic of the at least one source material from electromagnetic radiation that is not, the electromagnetic radiation that is related to the at least one source material being received by a detector after separation.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment fluid comprises an aqueous treatment fluid.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transporting the treatment fluid to a pump; and
introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
monitoring a characteristic of the treatment fluid using a second integrated computational element in a second optical computing device that is in optical communication with the flow pathway for transporting the treatment fluid;
wherein the second integrated computational element in the second optical computing device is located at the pump; and
wherein the second integrated computational element comprises two or more materials deposited in layers such that the second integrated computational element has transmissive, reflective, or absorptive properties that are configured for specifically detecting and analyzing the characteristic of the treatment fluid; and
wherein the second integrated computational element separates electromagnetic radiation related to the characteristic of the treatment fluid from electromagnetic radiation that is not, the electromagnetic radiation that is related to the characteristic of the treatment fluid being received by a detector after separation.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining if the characteristic of the treatment fluid being monitored using either the first integrated computational element in the first optical computing device or the second integrated computational element in the second optical computing device makes the treatment fluid suitable for being introduced into the subterranean formation; and
adjusting the characteristic of the treatment fluid if needed.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining if the characteristic of the treatment fluid makes the treatment fluid suitable and adjusting the characteristic of the treatment fluid both occur automatically under computer control.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein transporting the treatment fluid takes place by boat or barge to an offshore job site.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
while the treatment fluid is in the subterranean formation, monitoring a characteristic of the treatment fluid or a formation fluid using a second integrated computational element in a second optical computing device that is located in the subterranean formation;
wherein the second integrated computational element comprises two or more materials deposited in layers such that the second integrated computational element has transmissive, reflective, or absorptive properties that are configured for specifically detecting and analyzing the characteristic of the treatment fluid or the formation fluid; and
wherein the second integrated computational element separates electromagnetic radiation related to the characteristic of the treatment fluid or the formation fluid from electromagnetic radiation that is not, the electromagnetic radiation that is related to the characteristic of the treatment fluid or the formation fluid being received by a detector after separation.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
producing a flow back fluid from the subterranean formation; and
monitoring a characteristic of the flow back fluid or a produced formation fluid using a second integrated computational element in a second optical computing device that is in optical communication with a flow pathway for transporting the flow back fluid;
wherein the second integrated computational element comprises two or more materials deposited in layers such that the second integrated computational element has transmissive, reflective, or absorptive properties that are configured for specifically detecting and analyzing the characteristic of the flow back fluid or the produced formation fluid; and
wherein the second integrated computational element separates electromagnetic radiation related to the characteristic of the flow back fluid or the produced formation fluid from electromagnetic radiation that is not, the electromagnetic radiation that is related to the characteristic of the flow back fluid or the produced formation fluid being received by a detector after separation.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
adjusting the characteristic of the treatment fluid being introduced into the subterranean formation in response to a characteristic of the treatment fluid being monitored using a second integrated computational element in a second optical computing device that is in optical communication with a flow pathway for transporting the treatment fluid;
wherein the second integrated computational element in the second optical computing device is located at a pump used for introducing the treatment fluid into the subterranean formation; and
wherein the second integrated computational element comprises two or more materials deposited in layers such that the second integrated computational element has transmissive, reflective, or absorptive properties that are configured for specifically detecting and analyzing the characteristic of the treatment fluid; and
wherein the second integrated computational element separates electr

Assignees

• Freese Robert P
• Jones Christopher M
• Pelletier Michael T
• Daussin Rory D
• Loveless David M
• Haggstrom Johanna
• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Freese Robert P
• Jones Christopher M
• Pelletier Michael T
• Daussin Rory D
• Loveless David M
• Haggstrom Johanna

Classifications

• C09K8/62 Primary

  Compositions for forming crevices or fractures · 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

• E21B43/28

  Dissolving minerals other than hydrocarbons, e.g. by an alkaline or acid leaching agent (E21B43/241 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N21/85

  Investigating moving fluids or granular solids · CPC title

• E21B49/0875

  determining specific fluid parameters · CPC title