Measuring and testing – Borehole or drilling – Pressure measurement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-16
2001-08-28
Williams, Hezron (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Borehole or drilling
Pressure measurement
C073S152170, C073S152570, C166S250140, C166S285000, C175S050000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279392
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and system for monitoring an underground formation intersected by a borehole. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for simultaneously monitoring multiple zones of a formation along a borehole.
Current and reliable information regarding conditions at zones of a formation can aid in completing wells, reservoir management, and secondary recovery operations. In such applications a borehole is drilled through multiple zones of a formation. Some of the intersected zones may contain hydrocarbon bearing strata with reserves in recoverable form and quantity. However, other zones may also be of interest in well management.
A single downhole gauge may be placed to monitor conditions, e.g., pressure, at a given interval. This will provide current and reliable information, but only for a specific location and this may prove insufficient for well management purposes. Alternatively, commercial services provide “repeat formation testing” in which a wireline tool is run and multiple readings are taken as the tool is retrieved. This does provide data on multiple zones, but the information is not truly simultaneous and is collected only intermittently.
Thus, there remains a clear need for a method and system for providing continuous and simultaneous readings from multiple zones.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Toward providing these and other advantages, the present invention is a distributed pressure monitoring system for monitoring formation pressure along substantial lengths of a casing in a borehole. The monitoring system has a communications line connected to surface facilities on one end which leads down the casing on the other end. A plurality of pressure sensors are spaced along the casing, each connected in communication with the communications line. A sensor housing encloses each sensor and an open pressure tentacle is attached to the sensor housing in communication with the pressure sensor.
Another aspect of the preset invention is a method for simultaneously monitoring the formation pressure in multiple zones of a borehole. The formation pressure is substantially separated from overburden pressure by connecting the input of pressure transducers at selected zones to a pressure tentacle in the form of a gravel packed permeable wire mesh hose. Pressure sensors adjacent selected zones of a formation intersected by the borehole are substantially isolated by filling the borehole with a cement selected to provide less hydraulic diffusivity than that of the formation. Pressure tentacles are arranged such that, when cemented, they will come into close proximity with the borehole wall at least somewhere along the length of the pressure tentacle. The pressure sensors are separated axially along the borehole such that the distance between pressure sensors makes the sensors relatively insensitive to axial pressure transmission through the cement when compared to radial pressure transmission from the borehole to the pressure tentacle.
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Shahin, Jr. Gordon Thomas
Vinegar Harold J.
Snell Oil Company
Wiggins David J.
Williams Hezron
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