Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100086257 | FIBER OPTIC SPLICE HOUSING AND INTEGRAL DRY MATE CONNECTOR SYSTEM - A fiber optic splice housing and integral dry mate connector system. In a described embodiment, a fiber optic connection system includes optical fiber sections in respective conduit sections. Each of the conduit sections is received in the housing assembly. An optical connection between the optical fiber sections is positioned within the housing assembly. | 04-08-2010 |
20110090496 | DOWNHOLE MONITORING WITH DISTRIBUTED OPTICAL DENSITY, TEMPERATURE AND/OR STRAIN SENSING - Distributed density, temperature and/or strain sensing is utilized for downhole monitoring. A method and system for monitoring a rapidly changing parameter in a well includes: detecting gain-based stimulated Brillouin backscattering due to light transmitted through at least one optical waveguide installed in the well, the Brillouin backscattering being dependent upon temperature and strain experienced by the waveguide in the well. The method can include measuring at least one of temperature and strain in the well, with the measurement being performed separately from the step of detecting Brillouin backscattering. | 04-21-2011 |
20110109912 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING PRESSURE SIGNALS - An apparatus comprising an encoded pressure signal propagating in a fluid flowing in a conduit. An optical fiber measurement element has a reflector on one end and is disposed around at least a portion of the conduit. A light source injects a second optical signal and a third optical signal propagating in first and second optical fibers, respectively. A delay section is disposed in the second optical fiber. The second optical signal and the third optical signal are directed into the optical fiber measurement element and are reflected back from the reflective end such that at least a portion of the reflected second and third optical signals propagate through the second and first optical fibers respectively to an optical detector. The optical detector senses an interference between the reflected optical signals and outputs a first signal related thereto. | 05-12-2011 |
20110297372 | DOWNHOLE ORIENTATION SENSING WITH NUCLEAR SPIN GYROSCOPE - Downhole orientation sensing with a nuclear spin gyroscope. A method of sensing orientation of an instrument assembly in a subterranean well can include incorporating an atomic comagnetometer and an optical source into the instrument assembly, and installing the instrument assembly in the well. A downhole orientation sensing system for use in conjunction with a subterranean well can include a downhole instrument assembly positioned in the well, the instrument assembly including an atomic comagnetometer and an optical source which transmits light to the atomic comagnetometer. | 12-08-2011 |
20110298457 | DOWNHOLE ORIENTATION SENSING WITH NUCLEAR SPIN GYROSCOPE - Downhole orientation sensing with a nuclear spin gyroscope. A downhole orientation sensing system for use in conjunction with a subterranean well can include a downhole instrument assembly positioned in the well, the instrument assembly including an atomic comagnetometer, and at least one optical waveguide which transmits light between the atomic comagnetometer and a remote location. A method of sensing orientation of an instrument assembly in a subterranean well can include incorporating an atomic comagnetometer into the instrument assembly, and installing the instrument assembly in the well. | 12-08-2011 |
20120014211 | MONITORING OF OBJECTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH A SUBTERRANEAN WELL - Objects are monitored in a subterranean well. A well system can include at least one object having a transmitter, and at least one sensing device which monitors displacement of the object along a wellbore. A method of monitoring at least one object in a subterranean well can include positioning at least one sensing device in a wellbore of the well, and then displacing the object through the wellbore, the sensing device monitoring the object as it displaces through the wellbore. | 01-19-2012 |
20120018167 | MAXIMIZING HYDROCARBON PRODUCTION WHILE CONTROLLING PHASE BEHAVIOR OR PRECIPITATION OF RESERVOIR IMPAIRING LIQUIDS OR SOLIDS - A method of flowing fluid from a formation, the method comprising: sensing presence of a reservoir impairing substance in the fluid flowed from the formation; and automatically controlling operation of at least one flow control device in response to the sensing of the presence of the substance. A well system, comprising: at least one sensor which senses whether a reservoir impairing substance is present; and at least one flow control device which regulates flow of a fluid from a formation in response to indications provided by the sensor. | 01-26-2012 |
20120148204 | FIBER OPTIC SPLICE HOUSING AND INTEGRAL DRY MATE CONNECTOR SYSTEM - A fiber optic splice housing and integral dry mate connector system. In a described embodiment, a fiber optic connection system includes optical fiber sections in respective conduit sections. Each of the conduit sections is received in the housing assembly. An optical connection between the optical fiber sections is positioned within the housing assembly. | 06-14-2012 |
20120170613 | FIBER OPTIC SPLICE HOUSING AND INTEGRAL DRY MATE CONNECTOR SYSTEM - A fiber optic splice housing and integral dry mate connector system. In a described embodiment, a fiber optic connection system includes optical fiber sections in respective conduit sections. Each of the conduit sections is received in the housing assembly. An optical connection between the optical fiber sections is positioned within the housing assembly. | 07-05-2012 |
20120170614 | FIBER OPTIC SPLICE HOUSING AND INTEGRAL DRY MATE CONNECTOR SYSTEM - A fiber optic splice housing and integral dry mate connector system. In a described embodiment, a fiber optic connection system includes optical fiber sections in respective conduit sections. Each of the conduit sections is received in the housing assembly. An optical connection between the optical fiber sections is positioned within the housing assembly. | 07-05-2012 |
20120170893 | FIBER OPTIC SPLICE HOUSING AND INTEGRAL DRY MATE CONNECTOR SYSTEM - A fiber optic splice housing and integral dry mate connector system. In a described embodiment, a fiber optic connection system includes optical fiber sections in respective conduit sections. Each of the conduit sections is received in the housing assembly. An optical connection between the optical fiber sections is positioned within the housing assembly. | 07-05-2012 |
20120170898 | FIBER OPTIC SPLICE HOUSING AND INTEGRAL DRY MATE CONNECTOR SYSTEM - A fiber optic splice housing and integral dry mate connector system. In a described embodiment, a fiber optic connection system includes optical fiber sections in respective conduit sections. Each of the conduit sections is received in the housing assembly. An optical connection between the optical fiber sections is positioned within the housing assembly. | 07-05-2012 |
20120174378 | FIBER OPTIC SPLICE HOUSING AND INTEGRAL DRY MATE CONNECTOR SYSTEM - A fiber optic splice housing and integral dry mate connector system. In a described embodiment, a fiber optic connection system includes optical fiber sections in respective conduit sections. Each of the conduit sections is received in the housing assembly. An optical connection between the optical fiber sections is positioned within the housing assembly. | 07-12-2012 |
20120305314 | OPTIMIZED PRESSURE DRILLING WITH CONTINUOUS TUBING DRILL STRING - A method of drilling a wellbore can include drilling the wellbore with a continuous tubing drill string, and sensing at least one parameter with an optical waveguide in the drill string. A well system can include a continuous tubing drill string, and an optical waveguide in the drill string. The optical waveguide may sense at least one parameter distributed along the drill string. | 12-06-2012 |
20130087328 | Downhole Species Selective Optical Fiber Sensor Systems and Methods - A disclosed downhole optical sensor system includes at least one optical sensor positioned in a borehole and coupled to an interface via a fiber optic cable. Each of the optical sensors includes a waveguide for conducting light, and a reagent region positioned between the waveguide and a fluid in the borehole to absorb a portion of the light from the waveguide, the portion being dependent upon a concentration of a chemical species in the fluid. A described method for operating a well includes deploying one or more downhole optical sensors in a fluid flow path in the well, probing the one or more downhole optical sensors from a surface interface to detect concentrations of one or more chemical species, and deriving a rate of scale buildup or corrosion based at least in part on the detected concentrations. | 04-11-2013 |
20130128276 | Apparatus and Method for Detecting Pressure Signals - An apparatus for detecting data in a fluid pressure signal in a conduit comprises an optical fiber loop comprises a measurement section and a delay section wherein the measurement section is disposed substantially circumferentially around at least a portion of the conduit, and wherein the measurement section changes length in response to the fluid pressure signal in the conduit. A light source injects a first optical signal in a first direction into the measurement section and a second optical signal in a second direction opposite the first direction into the delay section. An optical detector senses an interference phase shift between the first optical signal and the second optical signal and outputs a first signal related thereto. | 05-23-2013 |
20130141733 | Apparatus and Method for Detecting Pressure Signals - An apparatus comprising an encoded pressure signal propagating in a fluid flowing in a conduit. An optical fiber measurement element has a reflector on one end and is disposed around at least a portion of the conduit. A light source injects a second optical signal and a third optical signal propagating in first and second optical fibers, respectively. A delay section is disposed in the second optical fiber. The second optical signal and the third optical signal are directed into the optical fiber measurement element and are reflected back from the reflective end such that at least a portion of the reflected second and third optical signals propagate through the second and first optical fibers respectively to an optical detector. The optical detector senses an interference between the reflected optical signals and outputs a first signal related thereto. | 06-06-2013 |
20130161098 | OPTIMIZED PRESSURE DRILLING WITH CONTINUOUS TUBING DRILL STRING - A method of drilling a wellbore can include drilling the wellbore with a continuous tubing drill string, and sensing at least one parameter with an optical waveguide in the drill string. A well system can include a continuous tubing drill string, and an optical waveguide in the drill string. The optical waveguide may sense at least one parameter distributed along the drill string. | 06-27-2013 |
20130192640 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOVING DELETERIOUS CHEMICALS FROM A FIBER OPTIC LINE - According to one embodiment, the disclosure provides a system for removal of deleterious chemicals from a fiber optic line. The system may a fiber optic line having two ends, an outer tube, an optical fiber, and an inner volume, a fluid operable to move through the inner volume, the fluid operable to remove at least one deleterious chemical other than hydrogen from the fiber optic line, and a fluid controller connected to at least one end of the fiber optic line and operable to control movement of the fluid through the inner volume. According to another embodiment, the disclosure provides a method of removing a deleterious chemical from a fiber optic line. According to a third embodiment, the disclosure provides a method of removing a deleterious chemical from a fiber optic line by introducing a vacuum in an inner volume of a sealed fiber optic line in a static or cyclical manner. | 08-01-2013 |
20130209029 | Spectral Broadening for DTS Application - An apparatus and method for use in distributed temperature sensing (DTS) systems to reduce coherent Rayleigh scattering in fiber optic cables by using photonic crystal fibers. | 08-15-2013 |
20140022537 | COMMUNICATION THROUGH AN ENCLOSURE OF A LINE - A communication system can include a transmitter which transmits a signal, and at least one sensing device which receives the signal, the sensing device including a line contained in an enclosure, and the signal being detected by the line through a material of the enclosure. A sensing system can include at least one sensor which senses a parameter, at least one sensing device which receives an indication of the parameter, the sensing device including a line contained in an enclosure, and a transmitter which transmits the indication of the parameter to the line through a material of the enclosure. Another sensing system can include an object which displaces in a subterranean well. At least one sensing device can receive a signal from the object. The sensing device can include a line contained in an enclosure, and the signal can be detected by the line through a material of the enclosure. | 01-23-2014 |
20140064742 | EVENT SYNCHRONIZATION FOR OPTICAL SIGNALS - A system for synchronizing an optical signal with an initiation of an event can include an event controller which controls the initiation of the event, and an optical modulator which modulates the optical signal in response to receipt of an indication from the event controller that the event is initiated. A method of synchronizing an optical signal with an initiation of an event can include transmitting from an event controller an indication that the event is initiated, receiving the indication that the event is initiated, and modulating the optical signal in response to the receiving. A system for synchronizing multiple optical signals can include at least one time-code generator which generates time-codes, and multiple optical modulators which modulate the respective optical signals in response to generation of the time-codes by the at least one time-code generator. | 03-06-2014 |
20140147074 | SIDE-HOLE CANE WAVEGUIDE SENSOR - A side-hole optical cane for measuring pressure and/or temperature is disclosed. The side-hole cane has a light guiding core containing a sensor and a cladding containing symmetrical side-holes extending substantially parallel to the core. The side-holes cause an asymmetric stress across the core of the sensor creating a birefringent sensor. The sensor, preferably a Bragg grating, reflects a first and second wavelength each associated with orthogonal polarization vectors, wherein the degree of separation between the two is proportional to the pressure exerted on the core. The side-hole cane structure self-compensates and is insensitive to temperature variations when used as a pressure sensor, because temperature induces an equal shift in both the first and second wavelengths. Furthermore, the magnitude of these shifts can be monitored to deduce temperature, hence providing the side-hole cane additional temperature sensing capability that is unaffected by pressure. Additionally, the side-hole cane can be used to measure a differential pressure between a first pressure ported to the side-holes and a second external pressure. | 05-29-2014 |
20140202240 | FLOW VELOCITY AND ACOUSTIC VELOCITY MEASUREMENT WITH DISTRIBUTED ACOUSTIC SENSING - A well flow velocity measurement method can include transmitting an acoustic signal through at least one fluid composition in a well, detecting velocities of the acoustic signal in both opposite directions along an optical waveguide in the well, the optical waveguide being included in a distributed acoustic sensing system, and determining an acoustic velocity in the fluid composition based on the velocities of the acoustic signal. Another well flow velocity measurement method can include propagating at least one pressure pulse through at least one fluid composition in a well, detecting a velocity of the pressure pulse along an optical waveguide in the well, the optical waveguide being included in a distributed acoustic sensing system, and determining an acoustic velocity in the fluid composition based on the velocity of the pressure pulse. | 07-24-2014 |
20140203946 | OPTICAL WELL LOGGING - A method of logging a well can include conveying an optical waveguide and at least one signal generator with a conveyance into the well, causing the signal generator to generate at least one signal in the well, and receiving the signal as distributed along the optical waveguide. A well logging system can include a conveyance with an optical waveguide, and at least one signal generator which is conveyed by the conveyance into a well with the optical waveguide, whereby the signal generator generates at least one signal received with the optical waveguide. | 07-24-2014 |
20140204712 | DOWNHOLE OPTICAL ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCERS - A method of generating an acoustic signal in a subterranean well can include converting optical energy to acoustic energy downhole, thereby transmitting the acoustic signal through a downhole environment. A well system can include an optical acoustic transducer disposed in the well and coupled to an optical waveguide in the well, whereby the transducer converts optical energy transmitted via the optical waveguide to acoustic energy. An optical acoustic transducer for use in a subterranean well can include various means for converting optical energy transmitted via an optical waveguide to acoustic energy in the well. | 07-24-2014 |