A Novel Solution for Performing Real-Time Fiber Optic Temperature Measurements

Abstract

Abstract As Operators are increasingly seeing the value of in-well monitoring in optimizing production and reducing interventions, Operators are demanding greater accuracy, reliabilty and timeliness of well information above what is available today. This study explores a new method of measuring temperatures in harsh downhole environments that aims to improve on some of the limitations of conventional distributed temperature sensing (DTS). Instead of using Raman backscatter signals to infer temperature, a calibrated fiber Bragg grating (FBG) array is used to measure the temperature. Bragg gratings have previously been deployed as temperature measuring devices, usually as discrete devices individually spliced in a cable. The cable design presented in this study reduces deployment costs compared to discrete Bragg gratings, and can also scale up to 1000 gratings. Additionally, an interrogation method has been developed for measuring the wavelengths of the FBG array. Traditional swept-wavelength interrogation techniques exist to measure FBG arrays, but they are typically limited to approximately 40 gratings. Like the cable, the interrogation method scales up to 1000 gratings at 1 meter grating spacing. Numerous system performance tests were conducted in a laboratory setting and in a simulated well environment. A prototype cable was deployed in a test well alongside a standard DTS cable. The cables were exposed to temperature cycling by circulating hot and cold fluid. Measurements produced by the two cables were recorded and analyzed. The prototype cable test results demonstrated that the grating cable is capable of higher resolution temperature measurement than conventional DTS. The prototype interrogator will be able to perform the measurement in less than 10 seconds, a fraction of the measurement time required by conventional DTS interrogation. Results from other tests have demonstrated the ability to perform well with long lead-in distances without losing accuracy. With this increased range, the interrogator can be located away from the wellhead and in offshore wells, above water.