Improved Oxygen-Activation Method for Determining Water Flow Behind Casing

Abstract

Summary Impulse activation is a new oxygen-activation technique developed to detect vertical water flow and to provide a quantitative measure of water flow velocity and flow rate. Row-loop measurements made over a wide range of water velocities are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Measurements of up- and downward channel flow were made at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) leak test well in Ada, OK, to demonstrate the technique in a controlled environment and to confirm that EPA requirements have been met. A major advantage of this method over previous procedures is that a measurement in a known zero-flow zone is not required. The impulse-activation technique has improved sensitivity to both low and high flow rates. In the EPA leak test well, the technique successfully discriminated between 0- and 1.4-ft/min flow conditions. The lowest quantified velocity was 1.8 ft/min or 10 BWPD, significantly below the EPA requirement of 3 ft/min. The upper limit of detection has not been determined but exceeds 137 ft/min. The water flow log (WFLSM) measurement uses the impulse-activation technique and a Dual-Burst^M, thermal-decay-time (TDTSM) tool to detect water flow behind casing. An important application for this measurement is testing for fluid migration in the wellbore as part of the mechanical integrity testing process for Class I and Π disposal wells. The new oxygen-activation measurement was used in numerous production wells to identify the presence of water flow behind casing. Additional applications include the identification of open fractures in horizontal wells and the quantification of water flow in the tubing/casing annulus in injection and production wells.