CA1261647A - Mini-well temperature profiling process - Google Patents
Mini-well temperature profiling processInfo
- Publication number
- CA1261647A CA1261647A CA000495852A CA495852A CA1261647A CA 1261647 A CA1261647 A CA 1261647A CA 000495852 A CA000495852 A CA 000495852A CA 495852 A CA495852 A CA 495852A CA 1261647 A CA1261647 A CA 1261647A
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- Prior art keywords
- temperature
- cable
- conduit
- measuring
- spooling
- Prior art date
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Abstract
A B S T R A C T
MINI-WELL TEMPERATURE PROFILING PROCESS
In treating a well, automatically controlled measurements of temperature with depth within a subterranean interval which can be longer than 60 m, deeper than 600 m and hotter than 600 °C, are made by extending a slender measuring means conduit through the well and the zone to be measured and arranging an electri-cally responsive temperature sensing means and a means for spooling a metal sheathed telemetering cable for the electrical temperature responses so that the sensing means is lowered through the measuring conduit by gravity and raised within the conduit by spooling and temperatures and/or temperature with depths are measured while the sensing means temperature is substantially in equilibrium with the temperatures in the interval being measured.
MINI-WELL TEMPERATURE PROFILING PROCESS
In treating a well, automatically controlled measurements of temperature with depth within a subterranean interval which can be longer than 60 m, deeper than 600 m and hotter than 600 °C, are made by extending a slender measuring means conduit through the well and the zone to be measured and arranging an electri-cally responsive temperature sensing means and a means for spooling a metal sheathed telemetering cable for the electrical temperature responses so that the sensing means is lowered through the measuring conduit by gravity and raised within the conduit by spooling and temperatures and/or temperature with depths are measured while the sensing means temperature is substantially in equilibrium with the temperatures in the interval being measured.
Description
MINI-~ELL TEMPERATUgE PR~FILING PRDCESS
The invention relates to a well-treating or operating process or measuring patterns or profiles of temperat~lres with distances within intervals of subterranean earth formations which can be long, deep and hot. More particularly, the invention relates to mstalling and operating equipment for obtaining such information in an economically feasible manner, particularly while a well is bein~ operated as a tempexature observation well or is being heated or utilized in a manner affecting the temper-ature in and around the well.
Various tempexature measurmg processes have been described in patents. U.SO Patent No. 2,676,489 describes measuring both the temperature gradient and differential at locations along a vertical line in order to locate the tops of zones of settiny cement. U.S. Patent No. 3,026,940 discloses the need for heating wells for removing paraffLn or asphalt or ~timulating oil pro-duction and describes the importance of knowing and controlling the temperature around the heater. It uses a sur~ace located heater arranged to heat portions of oil being heated by a subr surface heater, with the control needed to obtain the desired temFerature at the surface located heater being applied to the subsurface heater.
Various temperature measuring systems involving distinctly different types of sensing and indicating means for uses in wells ~ave also been described in U.S. patents. For example, patents ; 25 such as No. 2,099,687; 3,487,690; 3,54Q,279; 3,609,731, 3,595,082 and 3,633,423 de~cribe acoustic thermometer means for measuring temperature by its effect on a travel time of acoustic impulses through solid materials such as steel. U.S. Patent No. 4,430,974 descr~bes a measuring system in which a plurality of long ~0 electrical resistance elements are grouted in place within a well .
6~
and sequentially connected to a resistance measuring unit to measure temperature or fluid flow.
U.S. Patent No. 3,090,233 describes a means for measuring temperatures within a small reaction zone, such as one used in a pilot plantO A chain drive mechani~m pushes and pulls a measuring means such as a thermocouple into and out of a tube extending into the reaction zone while indications are prcvided of the temperature and position within the tube.
In some respects, the present invention amounts to a modi-fication of the system described in U.S. Patent No. 3,090,233.
The prior system mechanically pushed and pulled a relatively stiff measuring assembly and suggested no way in which a temper-ature sensing means, such as a thermocouple, could be moved for significant distances up and down within a well. But, Applicants have discovered with a certain combination of elements measurements can be made within subterranean earth ~ormation intervals which are relatively very deep, very long, and very hot. This requires a co~bination of a long measuring means conduit, an electrically responsive temper~ture sensing means which telemeters electrical responses along a metal sheathed telemetering cable which is heat stable, a fle~ible weighting means connected belcw the sensing means and a means for spcoling the telemetering cable and re~uires that those elements be arranged to have physical and chemical properties which are properly interrelated. In addition, Applicants found that in contrast to previously described methods for measuring sub-surface temperatures within wells, the presently described interrelated cc~bination of elements is particularly beneficial in being capable of prcviding substantially equilibrated 3 temperature measurements frcm all points along a long interval of subterranean earth formations without involving any more man hours than are needed for the quick scan of a computer printout.
In contrast, the prior methods for obtaining such temperature logs have required continual attendance, and delayed well operation, for days or weeks.
~6~
The present invention thus aims to provide a convenient process for treating and/or operating a well while measuring temperatures in or around a well within subterranean intervals which can be more than 60 m long, more than 600 m deep, and hot enough to reqyire pyrometric measurements. In accordance with the invention a long, substantially straight measuring means conduit is extended within the well from a surface location to the interval to be measured. A flexible weighting member, an electrically responsive temperature sensing means, a spoolable heat stable cable for telemetering the sensing means signals and a means for spooling in and paying out the telemetering cable are arranged and interconnected so that the gravitational force on ; the weightlng means is capable o substantially straightening the bends in the telemetering cable, and pulling the temperature sensing means and telemetering cable dcwnward within the measuring ~eans conduit without significantly cold working the cable during the bending and straightening of it. The spooling means is operated so that the temperature sensing means is pulled dcwnward within the measuring interval by gravity and is pulled upward within that interval by spooling the telemetering cable onto a drum. The rate of the movement is controlled so that electrical temperature responses are telemetering from the temperature sensing unit while that unit is, to the extent desired, in substantial temperature equilibrium with the temperatures encountered within the measuring interval.
Indications are made of temperatures corresponding to the telemetered electrical responses and temperature measuring locations corresponding to the position of the temperature sensing means, which position corresponds to the extent of the ~ 30 unspooling of the telemetering cable from the spooling means.
;~ The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accomEanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the system of the present invention installed in a mini-well or measuring means conduit extending alongside a string of casing cemented within a well.
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a section of that miniJwell.
Figure 3 is a block diagram of circuits for controlling the operations of the spooling means shcwn in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of an alternative arrangement in which a measuring means conduit of the present invention is used as both a mini-well and a guide column for a heater cable.
Figure 1 shcws a borehole 1 in which a string of casing 2 is installed and grouted by cement 3. Such a well may, for example, be a temperature observation well, a well in which a heater is being operated to mQbilize a viscous oil or to coke a portion of the oil in a reservoir to form a sand consolidated zone or an electrode to which electrical current is to be flowed through the reservoir, or the like.
A slender measuring means conduit 4 is extended along the casing 2 into and through a "logging" interval Z to be measured.
The conduit 4 is preferably spoolable and is strapped to a pipe string such as casing 2 and surrounded by a body of cementl such as cement 3, which surrounds the casing to ensure a substantially uniform heat transport to or from the earth formation and avoid ~he flcw of fluid into or out of the casing. me measuring means conduit is pre~erably tightly closed by a bottom located seal 5 which can be, for exa~ple, a cap, a plug, a weld, a body of cement~ or the like.
A temperature sensing assembly comprising a flexible weighting member or "flexible sinker bar" 6, a thermocouple hot junctlon 7 and a thermocouple signal telemetering cable 8 ~more clearly depicted in Figure 2) are disposed within the measuring means conduit 4O The flexible weighting member or flexible sinker bar 6 comprises a series of sinker bar beads (i.e., short weights) 6A slidably connected around a flexible line 68, and ; kept separated from each other by bead stops 6C, which are .
'~
~6~4~
fixedly attached to line 6B.
The tele~etering cable 8 for transmitting the electrical responses fram the thermocouple hot junction preferably comprises the ther~ocouple wires, or con&ctive wires having similar thermal electrical characteristics, insulated by nonconductive solid material which is suitably heat stable for use at the temperatures being measured. As known to those skilled in the art, although thermocoNples were first developed for use in pyro~etry they are now competitive with resistance thermcmeters and various expansion and pressure types of thermometers, for measuring lower ranges of temperatures, and with radiation methDds for measuring very high temperatures.
The position of a temperature sensing ~eans 7 within the interval to be measured corresponds to the extent the cable 8 is unspooled from the cable spooling means 9. The cable spcoling me~ns control 10 controls the rate at which the temperature sensing means is moved within the interval being measured.
In general, the controls are arranged to adju~t the speed and torque of the spcoling drive motor. The travel rates are preferably variable from about 8 to 5000 cm per minute. The unspooling rate should, of course, be kept slow enough to avoid spiraling or kinking of the telemetry cable. A particularly suitable logging rate is about 6 inches per minute which provides a traverse of 90 m of subterranean earth formation interval in about 10 hours. The electrical response temperatures are trans-mitted (for exa~ple, by a mercury slip-ring assembly) to measurement indicating units.
The measuring means conduit is preferably a spcolable continuous stainless steel tube, preferably one which has an 3o inner diameter of about 0.8 to 1.4 cm and is, or is substantially equivalent to, a grade 316 stainless steel. The measuring means conduit is preferably attached, for example, by strapping, along the exterior of a tubing or casing string. The points of the attachment should be located at the largest dianeters of such a ~"26~ 7 pipe string, eOg., at the pipe collars, to keep the measuring means conduit as straight as possible, particularly with respect to avoiding a spiraling around a casing or tubing to which the measuring means conduit is attached.
qhe sinker bar beads such as beads 6A used in a conduit of the preferred size preferably have an outer diameter of about O.S
to 1.1 cm and a length of about 2.5 to 20 cm. In such an arrangement, the flexible sinker line 6B is preferably a flexible line such as a 0.15 cm aircraft wire and the bead stops 6C are preferably = ll pieces of small tubing such as 0.30 cm tubing crimFed tightly onto the sinker line in positions that keep the beads separated by about 1.25 cm.
In general, the components of the combination comprising a flexible weighting member like flexible sinker 6, an electrically responsive temperature sensing means like thermccouple junction 7, a met~l sheathed telemetering cable like cable a and a means for spooling the telemetering cable like spooling means 9, should have chemical and physical properties and interconnections arranged so that gravity acting on the sinker bar is capable of 2Q pulling the sensing means downward through the measuring interval while substantially straightening the bends imparted by the drum : of the spooling means~ Applicants have found, by means of well tests, that such an arrangement and interconnection of properties : is exemplified by a measuring means conduit comprising a 0.9 cm inside diameter by 1.25 cm outside diameter 316 stainless steel tube, a flexible sinker bar comprising 80 beads which are 2 inches long by 0.6 cm diameter (providing a total mass of about 0.9 kg and a length of about 5 m), where the cable for tele-metering electrical temperature responses is a steel sheathed 0.15 cm diameter cable which is spooled on a spooling means having a drwm diameter of akout 50 cm.
With respect to such a co~bination of items the cold working of the telemetering cable (due to being bent around the spooling means drum~ is only about 0.3 per cent. Where the measuring means ~ 35 conduit deviation from a generally vertical line twith respect to ,~
. , ~26~ 7 spiraling or substantially reversing turns, such as 'Idog legs") is practically nil, the temperature sensing means nst only moves smoothly downward in response to gravity (with no evidence of interference due to friction) but no significant load due to friction is apparent while raising the system by spcoling it onto the spooling means drum. Tests have indicated that where the same ccmbination of items is used in a measuring means conduit having spiraling deviations from the vertical, although the downward motion may be satisfactory, the pulling up of the system may place a load on the telemetering cable amounting to m~re than its tensile strength, due to friction.
Figure 3 shows the main circultry components for controlling a cable spooling means such as means 9 of Fig~re 1. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, substantially all of the indicated components can be the same as, or like, components which are commercially available. A data logger 20 is arranged to receive depth and temperature si~nals and transmit coded control ccmmands to a logging rate and direction control circuit 21, which in turn activates a motor control circuit 22 to provide direction 2Q and rate signals to the spooling means motor 23. A depth encoder ; 24 derives thermocouple position indicating signals from the extent at which the telemetering cable 8 is unspooled~ Then,in converter 25 the binary coded decimal depth signals 26 are converted to hexadecimal depth signals which are supplied to the data logger 20, along with the temperature slgnals 27 from the therm~couple.
The data logger 20 is arranged to provide data and receive commands, via a telephone modem 28, to and from a computer 29.
The available keyboard commands of the computer 29 include logging control direction, logging speed and data regarding depth and temperature. ~hus, the system can automatically accumulate temperature measurements at a continuous or intermittent rate which is slow enough to ensure substantial equilibrium between the sensing unit and the surrounding temperature without any int~rruption of the well operation or any significant amount of ~1.;2~ii~6~
time of the operating personnel. Where a subterranean interval is to be heated at a relatively high bemperature, the present process can be particularly valuable. The measuring conduit means conduit is extended throughout the interval near the heater to be used. While operating the heater to bring it up to the selected heating temperature the logging speed for the temperature sensing assembly is set to provide relatively rapid traverses of the ; ir~terval in order to detect any developing hot spots anywh~re along the intervals before any significant damage has occurred.
When the heater temperature reaches or approaches the selected heating temFerature the logging speed can be reduced to a rate conductive to maintaining a thermal-equilibrium between the sensing means and the borehole temperature.
The use of the telephone modem 28 is also particularly advantageous in mountainous terrain where radio co~munications or personnel monitoring is difficult or impractical. The present system can he used for a central control of a large n~ber of heat injectors in a field scale operation.
Figure 4 shows an alternative arrangement of a placement and ; 20 use of a measuring means conduit, in accordance with the present invention. The system shcwn in Figure 4 is a formation-tailored means for uniformly heating a long subterranean interval at high temperature.
AS shcwn in Figure 4, the measuring means conduit 40 is arranged to serve as a heater cable guide column. It is pulled from an air motor driven guide column spool 41 through the interior of a stationary drum 42 alld into a well casing 43 by the weight of a guide column sinker bar 44. A pair of heater cables 45 each comprising a conductive metal core surrounded by mineral insulation encased in a stainless steel sheath are connected to a ; pair of metal sheathed, mineral insulated, power supply cables 46 and lengths of those cables which are sufficien~ to allow the heater cables to extend through the casing to the zone to be heated are wound around a rotating cable guide 47 mounted on the stationary drum 42 through which the tubular guide column is ~2~
g _ extended. The heater cables are spliced together with an end piece splice 48 which is connected to the guide column. AS the guide conduit 40 is lowered into the casing, turns of the heater cables 45 follcwed by turns of the power supply cables are removed and fed into the casing in the fo~n of spiraling coils in which the turns have a suitable wave len ~ l L. When the dcwnward travel of the guide column 40 is terminated, the coils of the ~; cables 45 press outward against the inner wall of the casing 43 and much, if not all, of their weight tends to be supported by the friction betwe~n them and the wall.
In such an arrangement, in accordance with the present process, after a guide column comprising the measuring means conduit of the present invention has been run-in, it is pre-ferably hung fram a wellhead hanger, which can be like those conventionally used for hanging strings of continuo~ls tubing. If a pressure greater than atmospheric is to be generated within the casiny containing the measuring means conduit, the temperature sensing assembly of the present invention can be fed in through a lubricator, which can be like ~hose conventionally used. The lubricator should, of course, be arranged so that the friction imparted by it does not pr2vent the gravity-actuated downward travel of the tenFerature :ens ng means.
..
The invention relates to a well-treating or operating process or measuring patterns or profiles of temperat~lres with distances within intervals of subterranean earth formations which can be long, deep and hot. More particularly, the invention relates to mstalling and operating equipment for obtaining such information in an economically feasible manner, particularly while a well is bein~ operated as a tempexature observation well or is being heated or utilized in a manner affecting the temper-ature in and around the well.
Various tempexature measurmg processes have been described in patents. U.SO Patent No. 2,676,489 describes measuring both the temperature gradient and differential at locations along a vertical line in order to locate the tops of zones of settiny cement. U.S. Patent No. 3,026,940 discloses the need for heating wells for removing paraffLn or asphalt or ~timulating oil pro-duction and describes the importance of knowing and controlling the temperature around the heater. It uses a sur~ace located heater arranged to heat portions of oil being heated by a subr surface heater, with the control needed to obtain the desired temFerature at the surface located heater being applied to the subsurface heater.
Various temperature measuring systems involving distinctly different types of sensing and indicating means for uses in wells ~ave also been described in U.S. patents. For example, patents ; 25 such as No. 2,099,687; 3,487,690; 3,54Q,279; 3,609,731, 3,595,082 and 3,633,423 de~cribe acoustic thermometer means for measuring temperature by its effect on a travel time of acoustic impulses through solid materials such as steel. U.S. Patent No. 4,430,974 descr~bes a measuring system in which a plurality of long ~0 electrical resistance elements are grouted in place within a well .
6~
and sequentially connected to a resistance measuring unit to measure temperature or fluid flow.
U.S. Patent No. 3,090,233 describes a means for measuring temperatures within a small reaction zone, such as one used in a pilot plantO A chain drive mechani~m pushes and pulls a measuring means such as a thermocouple into and out of a tube extending into the reaction zone while indications are prcvided of the temperature and position within the tube.
In some respects, the present invention amounts to a modi-fication of the system described in U.S. Patent No. 3,090,233.
The prior system mechanically pushed and pulled a relatively stiff measuring assembly and suggested no way in which a temper-ature sensing means, such as a thermocouple, could be moved for significant distances up and down within a well. But, Applicants have discovered with a certain combination of elements measurements can be made within subterranean earth ~ormation intervals which are relatively very deep, very long, and very hot. This requires a co~bination of a long measuring means conduit, an electrically responsive temper~ture sensing means which telemeters electrical responses along a metal sheathed telemetering cable which is heat stable, a fle~ible weighting means connected belcw the sensing means and a means for spcoling the telemetering cable and re~uires that those elements be arranged to have physical and chemical properties which are properly interrelated. In addition, Applicants found that in contrast to previously described methods for measuring sub-surface temperatures within wells, the presently described interrelated cc~bination of elements is particularly beneficial in being capable of prcviding substantially equilibrated 3 temperature measurements frcm all points along a long interval of subterranean earth formations without involving any more man hours than are needed for the quick scan of a computer printout.
In contrast, the prior methods for obtaining such temperature logs have required continual attendance, and delayed well operation, for days or weeks.
~6~
The present invention thus aims to provide a convenient process for treating and/or operating a well while measuring temperatures in or around a well within subterranean intervals which can be more than 60 m long, more than 600 m deep, and hot enough to reqyire pyrometric measurements. In accordance with the invention a long, substantially straight measuring means conduit is extended within the well from a surface location to the interval to be measured. A flexible weighting member, an electrically responsive temperature sensing means, a spoolable heat stable cable for telemetering the sensing means signals and a means for spooling in and paying out the telemetering cable are arranged and interconnected so that the gravitational force on ; the weightlng means is capable o substantially straightening the bends in the telemetering cable, and pulling the temperature sensing means and telemetering cable dcwnward within the measuring ~eans conduit without significantly cold working the cable during the bending and straightening of it. The spooling means is operated so that the temperature sensing means is pulled dcwnward within the measuring interval by gravity and is pulled upward within that interval by spooling the telemetering cable onto a drum. The rate of the movement is controlled so that electrical temperature responses are telemetering from the temperature sensing unit while that unit is, to the extent desired, in substantial temperature equilibrium with the temperatures encountered within the measuring interval.
Indications are made of temperatures corresponding to the telemetered electrical responses and temperature measuring locations corresponding to the position of the temperature sensing means, which position corresponds to the extent of the ~ 30 unspooling of the telemetering cable from the spooling means.
;~ The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accomEanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the system of the present invention installed in a mini-well or measuring means conduit extending alongside a string of casing cemented within a well.
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a section of that miniJwell.
Figure 3 is a block diagram of circuits for controlling the operations of the spooling means shcwn in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of an alternative arrangement in which a measuring means conduit of the present invention is used as both a mini-well and a guide column for a heater cable.
Figure 1 shcws a borehole 1 in which a string of casing 2 is installed and grouted by cement 3. Such a well may, for example, be a temperature observation well, a well in which a heater is being operated to mQbilize a viscous oil or to coke a portion of the oil in a reservoir to form a sand consolidated zone or an electrode to which electrical current is to be flowed through the reservoir, or the like.
A slender measuring means conduit 4 is extended along the casing 2 into and through a "logging" interval Z to be measured.
The conduit 4 is preferably spoolable and is strapped to a pipe string such as casing 2 and surrounded by a body of cementl such as cement 3, which surrounds the casing to ensure a substantially uniform heat transport to or from the earth formation and avoid ~he flcw of fluid into or out of the casing. me measuring means conduit is pre~erably tightly closed by a bottom located seal 5 which can be, for exa~ple, a cap, a plug, a weld, a body of cement~ or the like.
A temperature sensing assembly comprising a flexible weighting member or "flexible sinker bar" 6, a thermocouple hot junctlon 7 and a thermocouple signal telemetering cable 8 ~more clearly depicted in Figure 2) are disposed within the measuring means conduit 4O The flexible weighting member or flexible sinker bar 6 comprises a series of sinker bar beads (i.e., short weights) 6A slidably connected around a flexible line 68, and ; kept separated from each other by bead stops 6C, which are .
'~
~6~4~
fixedly attached to line 6B.
The tele~etering cable 8 for transmitting the electrical responses fram the thermocouple hot junction preferably comprises the ther~ocouple wires, or con&ctive wires having similar thermal electrical characteristics, insulated by nonconductive solid material which is suitably heat stable for use at the temperatures being measured. As known to those skilled in the art, although thermocoNples were first developed for use in pyro~etry they are now competitive with resistance thermcmeters and various expansion and pressure types of thermometers, for measuring lower ranges of temperatures, and with radiation methDds for measuring very high temperatures.
The position of a temperature sensing ~eans 7 within the interval to be measured corresponds to the extent the cable 8 is unspooled from the cable spooling means 9. The cable spcoling me~ns control 10 controls the rate at which the temperature sensing means is moved within the interval being measured.
In general, the controls are arranged to adju~t the speed and torque of the spcoling drive motor. The travel rates are preferably variable from about 8 to 5000 cm per minute. The unspooling rate should, of course, be kept slow enough to avoid spiraling or kinking of the telemetry cable. A particularly suitable logging rate is about 6 inches per minute which provides a traverse of 90 m of subterranean earth formation interval in about 10 hours. The electrical response temperatures are trans-mitted (for exa~ple, by a mercury slip-ring assembly) to measurement indicating units.
The measuring means conduit is preferably a spcolable continuous stainless steel tube, preferably one which has an 3o inner diameter of about 0.8 to 1.4 cm and is, or is substantially equivalent to, a grade 316 stainless steel. The measuring means conduit is preferably attached, for example, by strapping, along the exterior of a tubing or casing string. The points of the attachment should be located at the largest dianeters of such a ~"26~ 7 pipe string, eOg., at the pipe collars, to keep the measuring means conduit as straight as possible, particularly with respect to avoiding a spiraling around a casing or tubing to which the measuring means conduit is attached.
qhe sinker bar beads such as beads 6A used in a conduit of the preferred size preferably have an outer diameter of about O.S
to 1.1 cm and a length of about 2.5 to 20 cm. In such an arrangement, the flexible sinker line 6B is preferably a flexible line such as a 0.15 cm aircraft wire and the bead stops 6C are preferably = ll pieces of small tubing such as 0.30 cm tubing crimFed tightly onto the sinker line in positions that keep the beads separated by about 1.25 cm.
In general, the components of the combination comprising a flexible weighting member like flexible sinker 6, an electrically responsive temperature sensing means like thermccouple junction 7, a met~l sheathed telemetering cable like cable a and a means for spooling the telemetering cable like spooling means 9, should have chemical and physical properties and interconnections arranged so that gravity acting on the sinker bar is capable of 2Q pulling the sensing means downward through the measuring interval while substantially straightening the bends imparted by the drum : of the spooling means~ Applicants have found, by means of well tests, that such an arrangement and interconnection of properties : is exemplified by a measuring means conduit comprising a 0.9 cm inside diameter by 1.25 cm outside diameter 316 stainless steel tube, a flexible sinker bar comprising 80 beads which are 2 inches long by 0.6 cm diameter (providing a total mass of about 0.9 kg and a length of about 5 m), where the cable for tele-metering electrical temperature responses is a steel sheathed 0.15 cm diameter cable which is spooled on a spooling means having a drwm diameter of akout 50 cm.
With respect to such a co~bination of items the cold working of the telemetering cable (due to being bent around the spooling means drum~ is only about 0.3 per cent. Where the measuring means ~ 35 conduit deviation from a generally vertical line twith respect to ,~
. , ~26~ 7 spiraling or substantially reversing turns, such as 'Idog legs") is practically nil, the temperature sensing means nst only moves smoothly downward in response to gravity (with no evidence of interference due to friction) but no significant load due to friction is apparent while raising the system by spcoling it onto the spooling means drum. Tests have indicated that where the same ccmbination of items is used in a measuring means conduit having spiraling deviations from the vertical, although the downward motion may be satisfactory, the pulling up of the system may place a load on the telemetering cable amounting to m~re than its tensile strength, due to friction.
Figure 3 shows the main circultry components for controlling a cable spooling means such as means 9 of Fig~re 1. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, substantially all of the indicated components can be the same as, or like, components which are commercially available. A data logger 20 is arranged to receive depth and temperature si~nals and transmit coded control ccmmands to a logging rate and direction control circuit 21, which in turn activates a motor control circuit 22 to provide direction 2Q and rate signals to the spooling means motor 23. A depth encoder ; 24 derives thermocouple position indicating signals from the extent at which the telemetering cable 8 is unspooled~ Then,in converter 25 the binary coded decimal depth signals 26 are converted to hexadecimal depth signals which are supplied to the data logger 20, along with the temperature slgnals 27 from the therm~couple.
The data logger 20 is arranged to provide data and receive commands, via a telephone modem 28, to and from a computer 29.
The available keyboard commands of the computer 29 include logging control direction, logging speed and data regarding depth and temperature. ~hus, the system can automatically accumulate temperature measurements at a continuous or intermittent rate which is slow enough to ensure substantial equilibrium between the sensing unit and the surrounding temperature without any int~rruption of the well operation or any significant amount of ~1.;2~ii~6~
time of the operating personnel. Where a subterranean interval is to be heated at a relatively high bemperature, the present process can be particularly valuable. The measuring conduit means conduit is extended throughout the interval near the heater to be used. While operating the heater to bring it up to the selected heating temperature the logging speed for the temperature sensing assembly is set to provide relatively rapid traverses of the ; ir~terval in order to detect any developing hot spots anywh~re along the intervals before any significant damage has occurred.
When the heater temperature reaches or approaches the selected heating temFerature the logging speed can be reduced to a rate conductive to maintaining a thermal-equilibrium between the sensing means and the borehole temperature.
The use of the telephone modem 28 is also particularly advantageous in mountainous terrain where radio co~munications or personnel monitoring is difficult or impractical. The present system can he used for a central control of a large n~ber of heat injectors in a field scale operation.
Figure 4 shows an alternative arrangement of a placement and ; 20 use of a measuring means conduit, in accordance with the present invention. The system shcwn in Figure 4 is a formation-tailored means for uniformly heating a long subterranean interval at high temperature.
AS shcwn in Figure 4, the measuring means conduit 40 is arranged to serve as a heater cable guide column. It is pulled from an air motor driven guide column spool 41 through the interior of a stationary drum 42 alld into a well casing 43 by the weight of a guide column sinker bar 44. A pair of heater cables 45 each comprising a conductive metal core surrounded by mineral insulation encased in a stainless steel sheath are connected to a ; pair of metal sheathed, mineral insulated, power supply cables 46 and lengths of those cables which are sufficien~ to allow the heater cables to extend through the casing to the zone to be heated are wound around a rotating cable guide 47 mounted on the stationary drum 42 through which the tubular guide column is ~2~
g _ extended. The heater cables are spliced together with an end piece splice 48 which is connected to the guide column. AS the guide conduit 40 is lowered into the casing, turns of the heater cables 45 follcwed by turns of the power supply cables are removed and fed into the casing in the fo~n of spiraling coils in which the turns have a suitable wave len ~ l L. When the dcwnward travel of the guide column 40 is terminated, the coils of the ~; cables 45 press outward against the inner wall of the casing 43 and much, if not all, of their weight tends to be supported by the friction betwe~n them and the wall.
In such an arrangement, in accordance with the present process, after a guide column comprising the measuring means conduit of the present invention has been run-in, it is pre-ferably hung fram a wellhead hanger, which can be like those conventionally used for hanging strings of continuo~ls tubing. If a pressure greater than atmospheric is to be generated within the casiny containing the measuring means conduit, the temperature sensing assembly of the present invention can be fed in through a lubricator, which can be like ~hose conventionally used. The lubricator should, of course, be arranged so that the friction imparted by it does not pr2vent the gravity-actuated downward travel of the tenFerature :ens ng means.
..
Claims (11)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A process for operating a well logging system while measuring temper-atures in or around subterranean intervals that may be more than 60 m in length, 600 m in depth, and hot enough for pyrometry, comprising:
extending a measuring means conduit within the well from a surface loca-tion to the interval to be measured;
interconnecting a flexible weighting member, an electrically responsive temperature sensing means, a heat stable cable for telemetering the responses from the temperature sensing means and a means for spooling the telemetering cable so that the gravitational force on the weighting means is capable of pulling the temperature sensing means downward within the measuring means conduit, unspooling the telemetering cable and substantially straightening the bends imparted by the spooling while avoiding a significant cold working of the cable;
operating the spooling means so that the temperature sensing means is pulled downward within the measuring means conduit by gravity and is puled upward by a re-spooling of the telemetering cable and temperature responsive electrical signals are generated by the temperature sensing means while it is, to the extent desired, in substantial equilibrium with the temperature at each location within the interval to be measured; and indicating the magnitude of temperatures corresponding to the telemetered signals and temperature measuring locations corresponding to the extent of the unspooling of the telemetering cable from the spooling means.
extending a measuring means conduit within the well from a surface loca-tion to the interval to be measured;
interconnecting a flexible weighting member, an electrically responsive temperature sensing means, a heat stable cable for telemetering the responses from the temperature sensing means and a means for spooling the telemetering cable so that the gravitational force on the weighting means is capable of pulling the temperature sensing means downward within the measuring means conduit, unspooling the telemetering cable and substantially straightening the bends imparted by the spooling while avoiding a significant cold working of the cable;
operating the spooling means so that the temperature sensing means is pulled downward within the measuring means conduit by gravity and is puled upward by a re-spooling of the telemetering cable and temperature responsive electrical signals are generated by the temperature sensing means while it is, to the extent desired, in substantial equilibrium with the temperature at each location within the interval to be measured; and indicating the magnitude of temperatures corresponding to the telemetered signals and temperature measuring locations corresponding to the extent of the unspooling of the telemetering cable from the spooling means.
2. The process of claim 1 in which the interval to be measured is more than about 30 m long, is more than 60 m deep and is hotter than about 600 °C.
3. The process of claim 1 in which the inner diameter of the measuring means conduit is about 0.8 to 1.4 cm.
4. The process of claim 1 in which the temperature sensing means is a thermocouple.
5. The process of claim 1 in which the flexible weighting member comprises a string of weights attached to a flexible line.
6. The process of claim 1 in which the cable spooling means is operated automatically.
7. The process of claim 1 in which the measuring means conduit is connected along a pipe string.
8. The process of claim 7 in which the pipe string and measuring means conduit are surrounded by cement.
9. The process of claim 1 in which the bottom of the measuring means conduit is fluid-tightly sealed.
10. A process of heating a subterranean zone in a well in which the temperature is being measured, comprising:
extending a measuring means conduit and at least one electrical heating cable into a well with the heating cable attached to the conduit and extended throughout the zone to be heated;
operating the heating cable to heat the zone to be heated while measuring the temperature within that zone by the process of claim 1.
extending a measuring means conduit and at least one electrical heating cable into a well with the heating cable attached to the conduit and extended throughout the zone to be heated;
operating the heating cable to heat the zone to be heated while measuring the temperature within that zone by the process of claim 1.
11. The process of claim 10 in which the temperature sensing means is initially cycled through said zone at relatively high rates to detect any developing hot spots and is later cycled at rates such that it remains in substantial thermal equilibrium with the surrounding temperature.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000495852A CA1261647A (en) | 1985-11-21 | 1985-11-21 | Mini-well temperature profiling process |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000495852A CA1261647A (en) | 1985-11-21 | 1985-11-21 | Mini-well temperature profiling process |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1261647A true CA1261647A (en) | 1989-09-26 |
Family
ID=4131933
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000495852A Expired CA1261647A (en) | 1985-11-21 | 1985-11-21 | Mini-well temperature profiling process |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1261647A (en) |
-
1985
- 1985-11-21 CA CA000495852A patent/CA1261647A/en not_active Expired
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