Introduction to this special section: Geophysical applications of fiber-optic distributed sensing

Designs and preliminary results from a multi-year project for simultaneous Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) executed across multiple wells on a Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) field in Canada is presented. Primary objectives of the project were to demonstrate prototypical execution of DAS and DTS data collection on a standard SAGD pad setup and to characterize inflow across the production zone. Challenges and learnings from this technically demanding project are explored alongside a discussion on the improving viability of continuous acoustic monitoring to augment temperature sensing commonly utilized in SAGD instrumentation design. The DTS technique employs a combination of an optoelectronics topside instrument and a downhole sensing fiber to produce a distributed temperature profile of the fiber string. The topside instrument comprises a laser light source, a fast optical detector and a combination of electrical and optical circuits to control light pulsing, and the detection and measurements of Raman backscattered light containing encoded temperature information about the temperature profile. The sensing fiber type is selected based on suitability with the topside instrument and the expected maximum operating temperature of its intended sensing environment. While DTS is compatible with both single-mode (SM) and multi-mode (MM) fiber type, MM graded-index fibers are often selected for SAGD environment due to its larger optical core size. Using a MM fiber allows for increased capture of the backscatter Raman light, a much weaker light signal than the laser light launched into the optical fiber. Temperature dependent Raman signals are extracted from the returned light and by applying the Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR) technique, which produces a temperature trace consisting of temperature magnitude matched to each unit distance along the sensing fiber. The temperature trace can vary in its spatial resolution subject to the topside instrument configuration with typical resolving resolution between 0.5 – 1.5 meters. Other general DTS sensing techniques are described in the literature (for example, Hartog (2017)) but are not described here. Some of the earliest uses of DTS in thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR) was to monitor steam breakthrough and pump vapor locking in California's steam flood as reported by Carnahan (1999). Since then, advancement in specialty fiber optics suitable for thermal environment upwards to 300°C has enabled mainstream adoption within SAGD. Uses of DTS data has expanded to include, but not limited to, monitoring of well and steam chamber conformance, tubing and casing integrity, gas ingression and water coning. DAS is an optical interferometry technique employing an optoelectronics topside instrument and a downhole sensing fiber to detect minute changes in fiber length at each location along the fiber string. The instrument is sensitive at the pico-strain (ρε) level with a spatial resolution equal to a configurable distance referred to as the gauge length. The term "acoustic" in Distributed Acoustic Sensing broadly designates any mechanical perturbation able to alter the local state of strain anywhere along the optical fiber, be it from dynamic pressure changes, or dynamic strain (e.g. vibration). While DAS is compatible with both SM and MM fiber type, deployment alongside SM fiber types have been traditionally preferred as the laser light coherence is better preserved throughout its round-trip propagation compared to MM fiber. However, DAS with MM fiber can still be used for typical fiber lengths in SAGD wells without significant penalty in signal quality as shown in literatures (MacPhail (2016), Burke (2022). This cross-compatibility with MM fiber allows collection of DAS on existing DTS fibers deployments without further intervention. Prior to DAS adoption in oil and gas, it was predominantly deployed in defense and security application to perform parameter monitoring and ground disturbance detection. As DAS technology evolved, it was first trialed in Shell's unconventional tight gas wells in February 2009 to monitor plug setting, perforation shots and active clusters during fracking operation (Molenaar et al. 2012). In EOR application like SAGD, DAS provides an augmenting dataset correlating to production inflow phases (MacPhail et al. 2016) which would not be readily detectable in the temperature domain alone. Efforts like the one presented in this paper are underway to progress horizontal inflow profiling and inferred relative volumes which aids in understanding well productivity and efficacy of added inflow control devices (ICD). Unlike DTS, acoustic data is largely unaffected by temperature masking due to well completions. For events where insufficient temperature deviation are produced, DAS may be used to surveille for common industry challenges such as steam coning, gas ingression, loss of tubing/casing integrity and more. The emerging market segment for Carbon Capture and Underground Storage (CCUS) is poised to utilize DAS as one of the many leak detection toolkit for the injection monitoring wells.

Fiber optic measurements including Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) have been established as common tools to monitor the downhole condition during hydraulic fracturing treatment as well as during production. Several authors presented a methodology of quantitative interpretation for DAS and DTS data to estimate injected/produced fluid volume distribution among perforation clusters. The quantitative interpretation allows us to not only diagnose the stimulation efficiency but also optimize the completion design for subsequent fracturing jobs. This study investigates how completion parameters are correlated with fracturing stimulation performance based on the field application of DAS and DTS interpretation methodology. The field data from MIP-3H provided by the Marcellus Shale Energy and Environmental Laboratory is analyzed in this work. As previously presented, a DAS/DTS integrated interpretation method estimates fracture half-length distribution for each stage. In this approach, fractures are assumed to be created in a swarm pattern from each perforation cluster. We do not assign fractures only at the perforation cluster locations but assume that multiple fractures are initiated along a stage interval with much smaller spacing than cluster spacing. This fracture swarm model is supported by several field observations. Once the DAS interpretation estimates the injected fluid volume for each perforation cluster, by considering the fluid volume distribution as an input parameter for the DTS interpretation, the temperature inversion provides the half-length of each fracture. This interpretation approach allows us to estimate uniformity of the fracture half-length distribution. To statistically describe the fracture uniformity, a uniformity index is defined. The estimated uniformity index is compared with inflow rate for each stage to investigate how the uniformity of fracture distribution contributes to well performance. The inflow profile is estimated by interpreting the DTS data during production. The comparison shows that the stages with uniform fracture half-length distribution are more productive. This result implies that the stages more uniformly stimulated become more productive. By observing the relationship between the uniformity index and several completion parameters such as injection rate, total volume of injected fluid, proppant concentration and so on, we can investigate what parameter is more influential to the fracture stimulation efficiency. The statistical analysis illustrates that the uniformity of the fracture half-length distribution and high productivity are correlated with high injection rate. Based on this study, the injection rate would be one of the primary design parameters to maximize the fracturing stimulation performance in this field case. As demonstrated in this study, the evaluation of fracturing stimulation design based on the interpretation of DAS and DTS data would be an essential approach to optimize it.

In this study, we used data from optical fiber-based Distributed Acoustic Sensor (DAS) and Distributed Temperature Sensor (DTS) to estimate pressure along the fiber. A machine learning workflow was developed and demonstrated using experimental datasets from gas–water flow tests conducted in a 5163-ft deep well instrumented with DAS, DTS, and four downhole pressure gauges. The workflow is successfully demonstrated on two experimental datasets, corresponding to different gas injection volumes, backpressure, injection methods, and water circulation rates. The workflow utilizes the random forest algorithm and involves a two-step process for distributed pressure prediction. In the first step, single-depth predictive modeling is performed to explore the underlying relationship between the DAS (in seven different frequency bands), DTS, and the gauge pressures at the four downhole locations. The single-depth analysis showed that the low-frequency components (< 2 Hz) of the DAS data, when combined with DTS, consistently demonstrate a superior capability in predicting pressure as compared to the higher frequency bands for both the datasets achieving an average coefficient of determination (or R2) of 0.96. This can be explained by the unique characteristic of low-frequency DAS which is sensitive to both the strain and temperature perturbations. In the second step, the DTS and the low-frequency DAS data from two gauge locations were used to predict pressures at different depths. The distributed pressure modeling achieved an average R2 of 0.95 and an average root mean squared error (RMSE) of 24 psi for the two datasets across the depths analyzed, demonstrating the distributed pressure measurement capability using the proposed workflow. A majority of the current DAS applications rely on the higher frequency components. This study presents a novel application of the low-frequency DAS combined with DTS for distributed pressure measurement.

Summary Distributed acoustic-sensing technology is a diagnostic method that has been implemented in the oil and gas industry for flow monitoring during injection or production. One of the applications is to estimate fluid distribution during hydraulic fracturing treatment. This is an invaluable diagnostic tool for multistage fracture treatments because of the large number of parameters and high uncertainty involved in these fracture treatments. Distributed acoustic sensor (DAS) measurements are based on data extracted from a fiber-optic cable installed in a wellbore. Fiber-optic cable strain is sensitive to temperature and acoustic variations induced by fluid flow with different fluid properties and fracture geometries. These parameters are evaluated from the backscattered laser pulse through the fiber using coherent Rayleigh backscattering for DAS and Raman backscattering for distributed temperature sensing (DTS). The DAS interrogation system acquires strain response to acoustic variations along the measured depth of the wellbore for all periods of time. This study presents a method of interpretation of flow-rate distribution from acoustic signals from DAS measurements. Raw acoustic measurements are transformed into energy-attribute distribution for all necessary depth locations and time frame. It allows calculating energy for each perforation cluster location. This calculation demands proper depth-interval consideration for each perforation cluster. A depth-windowing procedure allowing location of intervals where DAS channel measurements must be integrated for each timestep is applied to all stages. Based on previous experimental and computational fluid-dynamic investigations, the correlation between acoustic signal and flow rate is applied to interpret the measured DAS data to flow distribution. In this paper, the system of equations that connects acoustic energy response with clusters flow-rate distribution during the injection period using these correlations is introduced. The solution of this system allows calculating cumulative volume for each perforation cluster on each timestep and at the end of fracture treatment. As additional verification of flow-rate distribution, the results of DAS interpretation were compared with the interpretation results of DTS. A field example is used to illustrate the interpretation procedure. From this work, it is concluded that, besides qualitative analysis, the DAS interpretation method provides a quantitative estimation of flow distribution. Based on current assumptions, the interpretation results from DAS and DTS are comparable with a satisfactory agreement. The combined DAS and DTS interpretations help in understanding cluster efficiency in multistage fracture treatments.

Summary Distributed acoustic sensing(DAS) and Distributed Temperature Sensing(DTS) are being actively used in various exploration and monitoring applications. DTS is used for measurements and monitoring of the temperature and DAS is used for recording seismic wavefield. At the same time, DAS measurements are sensitive to temperature changes. The response of DAS to temperature is proportional to a time derivative of temperature as DAS naturally measures strain. Understanding of how DAS measurements can be affected by changing temperature is paramount to avoid or/and eliminate noise related to temperature variations. This can be particularly critical for the DAS time-lapse seismic and passive monitoring. We utilised the Curtin/NGL research facility and Rock-Physics Laboratory to estimate temperature’s effect on three various DAS cables. Two different fibres were tested in the laboratory and one cable (installed in the Curtin/NGL well), examined at the site. We demonstrated that DAS is sensitive to temperature changes and its response is proportional to a time derivative of temperature. Our study shows that by using DAS and temperature data together, it is possible to estimate strain – temperature change dependency (microstrain/degree) for a particular cable. Coefficients estimated in three tests indicate that cable type/design can affect DAS response to temperature changes.

Accurate prediction of flow regime and flow profile in wellbore is among the main interests of production engineers in the quest of optimizing wellbore production and increasing reliability of downhole completion tools especially in SAGD projects. This study introduces a methodology for wellbore monitoring by detecting flow phase and flow regime. In order to develop this method, an advanced multi-phase flow injection experiment was designed and commissioned. A flow injection setup was developed to test distributed fiber optic sensor installation under different operating conditions, including multi-phase flow (oil, brine and gas), and flow fraction scenarios. Different signal processing methods were applied to extract meaningful features and filter the noise from the raw signals. A statistical analysis was performed to assess the trend of the driven data. Then, typical SAGD models were simulated to assess the results of experimental setup for scale-up purpose and determination of local breakthrough of steam along the well. Results showed that the Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) data contains different levels of signals for each phase and flow regime. We also found that some level of uncertainties is involved in relating the flow regime and DAS information which could be resolved by improving the sensor installation procedure. In addition, the application of data-driven machine learning methods was found necessary to interpret the signal patterns. Initial results have shown that steam breakthrough along the well can be detected using real time DAS high energy/frequency signals. It can be concluded that including the DAS along with Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) is necessary to provide a better picture of steam conformance and SAGD wellbore monitoring. The limitations of the current experimental setup restricted further conclusions regarding the hybrid DAS and DTS application. This paper is a part of an ongoing project to address the application of the combined DAS and DTS in SAGD projects. The ultimate goal is a downhole monitoring system to oversee the flow phase, flow regime and sand ingress in thermal application. The next phase will address the required improvements for developing a flow loop to handle high temperatures, include sand production and mimic thermal operation conditions.

Injector well completions are typically carried out using two methods: simple and selective. The performance of injector wells has traditionally been evaluated using spinner-based injection logging tools (ILTs) or on-demand fiber optic distributed temperature and acoustic (DTS or DAS) sensing while logging the well performance every 3 months or once a year depending on the application. However, with such methods utilizing a snap shot approach, critical well performance information or possible anomalies are often missed due to measurements taken only during certain periods. Therefore, operators have explored the use of advanced fiber-optics methods such as permanent distributed temperature sensing (DTS) and permanent distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), that provide continuous, real-time measurements to enable understanding of dynamic well behavior at all times and mitigate any deferred or behavioral problems. Of relevance to this work is a vertical, injector well in a competent sandstone formation of the Heavy Oil Chichimene field in Llanos Basin, Colombia. As a first step of the fiber-optics monitoring strategy, a careful evaluation of DTS and DAS based fiber-optics methods was conducted. Based on the data analysis and operational history, DAS-based fiber optics monitoring was chosen as the most effective monitoring solution for this well. Subsequently, a proprietary DAS algorithm was developed to analyze the data and estimate the flow allocation for all the four zones. The results include waterfall acoustic energy maps, temporal flow allocation profiles and most importantly, the zonal flow allocation values. Predicted (DAS) zonal flow allocation data was compared with traditional injection logs (ILT) under different operational conditions (varied injection flow rates and valve choke settings). Based on comparable agreement between DAS and ILT data, the operator decided to replace ILT runs with DAS-based fiber optic monitoring, resulting in lower operational costs while enabling near real-time monitoring, and providing the continuous distributed data essential for the dynamic monitoring of the well. The successful application of fiber-optics monitoring to provide an injection profile in conjunction with a surface-controlled electric valve system demonstrates a significant potential to optimize the injection process in complex injector wells. Further, remotely controlling, monitoring and optimizing injection rates into the multi-segmented zones improves the service life of the injection operations, eliminates future intervention costs, and increases ultimate recovery.

Fiber Optic Liquid Leakage Detection (FOLLD) project has permitted of assessing on the DTS (Distributed Temperature Sensing), the DSTS (Distributed Strain and temperature Sensing) and the DAS (Distributed Acoustic Sensing) capabilities, combined with a Standard Telecom Fiber Optic Cable (FOC), for detecting small pressurized (20 barg) and pre-heated (50 °C) liquid (water) leakages on a buried dummy pipeline. DTS/DSTS real time results demonstrated that the soil disruption, the soil and external environmental temperature variation had an influence on leakage detection results robustness. Consequently, only the first three (3) trials out of the ten (10) trials provide some comprehensive results. Real time results shown that two (2) out of three (3) DSTS devices were able to detect a leakage up to twenty (20) km with a detection success rate of 67% in the position P1 or P2 or P3. One (1) out of two (2) DTS device detects up to twenty (20) km with a detection success rate that depends on the fiber optic position (67% for P2 or P3 and 33% for P1). Only one (1) DSTS shows a detection success rate up to fourty (40) km with a detection success rate of 67% in the position P1 or P2 or P3. DTS/DSTS real time results highlight that 100% successful detection rate can be reached up to twenty (20) km with several fiber optic cables in the position: P1/P2 or P1/P3 or P1/P2/P3. For DAS systems, the real time results shown that it was not possible to distinguish a leakage "noise" from other surrounding noise. This was especially due to the water pump noise, which was always occurring simultaneously with the leakage. Only a post processing treatment provide the leakage detection using a DAS technology. Post treatment DTS/DSTS and DAS detection success rate are better than the real time results. This highlight the potential of both technologies. All DTS/DSTS and DAS testing results demonstrated that the detection success rate are Supplier's dependent.

In order to gain insights into the hydraulic and thermal long-term behavior of deep geothermal boreholes during operation, a fiber-optic monitoring (FOM) system was implemented at the Stadtwerke Munich's (SWM) geothermal plant 'Sch&amp;#228;ftlarnstrasse' in the national project Geothermal-Alliance Bavaria (GAB). The permanently installed fiber optic cables enable continuous measuring of the temperature in boreholes with high spatial and temporal resolution via Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) and of acoustics/vibration via Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). In 2019, one production and one injection well were equipped with FOM in different setups and have been collecting data since then. In the injector, the cable was cemented behind the anchor pipe in the upper section of the borehole, whereas the producer was equipped with a fiber-optic cable until the total depth of the reservoir. Additionally, a fiber-optic gauge provides pressure and temperature at the top of the reservoir in this well. Among other things, precise inflow profiling in the reservoir section of the producer could be carried out using the temperature data, which helps deepen the understanding of the hydraulic behavior of the reservoir. Changes over time in the temperature of the produced thermal water can be traced back to changes in the hydraulically active zones or inflow temperatures in the reservoir. Other factors that influence the wellhead temperature, such as borehole heat losses to the surrounding rock, can be quantified using the DTS data. At the beginning of 2024, a third fiber-optic cable will be installed in an injection well at the Sch&amp;#228;ftlarnstrasse geothermal site. A similar setup as in the production well will allow for continuous measuring in the entire borehole until total depth (TD) and pressure and temperature from p/T gauges at the top of the reservoir and at TD. Therefore, both production and injection conditions in the reservoir and wellbore will be continuously monitored at all depths using DTS and DAS for the first time. We present the first interpretations of the data collected from the newly installed FOM in the injection well as well as insights into the long-term monitoring of the hydraulic and thermal dynamics in the production well to underline the importance of permanent downhole monitoring to ensure efficient and sustainable use of the geothermal reservoir.

The advent of fiber optic technology in geophysics exploration has grown in its use in the exploration, production, and monitoring of subsurface environments, revolutionizing the way data are gathered and interpreted critically to speed up decision-making and reduce expense and time. Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) has been increasingly utilized to build relationships in complex geophysics environments by utilizing continuous measurement along fiber optic cables with high spatial resolution and a frequency response of up to 10 KHz. DAS, as fiber optic technology examining backscattered light from a laser emitted inside the fiber and measuring strain changes, enables the performance of subsurface imaging in terms of real-time monitoring for Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP), reservoir monitoring, and microseismic event detection. This review examines the most widely used fiber optic cables employed for DAS acquisition, namely Single-Mode Fiber (SMF) and Multi-Mode Fiber (MMF), with the different deployments and scopes of data used in geophysics exploration. Over the years, SMF has emerged as a preferred type of fiber optic cable utilized for DAS acquisition and, in most applications examined in this review, outperformed MMF. On the other side, MMF has proven to be preferable when used to measure distributed temperature. Finally, the fiber optic cable deployment technique and acquisition parameters constitute a pivotal preliminary step in DAS data preprocessing, offering a pathway to improve imaging resolution based on DAS measurement as a future scope of work.

Fiber Optics Distributed sensing technologies are evolving in the petroleum industry with its potential applicability in many areas of surveillance. Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) is embarking upon the implementation of this technology in various assets including both Gas and Oil fields. The vision of the company is to have the Fiber Optics distributed sensing technology as a surveillance tool in the Well and Reservoir Management (WRFM) toolbox and to become, where appropriate, a key element of its cycle. In comparison to conventional surveillance, fiber optic distributed sensing requires no well intervention and thereby reducing HSSE exposure and production deferment. In addition, the installed fibers can be used for multiple applications, e.g. hydraulic fracture performance monitoring and inflow performance monitoring. Recently, PDO trialed Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) technologies utilizing both, dip-in surveys and permanent installation of fiber optics in the wells. Fiber optic implementation in PDO included a polymer flooding trial in heavy oil, high permeability clastic reservoir with a strong bottom water aquifer drive. The objective was to monitor well conformance as the polymer injection progressed. The horizontal injectors were completed with pre-drilled liner and divided into four zones, each with an independent Inflow Control Valve (ICV). The well was completed with a multi-mode (MM) fiber pumped into control lines three injectors. Real time DTS data was acquired continuously in all three wells while DAS was acquired as per the injection program in one injector. DAS and DTS data were analyzed to quantify the changes in injection profile and rate in each ICV zone. This provided timely information needed for decisions related to manipulation of the ICV valves to ensure best utilization of the polymer. Another example of fiber optics was a dip-in survey in a deep gas well with commingled production which covered stacked reservoirs. This was run in order to prove the concept of flow response on DAS/DTS signals in terms of gas flowing and liquid lifting detection. The acoustic signature observed was mainly due to gas entering the well through perforations. This was detected by DAS and DTS and allowed a qualitative inflow profile to be generated. The dip in survey proved the concept and allowed justification for the permanent installation of fiber optics behind casing. The objective of the permanent setup is to improve the sensitivity of the measurement and allow for better quantification of inflow per zone. In this paper, the approach of implementing fiber optic technologies in PDO is discussed with emphasis on value generation in the various assets. Additionally, the examples mentioned in this abstract are discussed in more details and based on the results, the way forward is described.

A series of fiber optic surveys were performed in an Onshore well in Abu Dhabi to prove the concept of using both Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) for water injection monitoring. This technology aims to provide new and novel techniques where these surveys could be carried out without wellbore intervention, thereby reducing cost, removing HSE risk and lowering carbon footprint. In addition to these significant benefits fiber optic data provides a dense array of measurements from surface to total depth. The well selected for this proof-of-concept pilot was an onshore horizontal water injector located south of Abu Dhabi. Total depth of the well is approximately 13,000ft, of which approximately 5,000ft is an open hole injection interval. The fiber optic cable was clamped to a 3.5″ tubing string at the time of completion, all the way from surface to total depth. The reservoir section was completed open hole with slotted 3.5″ tubing below the production packer allowing injection through perforated pipe into five separate intervals, each isolated by four swells packers. DAS and DTS data were recorded on the first injection into this well. Although water injection had started in the field the project team obtained dispensation from the reservoir management team to keep the well shut in until fiber optic acquisition could be acquired. This allowed a stable geothermal baseline to be obtained, and after initial injection the well only had to be shut for a few hours to obtain a good warmback response.

Fibre-optic based Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), is now commonly used around the world for providing pipeline operators with real-time and early warning of intrusions on their pipeline Right of Ways. Also open to analysis within the DAS signal return are multiple signatures derived from the egress of product leaking from pipelines. Over the last three years, focussing attention on these alternative signals, OptaSense have developed a novel 4-mode External Leak Detection capability, fusing outputs from both DAS, Negative Pressure Pulse (NPP) and Distributed Temperature Gradient Sensing (DTGS) signals (the latter not to be confused with Distributed Temperature Sensing or DTS). The first commercially deployed 4-mode Leak Detection products are now being seen on the market, for both gas and liquids pipelines. In this paper, we report how DAS can be used to provide these four modes of leak detection — including (listed in order of typical detection latency, fastest to slowest) i) negative pressure waves created in the pipeline product from the leak event ii) acoustic noise from turbulent flow through the leak orifice iii) temperature gradients in the soil due to the presence of the leaked product (positive and negative), and iv) local strain/ground heave due to soil displacement by the leaked product. These acoustic, temperature and strain measurements using a fibre-optic cable buried next to a pipeline can be fused together to provide highly sensitive and reliable alerts for pipeline leaks. The pipeline industry has always sought to detect smaller leaks faster, with better locational accuracy. This paper, which draws upon industry sponsored test results and commercial deployment data, provides an update to the industry on leak detection possibilities using DAS.

Hydraulic fracture height and width are key parameters for completion design and evaluation of unconventional resources. Traditional measurement technologies like microseismic, tilt-meters, chemical or radioactive tracers, pressure temperature gauges, etc. either have low resolution or rely on sensitive models which can cause a high degree of uncertainty. Recent frac-hit measurement methods include the use of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) deployed in far-field wellbores offset from the treatment well. The DAS system directly measures the fracture propagation every second through the completion, with a few meters' spatial resolution sampled at 0.25-meter intervals along the monitored fiber well. Cross-well fiber optic monitored far-field strain (FFS) results suggested elastic stress effects, intense inelastic fracture expansion and closure events which provide identification and measurement of frac height on a TVD plot, as well as width by measured depth along the wellbore laterals. Vertical wells or the heel-section of horizontal wells are suitable for frac-hit height (FHH) measurement; fracture azimuth and wellbore geometries need to be considered for precise evaluation. A specially designed engineered constellation fiber cable was tested and utilized in this method in combination with a true phase coherence DAS interrogator with a 20 dB improved sensitivity (Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (SNR)) for both low and high frequency ranges DAS. The optic fiber can be either permanently installed outside the casing or temporarily deployed inside a monitor well. Comparable results can be achieved by the engineered fiber system and have been presented within case studies for both horizontal and vertical well sections. In addition, Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) and data from downhole gauge can confirm any temperature or pressure changes resulting from frac driven interactions (FDI). With this approach, fracture azimuth, frac-hit corridor (FHC) width and FHH can be determined with a high degree of accuracy and resolution. Completion engineers were able to optimize frac models in real-time and further change completion schedules during the frac treatment.

Summary Understanding gas dynamics in mud is essential for planning well control operations, improving the reliability of riser gas handling procedures, and optimizing drilling techniques, such as the pressurized mud cap drilling (PMCD) method. However, gas rise behavior in mud is not fully understood due to the inability to create an experimental setup that approximates gas migration at full-scale annular conditions. As a result, there is a discrepancy between the gas migration velocities observed in the field as compared to analytical estimates. This study bridges this gap by using distributed fiber-optic sensors (DFOS) for in-situ monitoring and analysis of gas dynamics in mud at the well scale. DFOS offers a paradigm shift for monitoring applications by providing real-time measurements along the entire length of the installed fiber at high spatial and temporal resolution. Thus, it can enable in-situ monitoring of the dynamic events in the entire wellbore, which may not be fully captured using discrete gauges. This study is the first well-scale investigation of gas migration dynamics in oil-based mud with solids, using optical fiber-based distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) and distributed temperature sensing (DTS). Four multiphase flow experiments conducted in a 5,163-ft-deep wellbore with oil-based mud and nitrogen at different gas injection rates and bottomhole pressure conditions are analyzed. The presence of solids in the mud increased the background noise in the acquired DFOS measurements, thereby necessitating the development and deployment of novel time- and frequency-domain signal processing techniques to clearly visualize the gas signature and minimize the background noise. Gas rise velocities estimated independently using DAS and DTS showed good agreement with the gas velocity estimated using downhole pressure gauges.