Commercialization of Fiber Optic Sensors for Reservoir Monitoring
Authors: Bostick F.X. 
Published: October 2008

This paper takes a look at the evolution and process of introducing a highly sophisticated new technology to the oilfield. Following an aggressive, highly motivated and innovative adaptation of fiber Bragg grating sensors from industrial and defense industries, multi-parameter optical sensors have now been successfully commercialized in the oil and gas industry. With the help of several lead customers willing to share the risk of adopting this technology, Bragg grating sensors significantly expanded the range of all-optical downhole measurement capability. The inherent properties of fiber optics are proving to be well suited for the remote and harsh downhole production environment, in which the reliable delivery of real-time, continuous, high accuracy and resolution data is paramount.

With the integration of this technology into a major service company, pressure, temperature, flow and phase fraction are simultaneously being monitored, at the reservoir, by optical in-well sensor systems around the world, and the number of commercial installations has dramatically increased in a wide variety of different environments. Continuous improvement and expanded applications are paving the way for long-term, broad-based contribution of fiber Bragg grating sensor systems to the oil and gas industry. New downhole optical sensing capabilities are imminent. Fiber optic in-well seismic installations are now being planned following successful field trials, and advanced optical-hydraulic completions are now being engineered for intelligent wells.

Introduction

The starting point for a new technology can come from a variety of different places including, for example, an accidental discovery in a laboratory, a brainstorm session in which a particularly challenging problem has been posed and a unique potential solution springs to mind, or, as in many cases, "new" technology is borrowed or adapted from another industry. In some instances, it is a combination of all three that results in finding a suitable technology for the job.

However, the process of identifying, developing (and/or adapting), testing and finally commercializing a new technology can be a significant challenge. Some wonderful ideas and widgets simply never reach their commercial potential, not for lack of applicability or practicality, but for lack of any or all of the following:market needtimingfundingmotivationlead customer sponsorshipinternal & external marketingproduct deliverycontinuous improvement

Fiber optic sensors represent a technology that has been successfully applied in industries outside oil and gas, including defense, medical, civil, and aerospace (Fig. 1). Within these industries, optical sensors have been effectively utilized for a wide variety of measurements, in increasingly harsh environments, and the interrogation systems have advanced significantly in terms of sophistication and economic viability. Seemingly ideal for oil and gas applications, the implementation of optical sensors throughout the petroleum industry has been slow to become a commercial reality for many of the reasons listed above.