Abstract:
A method of detecting flow in a tubular includes disposing an identifier within a component, the component including a seat configured to receive a plug member thereon, the identifier disposed separately from the seat; arranging the component within the tubular to position the identifier at a selected location within the tubular; flowing fluid through the tubular and subsequently through the component within the tubular and past the identifier within the component; releasing at least trace amounts of the identifier into the fluid when the fluid flows past the identifier; and detecting the at least trace amounts of the identifier in the fluid at a location uphole of the component.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/547,719, filed Nov. 19, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Tubular systems often have multiple openings through which fluid can flow and thereby commingle with fluid already flowing within the tubular. Regardless of where such flow enters the tubular it may be beneficial for an operator to know whether or not fluid is flowing through a particular portion of the tubular. Positioning flow measuring devices and the telemetry to communicate readings from the flow measuring devices though effective may be overly complex for some applications. Simple systems and methods that allow one to determine such things are therefore of interest to those who practice in the art. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       [0003]    A method of detecting flow in a tubular includes disposing an identifier within a component, the component including a seat configured to receive a plug member thereon, the identifier disposed separately from the seat; arranging the component within the tubular to position the identifier at a selected location within the tubular; flowing fluid through the tubular and subsequently through the component within the tubular and past the identifier within the component; releasing at least trace amounts of the identifier into the fluid when the fluid flows past the identifier; and detecting the at least trace amounts of the identifier in the fluid at a location uphole of the component. 
         [0004]    A method of treating a formation includes setting a plug having a seat within a tubular; plugging the plug with a plug member on the seat; treating a formation uphole of the plugged plug; removing the plug member from the seat; producing fluid through the plug; releasing at least trace amounts of an identifier positioned separately from the seat and within the plug with fluid flowing therepast; and detecting the at least trace amounts of the identifier in produced fluids produced through the plug. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  depicts a partial side cross sectional schematic view of a fluid flow location identification positioning system disclose herein; and 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  depicts a side cross sectional view of a frac plug or bridge plug employable in the fluid flow location identification positioning system of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. 
         [0009]    Referring to  FIG. 1  an embodiment of a fluid flow location identification positioning system disclosed herein is illustrated at  10 . The system  10  includes, at least one component  14 ,  16 , with two being illustrated that are attachable within a tubular  22  at any user selectable locations  18 ,  20  within the tubular  22 . The selected locations  18 ,  20  require no special preparation within the tubular  22 . The system  10  also includes at least one identifier  24 ,  28  with two being illustrated herein that are in operable communication with the two components  14 ,  16 . The identifiers  24 ,  28  are configured to be eroded by fluid flowing therepast, such that at least trace amounts  34 ,  38  of the identifiers  24 ,  28  are releasable into fluid that erodes the identifiers  24 ,  28 . The at least trace amounts  34 ,  38  are detectable in fluid downstream of the identifiers  24 ,  28 . This detection allows an operator to determine whether any fluid is flowing past the identifiers  24 ,  28  and necessarily that fluid is flowing past the locations  18 ,  20  of the identifiers  24 ,  28  within the tubular  22 . 
         [0010]    Concentrations of the identifiers  24 ,  28  within fluid can also be measured to provide quantitative data. By configuring the identifiers  24 ,  28  to be eroded at a rate that is proportional to flow rate of fluid therepast, flow rates of fluid can be determined by measuring the concentration of the identifiers  24 ,  28  within fluid at a downstream location  42 . By making the identifiers  24 ,  28  different from one another fluid flow rates  44 ,  48  past each of the identifiers  24 ,  28  (and thus past the locations  18 ,  20 ) can determined separately. If, for example, in the illustrated embodiment with just the two identifiers  24 ,  28 , concentrations of the trace amounts  34 ,  38  measured at the downstream location  42  were identical then the fluid flow rates  44 ,  48  must be the same. Or, stated another way, there must be no additional fluid flow being introduced to the tubular  22  between the first location  18  and the second location  20 . 
         [0011]    If, in another scenario however, measurements taken at the downstream location  42  reveal that the concentration of the first identifier  24  is half the concentration of the second identifier  28  it can be determined that the fluid flow rate  44  is half of the fluid flow rate  48 . Then it is a simple matter to proportion the total flow rate  50  at the downstream location  42  according to the proportions flowing by each of the locations  18  and  20 . 
         [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of a plug such as a frac plug or bridge plug, for example, employable within the fluid flow location identification positioning system  10  is illustrated at  60 . The frac plug  60  is settable within the tubular  22 , shown in this embodiment as an open hole (although the tubular can be a casing or liner as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ), within a borehole  64  in an earth formation  68  in a hydrocarbon recovery or carbon dioxide sequestration application, for example. The frac plug  60  has slips  72  that can anchor the frac plug  60  to the tubular  22  in response to radially expanding while being axially moved relative to a cone  76 . A seal  80  is also radially expandable into sealing engagement with the tubular  22  in response to being axially moved relative to the cone  76  or relative to a second cone  84 . An optional retainer  88  can hold the slips  72  engaged with the tubular  22  by preventing axial movement of the slips  72  in the opposite direction than the direction that caused the slips  72  to radially expand. It should be appreciated that this frac plug  60  can be positioned anywhere along the tubular  22  since no features are required within the tubular  22  for setting of the frac plug  60  within the tubular  22 . The frac plug also  60  includes a seat  92  that can be sealed by a plug  96  run thereagainst. Once the plug  96  is seated pressure can build upstream of the plug  96  to allow for treating, such as acidizing, for example or fracturing of the formation  68 . 
         [0013]    The frac plug  60  provides a platform for positioning the identifiers  24 ,  28  at the locations  18 ,  20  along the tubular  22 . The identifiers  24 ,  28  can be separate elements positionally retained by the frac plug  60  as is shown in the illustrated embodiment by a radially groove  98 . Alternatively, the identifiers  24 ,  28  can be positioned in grooves, openings or cavities, for example, in one or more of the slips  72 , the cones  76 ,  84 , the seal  80  or the retainer  88 , or other component of the frac plug  60 . For example, the identifiers  24 ,  28  can also be positioned within other functional parts such as set screws  100 , shear screws and rings, and locking rings (not shown), to name a few. In another embodiment the identifier can be integrally incorporated into one or more of the components  14 ,  16 ,  60 ,  72 ,  76 ,  80 ,  84  and  88  such that the one or more components  14 ,  16 ,  60 ,  72 ,  76 ,  80 ,  84  and  88  including the identifier incorporated therein are eroded simultaneously. 
         [0014]    The embodiment of the frac plug  60  illustrated herein has a smallest radial dimension  102  that is quite large in comparison to a radial dimension  106  of walls  110  of the tubular  22 . The ratio of the smallest radial dimension  102  to the radial dimension  106  of the walls  110  may be set to be within the range of about 70 to 80 percent. The large flow area through the frac plug  60  allows for significant flow rates through the frac plug  60  while creating little restriction. As such, hydrocarbon recovery applications, for example, can leave the frac plug  60  in place within the tubular  22  while producing hydrocarbons therethrough. In fact, the frac plug  60  can remain within the tubular  22  for the life of the well thereby negating any loss of production that might result during any downtime of the well while the frac plug  60  is milled or drilled out from within the tubular  22 . 
         [0015]    Regardless of where specifically the identifiers  24 ,  28  are positioned, they can take one or more of several different forms. The identifiers  24 ,  28  can be cloth, for example, and come in various colors, or they can be elastomeric, clay, or even one or more of constituent materials that are compressed or sintered together. As long as the identifiers  24 ,  28  can be readily eroded by fluid flowing relative thereto and then detected in the fluid downstream, any material may suffice. Additionally, orienting the identifiers  24 ,  28  relative to fluid flowing therepast to promote erosion of the identifiers  24 ,  28  might facilitate the identifiers  24 ,  28  being eroded at a rate proportional to the flow rate of fluid therepast. 
         [0016]    While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.