Method of isolating a downhole zone for the gathering of data

Abstract

A downhole tool including an inner mandrel, a first sealing element disposed around the inner mandrel, a second sealing mandrel disposed around the inner mandrel and axially below the first sealing elements, and a monitoring device disposed on the downhole tool between the first and second sealing elements. Also, a method of monitoring a downhole formation, the method including disposing a downhole monitoring tool in a wellbore, isolating a first production zone from a second production zone, wherein the first production zone is axially above the second production zone, and monitoring a condition of the first production zone.

1 . A downhole tool comprising:
 an inner mandrel;   a first sealing element disposed around the inner mandrel;   a second sealing element disposed around the inner mandrel and axially below the first sealing element; and   a monitoring device disposed on the downhole tool between the first and second sealing elements.   
     
     
         2 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a middle mandrel disposed around the inner mandrel; and   an outer mandrel disposed around the middle mandrel;   wherein axially displacing the outer mandrel relative to the middle mandrel radially expands the first and second sealing elements.   
     
     
         3 . The downhole tool of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an anchor disposed around the inner mandrel.   
     
     
         4 . The downhole tool of  claim 3 , wherein the anchor comprises a slip assembly, the slip assembly comprising:
 a slip;   a slip spring; and   a slip cage.   
     
     
         5 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the inner mandrel provides a conduit between the first and second sealing elements. 
     
     
         6 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device comprises at least one of a temperature sensor, a chemical composition sensor, and a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device is disposed in a socket on the outer mandrel. 
     
     
         8 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a wireline adapter disposed axially above the first sealing element and configured to engage the middle mandrel.   
     
     
         9 . The downhole tool of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a setting device disposed above axially above the wireline adapter.   
     
     
         10 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a port configured to provide fluid communication between a first production zone and the inner mandrel;   a sliding sleeve disposed inside the inner mandrel, wherein the sliding sleeve is configured to provide selective isolation of the first production zone from the inner mandrel.   
     
     
         11 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the axial distance between the first sealing element and the second sealing element defines a variable straddle, and wherein the variable straddle is between 1 and 4 meters. 
     
     
         12 . A method of monitoring a downhole formation, the method comprising:
 disposing a downhole monitoring tool in a wellbore;   isolating a first production zone from a second production zone, wherein the first production zone is axially above the second production zone; and   monitoring a condition of the first production zone.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 recording the condition of the first production zone; and   retrieving the downhole tool monitoring tool from the wellbore.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 communicating the condition of the first production zone to a surface of the wellbore, wherein the communicating occurs in real time.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 producing a fluid from the second production zone while the condition in the first production zone is monitored.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the fluid is at least one of a hydrocarbon and water. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein substantially none of the fluid produced from the second production zone is exposed to the first production zone. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the isolating comprises:
 expanding radially a first sealing element disposed around the downhole monitoring tool, wherein the first sealing element is located between the first production zone and the second production zone; and   expanding radially a second sealing element disposed around the downhole monitoring tool, wherein the second sealing element is located above the first production zone.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the condition of the first production zone comprises at least one of a temperature, a chemical composition, and a pressure. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 producing selectively from the first production zone.