Instrumentation system and method

Abstract

An instrumentation system includes a detection apparatus and a data logging apparatus that detect and record various inflow parameters and outflow parameters of the well during the completion phase or other operational phase of the well. The detection apparatus includes instrumentation that is applied to both the inflow into the well and the outflow out of the well and that detects the inflow and outflow parameters. The data logging apparatus captures the output from such instrumentation and records it for analysis. Such analysis can be performed in real time, i.e., as the data is being recorded, and/or can be retrieved at a later time for analysis and for optimization of future wells. A method involves applying the instrumentation system to a well.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An instrumentation system structured to be used in conjunction with a well that is formed in a surface, the well having a fluid inflow channel through which an inward flow of fluid can be caused to travel in a direction generally from the surface into the well, the well further having a fluid outflow channel through which an outward flow of fluid can be caused to travel in a direction generally outward from the well to the surface, the instrumentation system comprising:
 a detection apparatus comprising an inlet instrumentation package and an outlet instrumentation package;   the inlet instrumentation package comprising a plurality of sensing elements, each sensing element of the plurality of sensing elements being structured to detect an inflow parameter of the inward flow and to generate an inflow data signal based at least in part upon the inflow parameter;   the outlet instrumentation package comprising a plurality of other sensing elements, each other sensing element of the plurality of other sensing elements being structured to detect an outflow parameter of the outward flow and to generate an outflow data signal based at least in part upon the outflow parameter; and   a data logging apparatus comprising a communication system and a processor apparatus, the communication system being structured to receive the inflow data signals and the outflow data signals, the processor apparatus comprising a processor and a storage, the processor being structured to receive the inflow data signals and the outflow data signals from the communication system, the processor being further structured to store at least some of the inflow data signals and the outflow data signals in the storage.   
     
     
         2 . The instrumentation system of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the inlet instrumentation package is structured to be placed in fluid communication with the inward flow, and wherein at least a portion of the outlet instrumentation package is structured to be placed in fluid communication with the outward flow. 
     
     
         3 . The instrumentation system of  claim 1  wherein the communication system comprises a wireless transmitter that is structured to wirelessly transmit to the processor apparatus an output signal that comprises the inflow data signals from at least some of the sensing elements of the plurality of sensing elements and the outflow data signals from at least some of the other sensing elements of the plurality of other sensing elements. 
     
     
         4 . The instrumentation system of  claim 3  wherein the wireless transmitter communicates the output signal via at least one of a cellular network and a satellite link. 
     
     
         5 . The instrumentation system of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of sensing elements comprise at least two of a volumetric flow meter, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor, and wherein the plurality of other sensing elements comprise at least two of another volumetric flow meter, another temperature sensor, and another pressure sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The instrumentation system of  claim 5  wherein at least one of:
 the plurality of sensing elements further comprising a viscometer that is structured to detect as the inflow parameter a viscosity of the inward flow; and 
 the plurality of other sensing elements further comprising a viscometer that is structured to detect as the outflow parameter a viscosity of the outward flow. 
 
     
     
         7 . The instrumentation system of  claim 6  wherein at least one of:
 the plurality of sensing elements further comprising a mass flow meter that is structured to detect as the inflow parameter a mass flow rate of the inward flow; and 
 the plurality of other sensing elements further comprising a mass flow meter that is structured to detect as the outflow parameter a mass flow rate of the outward flow. 
 
     
     
         8 . The instrumentation system of  claim 6  wherein at least one of:
 the volumetric flow meter is structured to detect as the inflow parameter a volumetric flow rate of the inward flow; and 
 the another volumetric flow meter is structured to detect as the outflow parameter a volumetric flow rate of the outward flow. 
 
     
     
         9 . The instrumentation system of  claim 8  wherein the storage has stored therein a number of routines which, when executed on the processor, cause the processor apparatus to perform a number of operations that comprise:
 determining a density value of at least one of:
 based at least in part upon the mass flow rate of the inward flow and the volumetric flow rate of the inward flow, and 
 based at least in part upon the mass flow rate of the outward flow and the volumetric flow rate of the outward flow, and 
 
 storing the density value in the storage. 
 
     
     
         10 . The instrumentation system of  claim 7  wherein the mass flow meter is a Coriolis flow meter. 
     
     
         11 . A method of detecting a plurality of operational parameters of a well that is formed in a surface, the well having a fluid inflow channel through which an inward flow of fluid is caused to travel in a direction generally from the surface into the well, the well further having a fluid outflow channel through which an outward flow of fluid is caused to travel in a direction generally outward from the well to the surface, the method comprising applying to the well an instrumentation system that comprises:
 a detection apparatus comprising an inlet instrumentation package and an outlet instrumentation package;   the inlet instrumentation package comprising a plurality of sensing elements, each sensing element of the plurality of sensing elements detecting an inflow parameter of the inward flow and generating an inflow data signal based at least in part upon the inflow parameter;   the outlet instrumentation package comprising a plurality of other sensing elements, each other sensing element of the plurality of other sensing elements detecting an outflow parameter of the outward flow and generating an outflow data signal based at least in part upon the outflow parameter; and   a data logging apparatus comprising a communication system and a processor apparatus, the communication system receiving the inflow data signals and the outflow data signals, the processor apparatus comprising a processor and a storage, the processor receiving the inflow data signals and the outflow data signals from the communication system, the processor storing at least some of the inflow data signals and the outflow data signals in the storage.