Method and System for Performing Communications During Cementing Operations

Abstract

A method and system are described for communicating within a system, which may be along tubular members and used during cementing installation operations. The method includes constructing a communication network and installing the communication nodes along a wellbore. The communication nodes are used to monitor the fluids adjacent to the communication nodes during the cementing installation operations. Once the cement is installed, the cementing installation operations may be used for hydrocarbon operations, such as hydrocarbon exploration, hydrocarbon development, and/or hydrocarbon production.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of performing cementing operations by communicating data among a plurality of communication nodes, the method comprising:
 obtaining well data for a subsurface region;   determining a communication network based on the obtained well data, wherein the communication network includes a plurality of communication nodes;   installing the plurality of communication nodes into a wellbore and a cement monitoring system, wherein one or more communication nodes of the plurality of communication nodes are configured to obtain measurements associated with fluids within the wellbore and to transmit the measurement data to other communication nodes in the communication network;   performing cementing installation operations to install cement at a cement location, wherein the performing cementing installation operations include:
 obtaining measurements from one of the one or more communication nodes during the cementing installation operations; and 
 transmitting data packets associated with the obtained measurements from the one of the one or more communication nodes to a control unit via the communication network during the cementing installation operations; and 
   performing hydrocarbon operations in the wellbore after the cement is installed at the cement location.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting cementing installation operations based on the transmitted data packets associated with the obtained measurements. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining changes in density of fluids adjacent to the one or more communication nodes during the cementing installation operations. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining changes in gamma ray emissions of fluids adjacent to the one or more communication nodes during the cementing installation operations. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising configuring the plurality of the communication nodes based on a communication network configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the communication network configuration comprises one of
 one or more frequency bands,   one or more individual tones,   one or more coding methods,   and any combination thereof.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of transmitting data packets comprises transmitting high-frequency signals that are in the range between 20 kilohertz and 1 megahertz. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing cementing installation operations comprises:
 pumping a cementing fluid into the wellbore;   disposing the cementing fluid adjacent to the tubular member within the wellbore; and   setting the cementing fluid within the wellbore to form the cement at the cement location.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the performing cementing installation operations comprises: pumping a first fluid into the wellbore prior to the pumping the cementing fluid into the wellbore, wherein the first fluid comprises one or more of viscosifier, emulsifier, weighting material, water, oil, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 obtaining measurements from the one or more communication nodes associated with the first fluid during the cementing installation operations; and   transmitting data packets associated with the obtained first fluid measurements from the one or more communication nodes to the control unit via the communication network during the cementing installation operations.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the performing cementing installation operations comprises: pumping a first fluid into the wellbore prior to the pumping the cementing fluid into the wellbore. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining measurements from the one or more communication nodes associated with the cementing fluid during the cementing installation operations; and   transmitting data packets associated with the obtained cementing fluid measurements from the one or more communication nodes to the control unit via the communication network during the cementing installation operations.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the cementing fluid comprises one or more of lime, silica, alumina, iron oxide, gypsum, water, additives and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the additives comprise one or more of accelerators, retarders, extenders, weighting agents, dispersants, fluid-loss control agents, lost-circulation control agents, antifoam agents and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the performing cementing installation operations comprises: pumping a second fluid into the wellbore after the pumping the cementing fluid into the wellbore. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 obtaining measurements from the one or more communication nodes associated with the second fluid during the cementing installation operations; and   transmitting data packets associated with the obtained second fluid measurements from the one or more communication nodes to the control unit via the communication network during the cementing installation operations.   
     
     
         17 . A hydrocarbon system comprising:
 a wellbore in a hydrocarbon system;   a plurality of tubular members disposed in the wellbore;   a communication network associated with the hydrocarbon system, wherein the communication network comprises a plurality of communication nodes that are configured to communicate operational data between two or more of the plurality of communication nodes during operations; and   a cement monitoring system, wherein one or more communication nodes of the plurality of communication nodes are configured to obtain measurements associated with fluids within the wellbore, to transmit the measurement data to other communication nodes in the communication network and to monitor the cementing operations.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more communication nodes of the plurality of communication nodes are configured to measure changes in density of fluids adjacent to the one or more communication nodes during the cementing installation operations. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more communication nodes of the plurality of communication nodes are configured to measure changes in gamma ray emissions of fluids adjacent to the one or more communication nodes during the cementing installation operations. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of communication nodes are configured to transmit high-frequency signals that are in the range between 20 kilohertz and 1 megahertz.