Systems and methods for surface detection of wellbore projectiles

摘要

Disclosed are systems and methods for positively identifying wellbore projectiles introduced downhole. One well system includes at least one wellbore projectile configured to be introduced into a flow path associated with a work string arranged within a wellbore and extending from a wellhead installation, at least one optical computing device in optical communication with the flow path and having at least one integrated computational element configured to detect a characteristic of the at least one wellbore projectile and generate a resulting output signal indicative of the characteristic of the at least one wellbore projectile, and a computational system configured to receive the resulting output signal and associate the resulting output signal with a size or configuration of the at least one wellbore projectile.

主权项

1. A well system, comprising:
at least one wellbore projectile conveyable into a flow path defined by a work string arranged within a wellbore, wherein the at least one wellbore projectile is housed within a Christmas tree coupled to a wellhead and released into the flow path by actuating a valve of the Christmas tree; at least one optical computing device positioned within the wellbore below the Christmas tree and coupled to the work string, the at least one optical computing device being in optical communication with the flow path and including:
an electromagnetic radiation source that emits electromagnetic radiation to optically interact with the at least one wellbore projectile and an integrated computational element and thereby generate modified electromagnetic radiation;a first detector arranged to receive the modified electromagnetic radiation and generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the at least one wellbore projectile;a second detector arranged to detect radiating deviations of the electromagnetic radiation source and generate a compensating signal; anda signal processor that receives and computationally combines the output and compensating signals to generate a resulting output signal; and a computational system configured to receive the resulting output signal and associate the resulting output signal with a size or configuration of the at least one wellbore projectile.