METHODS OF EMPLOYING AND USING A HYBRID TRANSPONDER SYSTEM FOR LONG-RANGE SENSING AND 3D LOCALIZATION

摘要

Methods of employing and using a hybrid transponder system (30) to determine the size, extent, and orientation of a hydraulic fracture (21) of a reservoir (23), are provided. An exemplary method can include the steps of inserting a plurality of transponders (65) into a fluid, injecting the fluid carrying the transponders (65) through casing perforations (29) and at least one fracture aperture (25) in a wellbore (27) and into a hydraulic fracture (21), actuating each of the transponders (65) by a reader (63) to provide an acoustic return signal (77) to the reader (63), determining a three-dimensional position of each of the transponders (65), mapping the location of the each of the transponders (65), and determining characteristics of the hydraulic fracture (21) responsive to the three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of transponders (65). The method can be implemented utilizing a reader (63) including an RF transmitter (73, 83, 85) and one or more acoustic receivers (75) along with typically a substantial plurality of transponders (65) each containing an RF receiver (93) and an acoustic transmitter (97).